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Local Connect is a lightweight alternative to OpenClaw — a single Python script you run on your computer that executes voice-generated terminal commands. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What you can build

  • System monitor (disk space, CPU, memory)
  • File management assistant (create, move, delete files)
  • Development environment controller (git, npm, dev servers)
  • Application launcher
  • Network diagnostics tool (ping, traceroute, speed test)
  • Automation scripts (backups, cleanup)

Setup

1. Check Python

You need Python 3.7 or later.

2. Download the client

Download local_client.py. Save anywhere convenient — ~/openhome/ on macOS/Linux, C:\openhome\ on Windows.

3. Add your API key

Open local_client.py in a text editor. Find the line:
Replace it with your OpenHome API key.

4. Run the client

You should see Connected to OpenHome. Keep this terminal window open while using the Ability.
Keep it alive across sessions:
  • macOS/Linux — use tmux or screen, or run in the background: nohup python3 local_client.py > /tmp/openhome_client.log 2>&1 &
  • Windows — run in a minimized terminal, or use Task Scheduler
Add the Local Link Ability from the Abilities library to your Agent. Now test it: “show current directory”.

How it works

The template

The Ability uses a small system prompt to convert natural language into a shell command, executes it, then uses a second prompt to convert the output into a spoken response.

The command-generation prompt

Tune this for your OS and use case. Default (macOS/Linux):
For Windows, swap the examples to PowerShell or cmd equivalents.

The core function

exec_local_command() reference

Parameters:
  • command (required) — terminal command to execute
  • target_id (optional) — device identifier (default: "laptop")
  • timeout (optional) — max wait time in seconds (default: 10.0)

Example abilities

1. Git assistant

2. System monitor (cross-platform)

3. Dev environment launcher

4. File organization assistant

Customizing the client

Add custom command handlers

Add logging

Add a command blocklist

Best practices

1. Test commands manually first

2. Use a whitelist for voice-only use cases

3. Tune timeouts

4. Handle errors and timeouts

Local Connect vs OpenClaw

Use Local Connect when you want direct terminal access with minimal setup. Use OpenClaw when you need robust LLM-powered automation.

Troubleshooting

  • Verify the API key in local_client.py is correct
  • Check Python version: python3 --version (needs 3.7+)
  • Check internet connection and any firewall blocking outbound WebSocket
  • Check the client terminal for errors
  • Verify the command runs correctly when typed manually
  • Check logs: tail -f /tmp/openhome_client.log
  • Restart the client
  • Some commands need admin privileges. Avoid them in voice flows when possible
  • Or modify the client to prompt for sudo password (advanced)
  • Keep the session alive with tmux / screen
  • Add reconnect logic to the client
  • On macOS, check sleep settings — the client pauses when the system sleeps
  • The template uses an LLM to reformat responses. Check check_response_system_prompt is correct
  • Add command-specific parsing for structured output (JSON, tables)

Security

This runs real terminal commands on your machine with your user permissions. Anyone with access to your OpenHome account can run commands via your client. Protect your API key.
1. Command whitelist
2. Confirm destructive actions — always confirm before rm, sudo, shutdown, dd, format. 3. Monitor client logs

Architecture

Resources