OpenHands
OpenHands is a framework maintained by All Hands AI (OpenHands)102. Its source code is public15 under the MIT License (OpenHands/OpenHands, Agent Canvas)3 and the MIT License (OpenHands/software-agent-sdk)6.
OpenHands is an open-source platform for building and running AI coding agents. Its main repository now holds Agent Canvas, a self-hosted browser control center. Agent Canvas runs the OpenHands agent, or other agents that support the Agent Client Protocol, on local, remote, or cloud backends. The agent itself, the Python SDK, and the Agent Server are developed in the separate Software Agent SDK repository.257
- Repository: Repository (Agent Canvas) (external site: github.com)
- Repository: Repository (Software Agent SDK) (external site: github.com)
- Documentation: Documentation (external site: docs.openhands.dev)
- License: LICENSE (external site: github.com)
- Release notes: Releases (external site: github.com)
Availability and license
Overall availability
Documented as available to the general public. Access conditions and license terms may still apply.136
Availability is separate from permission: read the license before using or redistributing.
MIT License (OpenHands/OpenHands, Agent Canvas) (external site: github.com)3
Plain-language guide to the MIT LicenseMIT License (OpenHands/software-agent-sdk) (external site: github.com)6
Plain-language guide to the MIT License
The MIT licenses cover the Agent Canvas and Software Agent SDK repositories. OpenHands Cloud is a managed commercial service. The enterprise edition is described as source-available and commercially licensed for self-hosting, not MIT-licensed. The documentation says each public OpenHands repository carries its own license.3679
Component reuse rights
- weights
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
- code
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
- data
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
- documentation
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
No complete system-rights review is recorded for this release.
Public materials checklist
| Item | Status | Notes and evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Source codeIs the source code publicly readable? | Public | 15 |
| DocumentationIs user documentation published? | Public | 7 |
| InstallationAre installation instructions or packages publicly available? | Public | Documented installs via npm or npx, Docker, a VM or self-hosted backend, or from source. The npm and source installs need Node.js 24 or later and uv; the Docker install needs Docker.82 |
| Supported platformsAre supported operating systems or hardware documented? | Public | The docs recommend macOS, Linux, or Windows (PowerShell or WSL2) for the most reliable local setup and say mobile Linux environments are not a primary supported target. An early preview desktop app is available for all three operating systems.8 |
| Release statusAre versioned releases published? | Public | Versioned releases (v1.x) are published on GitHub. The README labels Agent Canvas as beta.42 |
What it is useful for
Run and use notes
- The README warns that running without a sandbox gives the agent full access to the host filesystem. The Docker options run agents in containers, and the self-hosting guide covers security hardening for internet-facing installs.2
Organization context
In the news
OpenHands 1.27.0 adds OpenCode and Pi as built-in ACP agents
OpenHands 1.27.0 was published on the project's GitHub repository on October 12, 2026. Its release notes list adding OpenCode and Pi as built-in ACP agents on local backends, taking ACP model lists from the agent instead of hardcoding them, connecting Agent Canvas to DigitalOcean Managed Agents on desktop and web, and a persisted automation draft management UI. A separate bug-fix release, 1.27.1, followed the same day. USASI has not tested either release.
U.S. eligibility
Eligible · basis: U.S.-governed project
OpenHands' terms of service describe the service as built on All Hands AI's own open-source software and point to the OpenHands GitHub repository for its license terms. They also say All Hands AI is headquartered in the United States, and the privacy policy gives a Cambridge, Massachusetts mailing address. The README calls OpenHands Cloud "our commercial offering". The LICENSE files assign copyright to "OpenHands contributors" rather than to a company. No foundation or multi-organization governance body is documented.1011236
Sources
This listing is not an endorsement, a safety assessment, or a federal approval.
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APA style
USASI. (2026, September 29). OpenHands. United States of America Superintelligence. https://unitedstatesofamericasuperintelligence.com/open/openhands/
BibTeX
@misc{usasi_openhands,
author = {{USASI}},
title = {OpenHands},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
howpublished = {\url{https://unitedstatesofamericasuperintelligence.com/open/openhands/}},
note = {United States of America Superintelligence. Last updated 2026-09-29}
}The date is when this page was last updated. Add the date you read it if your style needs one.
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