Quick Start

1. Create a Project

A project links OpenHelm to a directory on your Mac. Click New Project in the sidebar, give it a name, and select the directory Claude Code will work in.

2. Set a Goal

Click New Goal and describe what you want in plain English. OpenHelm uses AI to turn your description into a structured job plan, or you can skip the planner and create jobs manually.

Using the AI planner:

Type your goal (e.g., "Run weekly SEO audits on my website and fix any issues found") and click Generate Plan. The AI creates a structured job plan with suggested schedules. Review each job, tweak if needed, then click Approve Plan.

Creating jobs manually:

Click Build manually to create jobs directly, write your prompt, pick a schedule type, and save.

3. Jobs Run on Schedule

Once approved, jobs run automatically according to their schedules. A job set to run daily at 2am will fire at 2am, the app can run in the background while you're away.

Note: OpenHelm's scheduler runs while the app is open. Your Mac must also be awake when a job is scheduled to fire. For reliable unattended automation, keep your Mac plugged in and configure Energy Saver to prevent sleep, or use a Mac that stays on (Mac mini, Mac Studio).

4. Monitor Runs

Click any job to see its run history, status, duration, logs, and exit code. Failed runs surface in the Inbox tab with options to retry, adjust, or dismiss.

5. Trigger a Run Immediately

To test a job right now, click Run now on any job. The run is queued at highest priority and starts within the next scheduler tick (up to 60 seconds).