Show HN: Tasker – An open-source desktop agent for browser and OS automation(automatewithtasker.com)
automatewithtasker.com
Show HN: Tasker – An open-source desktop agent for browser and OS automation
https://automatewithtasker.com/
32 comments
>Your data never leaves your computer. Tasker runs entirely on your machine for maximum privacy.
Am I misreading your docs that Tasker actually does not support running local, and in fact requires using either a Google, Anthropic, or OpenAI service?
Am I misreading your docs that Tasker actually does not support running local, and in fact requires using either a Google, Anthropic, or OpenAI service?
Technically it can run any OpenAI schema open source LLM through Fireworks or Groq or whatever. But you are right I should probably make that clearer.
I tried to create a workflow and it does not seem to record specific tasks. It did not record me going to a specific website, clicking on an area of text, copying of text. How can I get this to work? How do I teach or correct it? THx
This looks great.
One thing I’ve been bitten by with desktop agents is execution-time safety: the plan is correct, but a single malformed path or OS call causes real damage.
Do you enforce any guardrails at the tool boundary (e.g. path sandboxing, network allowlists, dry-run / replay)?
Curious how you’re thinking about this.
One thing I’ve been bitten by with desktop agents is execution-time safety: the plan is correct, but a single malformed path or OS call causes real damage.
Do you enforce any guardrails at the tool boundary (e.g. path sandboxing, network allowlists, dry-run / replay)?
Curious how you’re thinking about this.
Phenomenal questions. Sandboxing would be a PHENOMENAL idea. And allowlist it currently is capable of this but does require code changes so configuration based would probably be more what you are referring to?
The replay feature is similar to the record feature. It's not a "guardrail" I would say though.
All stuff that definitely would be great idea.
The replay feature is similar to the record feature. It's not a "guardrail" I would say though.
All stuff that definitely would be great idea.
Makes sense, thanks for the clarification.
I mostly worry about the gap between a correct plan and execution-time behavior — especially when tools touch the filesystem or OS APIs. Even a single malformed argument can have irreversible effects.
Totally agree these guardrails are non-trivial, but it’s great to see the project thinking in this direction.
I mostly worry about the gap between a correct plan and execution-time behavior — especially when tools touch the filesystem or OS APIs. Even a single malformed argument can have irreversible effects.
Totally agree these guardrails are non-trivial, but it’s great to see the project thinking in this direction.
Nice idea - unfortunately I didn't manage to get it running on my MacBook Pro (Late 2013).
I'm on Big Sur 11.7.10, which I know is pretty old at this point. The app launches, but it only shows an empty window.
I was also a bit concerned about privacy while running it :)
I'm on Big Sur 11.7.10, which I know is pretty old at this point. The app launches, but it only shows an empty window.
I was also a bit concerned about privacy while running it :)
I will try to see if I can get my hands on a similar spec to test and recreate! Thanks for the message :)
I want this but it runs in its own session- like screen or terminal server- so i can keep using the computer and just check in on the automation from time to time.
Agree. That's the biggest ask from myself from using it. That's why I was thinking of just having a deployment option to my own server or something. Just runs and I don't have to be interrupted during my browsing.
Not to be confused with Tasker for Android:
https://tasker.joaoapps.com/index.html
https://tasker.joaoapps.com/index.html
Super unnecessary confusion generating stuff from OP's side. He is having fun with people who think it's not the best idea too. Nobody is thinking of the potential confused user. It's a shit name to begin with, now we have two of them.
> I wanna get a job naming kitchen appliances. Seems like the easiest job ever. You know, refrigerator, toaster, blender... You just say what the thing does and then you add '-er'. Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute. "What's this do?" "It keeps shit fresh." "Well, that's a 'fresher'. I'm going on break."
Mitch Hedberg
> I wanna get a job naming kitchen appliances. Seems like the easiest job ever. You know, refrigerator, toaster, blender... You just say what the thing does and then you add '-er'. Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute. "What's this do?" "It keeps shit fresh." "Well, that's a 'fresher'. I'm going on break."
Mitch Hedberg
No! It's not!!!!
I'd recommend you change the name of your project sooner rather than later, Tasker is a well established app in the Android power user community for automating various tasks (albeit without AI)
Yeah probably if I were to take it seriously! Thanks for the rec
You’re fine, trust me. Mac and android apps that do different things often have the same names.
Yeah I know and agree. I use like dozens of tools with same names, many very similar products. But those that are genuinely confused and provide feedback I appreciate. Those that are hostile that just seem to follow "misery loves company", I like to be sarcastic with. Seems to be a win win with both sides (I can be a smart ass).
Appreciate it!
Appreciate it!
I guess you didn't ask your AI if "Tasker" is a good name, or your AI doesn't know enough to answer that Tasker is a very well-known app that does what you describe, on Android.
Your post made me think Tasker had branched out to automating actions on desktop computers...
