Hands

Unofficial ChatGPT plugin: local coding tools over MCP. No local LLM. ChatGPT is the brain; this machine is the hands.

Not affiliated with OpenAI or xAI. Tool runtime is Grok Build (Apache-2.0).

ChatGPT Web  →  Secure MCP Tunnel  →  hands  →  your repo

Install

Needs git, python3, rustup. macOS or Linux. First build compiles grok-build (several minutes).

git clone https://github.com/nghyane/hands.git
cd hands
./install.sh

Agents: see AGENTS.md. One-shot if keys are already in the environment:

export CONTROL_PLANE_API_KEY="sk-..."
export CONTROL_PLANE_TUNNEL_ID="tunnel_..."
./install.sh

Zero config

brew install openai/tools/tunnel-client   # once
cd /path/to/your/repo
hands setup                               # TTY checklist, Keychain, no browser

Runtime key goes in the macOS Keychain (file 0600 only for the daemon). Tunnel id is copied to the clipboard. Notification if the tunnel drops.

Config page (optional): hands config --open → http://127.0.0.1:8787/
Scripts: hands status --json.

ChatGPT Web

1. Runtime key (Restricted, Tunnels Read + Use):
   https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/api-keys
2. Tunnel id:
   https://platform.openai.com/settings/organization/tunnels
3. chatgpt.com/plugins → Developer mode → Connection Tunnel → paste tunnel id → Scan tools.

Plugin name in ChatGPT: Hands.

ChatGPT, not Hands, shows Confirm. MCP cannot turn that off.

• Reads auto-run (readOnlyHint).
• File edits are routine (destructiveHint: false) — auto under Important actions.
• Shell / kill still confirm unless you opt in.

Unattended coding: first write prompt → Always allow, or Settings → Apps → Hands → Never ask. New chats keep that app setting. Developer Mode “remember for this conversation” dies on a new chat.

Tools

Tool	Role
workspace_info	current pin + recent
set_workspace	pin another folder (works from ChatGPT, including away)
read_file	read
grep	search contents
list_dir	tree
glob	find files by name
search_replace	edit existing
write	create / overwrite
apply_patch	multi-hunk patch
todo_write	task list
run_terminal_cmd	tests / git / shell; long FG auto-backgrounds
get_task_output	poll background job
kill_task	stop background job

Debug: hands list, hands call read_file '{"target_file":"README.md"}'.

On AC the Mac stays awake for the long-poll; on battery, closing the lid may sleep.

License

Apache-2.0. See NOTICE.