zodex

Give ChatGPT a real machine through three familiar MCP tools:

• exec_command
• write_stdin
• apply_patch

Zodex has two first-class execution modes. They share the same tool contract and explicit absolute workdir model, but deliberately use different host and trust boundaries.

Install

Install the operator CLI on macOS or Linux:

curl -fsSL https://zodex.ashray.xyz/install.sh | sh

Then choose a mode:

# Trusted Apple Silicon Mac
zodex local setup
zodex local start --ttl 4h

# Wake-on-demand remote Linux
zodex sprite setup --help

The normal installer always installs the operator CLI. Sprite setup provisions the smaller guest runtime explicitly; the operator zodex binary is not installed in the agent shell.

Local

Local is for a Mac you already trust. It connects ChatGPT through an OpenAI Secure MCP Tunnel, runs commands as your logged-in user, and includes Agent-aware live observation plus durable history.

Start here: Local guide

Sprite

Sprite is for a separate Linux workspace that can sleep when idle and wake on incoming work. The supported ChatGPT path is:

ChatGPT custom app
  → Cloudflare Worker
  → public Sprite HTTPS wake edge
  → zodexd
  → restricted zodex-agent workspace

The Worker is deployed by the installed operator; users do not need a Zodex checkout or hand-edited Wrangler project. GitHub reads use a narrow reader App, while PR publishing and direct-push policy use a separate writer App whose private key stays isolated from the agent account.

Start here: Sprite guide

ChatGPT availability

Most OpenAI paid plans support custom MCP servers.

Why only three tools?

Frontier GPT models already know how to work with a command runner, an interactive stdin channel, and patch application. Zodex keeps that surface small while handling PTYs, process groups, long-running sessions, explicit working directories, runtime cleanup, and mode-specific infrastructure underneath it.

Documentation

• Local
• Sprite
• Architecture
• Tool reference