Agent-Native Design

Agent-Native

Agent-Native is an open-source TypeScript framework for building agents that pair autonomous work with a purpose-built UI. Define each capability once as an action: the agent uses it as a tool, and the UI calls it from code.

Quick start

npx --yes @agent-native/core@latest create my-agent --standalone --template chat

Follow the getting started guide for a full intro to the framework.

Why build agents with UIs?

Coding agents work with more than a text box. Their environment provides context, tools, files, tests, and previews that make their capabilities and results visible.

Knowledge work needs that same kind of environment. A UI shows what an agent can do and gives people familiar ways to inspect, edit, approve, and share its work.

How Agent-Native works

• Shared actions. The agent calls each capability as a tool, and the UI calls it from code. Both paths use the same validation, permissions, and implementation.
• Shared data. Work done by the agent appears in the UI, and work done in the UI is available to the agent.
• Shared application state. The agent receives relevant UI state, such as the current page, selected record, or active view.

The agent does not click through the UI. It works through the same action layer as the UI.

Example: a shared action

Create actions/hello.ts:

import { defineAction } from "@agent-native/core/action";import { z } from "zod";
// One action powers every app surface: UI, agent, HTTP, MCP, A2A, and CLI.export default defineAction({  description: "Return a friendly greeting.",  schema: z.object({    name: z.string().default("world").describe("Name to greet"),  }),  http: { method: "GET" },  run: async ({ name }) => {    return { message: `Hello, ${name}!` };  },});

The agent receives hello as a tool. React calls the same function with useActionQuery("hello", { name: "Alex" }). Agent-Native also exposes it through HTTP, MCP, A2A, and the CLI.

Included

• Agent chat: Let people delegate work, ask questions, and review results in the same UI.
• Authentication and permissions: Control who can access and change shared work.
• Skills and memory: Give agents reusable expertise and persistent context.
• Automations: Run agent work on schedules or events.
• Agent teams: Delegate work to specialist agents in the same workspace or across connected agents.
• PostgreSQL backend: Use PostgreSQL in production and PGlite for local development on any Nitro-compatible host.

Example: edit a running app visually

Use /visual-edit in Claude Code to edit a running app on a canvas instead of prompting for each small UI nudge. Compare live pages together, then ask Claude to apply the chosen edits to your source. For example:

/visual-edit the onboarding flow, plus home at every breakpoint

Review the onboarding screens alongside Home at desktop, tablet, and mobile sizes, adjust a button's color or spacing directly, then ask Claude to apply the pending edits to your source. See the Visual Edit guide for the full walkthrough and sharing details.

Bring your LLM, SQL database, tools, and infrastructure. Everything you build stays yours.

See Agent-Native in action:

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ef51644b-6506-46d8-8083-0af7b7e5b65c

Open-source agents

Start from one of these agents or use it as an example for your own. For a source-to-answer architecture example, see Brain’s visual overview.

Explore the full app gallery, or start with the framework guide.

Documentation and community

• Read the documentation.
• Join Discord to ask questions, share what you're building, and get help.

Contributing

Want to send a change back? Start with CONTRIBUTING.md. DEVELOPMENT.md covers local setup, workspace structure, and guard scripts.

License

MIT