---
title: "What is Halo: open-source Claude Code desktop app"
description: "Halo is a free, open-source AI desktop app that puts Claude Code's agent power in an interface anyone can use: documents, websites and Digital Humans."
type: "explanation"
audience: ["all"]
related: ["getting-started/install", "digital-humans/overview", "guide/from-claude-code", "advanced/security"]
lang: "en"
canonical: "https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/guide/what-is-halo.html"
last_updated: "2026-10-19T00:11:17+08:00"
source: "Halo 3.0.4 docs"
---
# What is Halo

Halo is a free, open-source AI desktop app that puts Claude Code's agent power in an interface anyone can use: documents, websites and Digital Humans.

::: say
> What can you do for me? Give me a few examples that fit my work.

Halo checks its own official documentation and suggests examples you can say as they are, matched to your work.
:::

## In one sentence {#in-one-sentence}

You describe a task the way you'd say it, and Halo gets it done on your computer: writing documents, tidying spreadsheets, working in websites, changing code. Repetitive work can go to Digital Humans, which work on a schedule, take requests in WeCom, Feishu or WeChat, and can team up to split a bigger job.

## What it can do for you {#what-it-does}

| You are | Halo helps you | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| An office user | Make Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files from one sentence; tidy files; have the AI open websites to look things up or fill in forms | [Get started](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/getting-started/) |
| Someone who wants the AI to work on its own | Create Digital Humans that summarize, check and report on a schedule; connect WeCom, Feishu and WeChat; form teams | [Digital Humans overview](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/digital-humans/overview.html) |
| A developer | Claude Code's full agent power, plus file previews, Changes and code review, a terminal (macOS and Windows), skills and MCP | [Coming from Claude Code or Codex](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/guide/from-claude-code.html) |
| An IT admin | Remote Access, a phone client, the headless Halo Server, a Federation Gateway for teams across networks, a private store | [For IT and admins](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/advanced/) |

More examples in [Use cases](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/use-cases/).

## How it works {#how-it-works}

- **It runs on your computer**: macOS 12 or later, 64-bit Windows and 64-bit Linux. You can also reach your computer remotely from a browser or the Android app; see [Remote Access](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/features/remote-access.html).
- **It uses the AI model you choose**: sign in with a Claude, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Tencent or Kiro account, or enter an API key; see [Connect an AI model](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/getting-started/setup-ai.html). Halo itself is free; model costs are charged by the platform behind your account or key.
- **It works through the Claude Code engine by default**: reading and writing files, running commands, driving the [AI Browser](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/features/ai-browser.html), and using [skills](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/features/skills.html) and [MCP](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/features/mcp.html). A few experimental engines are available in Settings; see [Agent engines](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/features/agent-engines.html).
- **Digital Humans run in the background on a schedule**: while Halo is running and the computer is awake, they start on time; see [Keep Digital Humans running](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/digital-humans/keep-running.html).

## Where your data is {#data}

Conversations, files, Digital Humans and their memories are stored on your computer. What's sent to the AI model is handled by the model provider you chose. For the other services Halo connects to (updates, the store, usage statistics and so on), which of them can be turned off and how, see [Security, privacy and data flow](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/advanced/security.html#data-flow).

## How it relates to Claude Code {#claude-code}

Halo is built on Claude Code's agent capabilities: most of what the command line can do, you can hand to Halo in plain words. On top of that, Halo adds visual files and previews, the Changes view, Remote Access, Digital Humans and teams. If you already use Claude Code or Codex, see [Coming from Claude Code or Codex](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/guide/from-claude-code.html).

## The name {#name}

Halo is pronounced `/ˈheɪləʊ/`, like "hello".

## Open source {#open-source}

Halo is open source; the code is on [GitHub](https://github.com/openkursar/hello-halo), and issues and pull requests are welcome. For how it started and what it's after, see [Philosophy](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/guide/philosophy.html#story).

To see how Halo differs from other AI desktop assistants, read [AI desktop agent](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/seo/ai-desktop-agent.html).

## Next steps {#next-steps}

- [Install Halo](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/getting-started/install.html): download, install and open it for the first time.
- [Your first task](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/getting-started/first-chat.html): make a real file from one sentence.
- [Digital Humans overview](https://hello-halo.cc/docs/en/digital-humans/overview.html): let the AI work on its own schedule.