Open Science
An open-source, model-agnostic AI workbench for scientific discovery. Open Science is a local desktop application for researchers. Create a project, describe a task in plain language, and let the agent read files, run code, search the web, call scientific data connectors, and return reports, tables, figures, and an inspectable activity history in one workspace.
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💡 The application is available now. Installers for macOS, Windows, and Linux are published on the latest release page. Open Science supports the complete
plan → execute → produce → previewworkflow; use the release notes and the installed app for version-specific details.
Table of Contents
- Quick Start
- Product Tour
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Why Open Science
- Vision
- Design Principles
- Core Capabilities
- Model Providers
- Data, Permissions, and Trust
- Project Status
- Development & Packaging
- Building From Source
- Roadmap
- Relationship to the aipoch Ecosystem
- What This Is Not
- Get Involved
- License
- Star History
🚀 Quick Start
1. Download the app
Open the latest release, expand Assets, and choose the installer for your computer:
| Your computer | Choose |
|---|---|
| macOS — Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) | The macOS DMG for Apple Silicon / ARM64 |
| macOS — Intel | The macOS DMG for Intel / x64 |
| Windows x64 | The Windows x64 installer |
| Linux x64 | The Linux x64 AppImage or Debian package |
Review the assets and verification information published on the release page. See Verifying your download before installation if you need to validate a package.
If macOS or Windows shows an unidentified-developer or unknown-publisher warning, verify that the package came from the official Releases page before continuing. See Building From Source for platform-specific guidance.
2. Complete first-time setup
The first launch has two guided steps:
- Prepare environment checks compatibility, app storage, secure credential storage, network access, the Claude runtime, and optional Python Notebook support. If the runtime is missing, Open Science can install an app-managed copy without requiring Node.js, npm, or an administrator password.
- Model provider connects and tests the model you want to use. Choose a built-in provider, an Anthropic-compatible custom gateway, or
Local Claudeto reuse an existing Claude Code login without entering an API Key.
Python is optional unless you want the built-in Notebook kernel. Every required environment row must pass before Continue becomes available, and the model connection must pass before setup finishes.
3. Start a research project
- Click New project and give the project a stable research name and optional description.
- Open a session and describe the goal, input data, constraints, desired outputs, and how the result should be checked.
- Attach source files, select a verified model, and choose an approval mode.
- Send the task. Inspect the agent's tool activity, approve sensitive actions, and open generated artifacts in the preview panel.
- Continue the work in later sessions. Use
@to reference an existing project file and/to explicitly select an enabled skill.
Want to develop the app instead? Skip to Building From Source.
Screenshots in this README illustrate the workflow. Labels, catalogs, and other interface details may differ from the version you install.
Product Tour
One workspace from task to artifacts
Projects keep related sessions, uploads, generated files, and preview state together. The conversation records the agent's answer and the commands, file reads, edits, searches, and connector calls that produced it. Generated reports, figures, and tables remain attached to the session and are also collected in the project file library.
Open Science previews common scientific data, documents, images, source code, molecular structures and reactions, and Notebook history. Preview limits do not truncate the underlying file—the full artifact stays available to the agent and external tools.
Scientific skills and data connectors
Open Science includes a growing catalog of featured, file-based research skills. You can create personal skills, upload SKILL.md/ZIP/.skill packages, or preview and import compatible skills from GitHub. Enabled skills can be selected directly in the composer with /.
It also includes life-science connectors across literature, genes and proteins, genomics, variants, structures, clinical research, expression, chemistry, drug regulation, and related resources. Built-in and custom connectors remain behind the permission system, with per-tool Always allow, Ask each time, and Block controls. The installed app shows the current skill, connector, and tool catalogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What should I do the first time I open Open Science?
A: Complete Prepare environment and Model provider. Fix required rows marked Action needed, use Install missing runtime if offered, click Check again, and then test a model connection.
Q: What is an API Key, and where do I get one?
A: An API Key is a secret credential issued by a model provider. Create or copy one from that provider's developer/API console. The provider may bill requests made with the key. Treat it like a password: never share it or commit it to a repository.
Q: Do I need an API Key?
A: Not if you choose Local Claude and already have a working Claude Code login on this computer. Built-in cloud providers and custom gateways require their own keys.
Q: Which model providers can I use?
A: Open the provider picker during setup or under Settings → Model for the choices supported by your installed app. You can use a built-in cloud provider, an Anthropic-compatible Custom Gateway, or Local Claude.