# Linux Computer Use

Linux Computer Use is an opt-in UI surface backed by a native Rust MCP backend,
`codex-computer-use-linux`. The backend is bundled and registered by default;
the in-app Computer Use controls are disabled until you opt in.

It supports:

- app listing and accessibility trees through AT-SPI
- screenshots through GNOME Shell DBus or XDG Desktop Portal
- window listing and focusing on GNOME, KWin/Plasma, Hyprland, COSMIC, and i3
- keyboard, text, click, scroll, and drag input through `/dev/uinput`, XDG
  RemoteDesktop portal, or `ydotool`

## Runtime Dependencies

Install `ydotool` when you need the fallback input path:

```bash
# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install ydotool
sudo apt install ydotoold   # on Ubuntu releases that split the daemon

# Fedora
sudo dnf install ydotool

# Arch / Manjaro
sudo pacman -S ydotool

# openSUSE
sudo zypper install ydotool
```

The preferred coordinate input path opens `/dev/uinput` directly. The XDG
RemoteDesktop portal can also provide input on desktops that expose it.

For `ydotool`, run a daemon and make sure your user can access the socket:

```bash
sudo systemctl enable --now ydotoold
sudo usermod -a -G input "$USER"
```

Then log out and back in.

Some distros name the unit `ydotool.service` instead of `ydotoold.service`, and
some install `/usr/bin/ydotoold` without a service unit. If the system unit path
is awkward, a user-session service that binds `%t/.ydotool_socket` is also
valid.

Portal packages are needed when your desktop relies on XDG Desktop Portal input
or screenshots:

- KDE Plasma: `xdg-desktop-portal-kde`
- sway/wlroots: `xdg-desktop-portal-wlr`
- Hyprland: `xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland`
- GNOME: usually available by default

## Verify Readiness

Once Computer Use is visible in the Codex UI, ask Codex:

> Check whether Linux Computer Use is ready

You can also run the backend directly:

```bash
./codex-app/resources/plugins/openai-bundled/plugins/computer-use/bin/codex-computer-use-linux doctor
./codex-app/resources/plugins/openai-bundled/plugins/computer-use/bin/codex-computer-use-linux setup
./codex-app/resources/plugins/openai-bundled/plugins/computer-use/bin/codex-computer-use-linux apps
./codex-app/resources/plugins/openai-bundled/plugins/computer-use/bin/codex-computer-use-linux windows
./codex-app/resources/plugins/openai-bundled/plugins/computer-use/bin/codex-computer-use-linux screenshot
```

## Enable The In-App UI

Ad hoc, for one build:

```bash
CODEX_LINUX_ENABLE_COMPUTER_USE_UI=1 make build-app
```

Persistent, including future auto-updater rebuilds:

```bash
mkdir -p ~/.config/codex-desktop
echo '{"codex-linux-computer-use-ui-enabled": true}' > ~/.config/codex-desktop/settings.json
```

To opt back out, unset the env var and remove the settings flag or set it to
`false`.

Nix:

```bash
nix run github:ilysenko/codex-desktop-linux#codex-desktop-computer-use-ui
```

Combined with a Linux feature output:

```bash
nix run github:ilysenko/codex-desktop-linux#computer-use-ui-remote-mobile-control
```

## Side-By-Side Dev Variant

```bash
make build-dev-app
make run-dev-app
```

Override the dev identity with `DEV_APP_ID`, `DEV_APP_NAME`, and
`CODEX_WEBVIEW_PORT` if needed.