If your app gets popular, good luck sifting through the questions of confused people asking about tasks on Android, and realize that many many Tasker (the original one, see I already have to write in parantheses which Tasker I'm referring too) forum users will be cursing you for naming your app the same as theirs.
Your post made me think Tasker had branched out to automating actions on desktop computers...
If your app gets popular, good luck sifting through the questions of confused people asking about tasks on Android, and realize that many many Tasker (the original one, see I already have to write in parantheses which Tasker I'm referring too) forum users will be cursing you for naming your app the same as theirs.
No I guess not. I just asked it. Your answer:
Why Tasker is a good name Instantly understandable “Tasker” clearly communicates automation, jobs, actions, workflows Zero explanation needed — huge plus for a consumer + SMB product Broad enough to scale Works for: Desktop agent Cloud cron jobs HTTP-triggered automations AI agents running tasks for sales, ops, HVAC estimates, etc. Doesn’t lock you into just AI or just workflows Matches your positioning Given what you’ve built: non-technical, consumer-friendly automation powered by AI Tasker fits that perfectly — especially compared to over-clever AI names.
I think that answers your question lmao
Why Tasker is a good name Instantly understandable “Tasker” clearly communicates automation, jobs, actions, workflows Zero explanation needed — huge plus for a consumer + SMB product Broad enough to scale Works for: Desktop agent Cloud cron jobs HTTP-triggered automations AI agents running tasks for sales, ops, HVAC estimates, etc. Doesn’t lock you into just AI or just workflows Matches your positioning Given what you’ve built: non-technical, consumer-friendly automation powered by AI Tasker fits that perfectly — especially compared to over-clever AI names.
I think that answers your question lmao
It’s great and I love it and don’t change the name!
OK, since you've apparently delegated all thinking to AI ("lmao"), can you ask it this: "What if there's already an established app called Tasker for Android"
Plus what I said about the potential confusion of users?
In another reply above you said "...if I were to take it seriously".. God fucking damnit, add this to my 2026 resolutions: ignore people putting up vibe-coded slop onto Show HN.
Plus what I said about the potential confusion of users?
In another reply above you said "...if I were to take it seriously".. God fucking damnit, add this to my 2026 resolutions: ignore people putting up vibe-coded slop onto Show HN.
I asked it if people still understand sarcasm and humor in 2026 since it's doing all my "thinking" for me! You would not like the answer.
It's New Years Day. You seem to have a lot of anger.
I'm here for you if you need to talk. I support you!!!
It's New Years Day. You seem to have a lot of anger.
I'm here for you if you need to talk. I support you!!!
Yuck.
HN hug of death? Can't open the site
Hahahaha, oh fun. I guess so then.
It is opening for me, maybe DNS stuff although its been up for a month. https://automatewithtasker.com or https://github.com/pitalco/tasker if that does not work.
It is opening for me, maybe DNS stuff although its been up for a month. https://automatewithtasker.com or https://github.com/pitalco/tasker if that does not work.
[deleted]
How on earth did you manage to get this far before learning of the Android app by the same name? You can't call this Tasker.
Are you willing to expand more on the meltdown? Coming to terms with being a grown up? Did your marriage survive?
Are you willing to expand more on the meltdown? Coming to terms with being a grown up? Did your marriage survive?
He can absolutely call this Tasker. There are a bunch of apps with the same name. Tasker on Android doesn’t have a macOS version.
Unless they got a trademark, he’s good to go.
Unless they got a trademark, he’s good to go.
I knew about it. I just did it for fun and me and my father so did not care enough. You can name it whatever you would like.
Lmfaooooo on the meltdown. No probably not considering I have been one for longer. And so far it has. Time will be the real tell so I've heard.
Lmfaooooo on the meltdown. No probably not considering I have been one for longer. And so far it has. Time will be the real tell so I've heard.
I recently got married, promptly had a bit of a meltdown, and decided to lock myself in a room and build for a while.
At the same time, I was trying to outbound sell for my startup and kept running into the same problem: I wanted an automation tool that could actually use my computer like a person. Click through UIs, copy/paste between apps, handle messy workflows — not just APIs and webhooks.
I couldn’t find anything that felt: - consumer-friendly (non-technical) - local-first - flexible enough for real-world, UI-driven tasks
So I challenged myself to see how far I could get building an open-source, desktop automation app powered by AI. That’s Tasker.
I’ve been using it daily for ~2–3 weeks for sales workflows, and my father has been using it to help generate estimates for his HVAC business. It’s still early (still needs to expand to general OS), but it’s already replaced a lot of manual work for us in browser.
One thing that’s become very clear: a cloud/deployable version that can run on cron or be triggered via HTTP would unlock a lot of use cases. I’m not totally sure where this goes next, but I wanted to share it early and get feedback.
Would love thoughts on: - What workflows you’d actually trust something like this with - Desktop vs cloud tradeoffs - Where this breaks down in practice - Whether this feels useful or just scary
Repo and docs are linked on the site.