DeepSeek Harness Desktop is the free official desktop app for DeepSeek's open-source agent harness — v0.2 dropped on 2 October 2026 for Mac and Windows, and it lets you run AI agents that code, organise files and run scheduled tasks right on your own computer.
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I tested it on camera the moment it landed. One-click install, my old sessions were already there, and within a few minutes I had agents running in parallel on real projects. No terminal gymnastics. No browser tab you keep losing.
This page is the main guide. It covers what changed in v0.2, the features that actually matter, how to run it on free models, how scheduled tasks work, the privacy side, what's coming next and a five-step quick start. If you're brand new to the harness itself, read the DeepSeek Harness guide first, then come back here.
What changed in v0.2
Before v0.2, DeepSeek Harness (DSH for short) lived in your terminal and your browser. You installed it with Node, ran a command, and worked in a web UI on your own machine. It worked, but it felt like a developer tool.
Per DeepSeek's announcement on 2 October 2026, the v0.2 preview ships official desktop apps for macOS on Apple silicon and 64-bit Windows. The announcement lists Apple silicon; check the download page for Intel builds, because the v0.2.0-rc.2 release notes mention a fix for an Intel Mac desktop build.
Here's the bit I liked most. When I opened the desktop app, my previous sessions were synced and waiting: my SEO content project, my Obsidian vault and my landing pages. I didn't have to rebuild anything. You pick up exactly where you left off.
Per the rc.2 release notes (29 September 2026), the desktop app can also install and manage the dsh command from the menu bar, with no separate Node or pnpm install. That's the old setup headache gone.
If you want step-by-step install help for each platform, I've put it in the DeepSeek Harness Desktop download guide.
Want the full walkthrough on video? Inside the AI Profit Boardroom there's a complete one-hour DeepSeek Harness course that takes you from install to running agent teams on your own business.
DeepSeek Harness Desktop: the features that matter
The repo's tagline is "Everything is a Plugin", and the desktop app leans right into that. Here's what's worth your attention.
The plugin manager
The plugin manager is new in the desktop app. Per the announcement, you install a plugin by typing its npm package name. That's it. Per the v0.2.1-alpha.1 notes (3 October 2026), there's now also a "let the agent create a plugin" button, so you can describe what you want and have the agent build it.
When I looked at the community plugin list on GitHub (awesome-dsh-plugin, about 17,800 stars), plugins were sorted by category: memory, UI, models and providers, themes and more. The app itself showed that about 60% of DeepSeek Harness users run third-party plugins. So this isn't a niche feature. It's how most people use it. I go deeper on the best ones in my DeepSeek Harness plugins guide.
Built-in plugins
Out of the box, the app shipped with plenty already installed. The ones I showed on camera:
- Agent teams to split a job across several agents.
- Scheduled tasks (automation) to run workflows on a timer.
- Voice input so you can literally code with your voice.
- Review, where you choose whether it codes with or without your approval.
- Web search, sub-agents, agent loops and shell.
Modes
When you start a session you pick a mode: Standard, PTC, Minimal or Creator. To be clear, the modes existed before v0.2. Creator is the one to know. Per the announcement it's experimental, and it lets you describe a plugin in chat while Harness writes or edits it for you.
Model providers
You're not locked to DeepSeek's own models. Per the release notes, v0.2 supports non-DeepSeek models through OpenAI-compatible endpoints. In the app you add a model provider, and for free models you pick OpenCode or OpenRouter and paste an API key. My demo ran DeepSeek V4.13.
File handling and review
Per the announcement, v0.2 handles documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, charts and slide decks better, and adds file and code-change review so you can see exactly what an agent touched before you accept it.
Automation tasks
The built-in automation tasks plugin turns a workflow into a scheduled task with adjustable frequency and a run history. Per DeepSeek, those tasks keep running after you close the app. More on that below.
| Feature | What it does for you |
|---|---|
| Plugin manager | Install plugins by npm name, or have the agent build one |
| Creator mode | Describe a plugin in chat and Harness writes it |
| Automation tasks | Scheduled workflows with frequency and run history |
| Model providers | DeepSeek, OpenCode, OpenRouter and other OpenAI-compatible endpoints |
| Review | Check file and code changes before you accept them |
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Using free models
You can run this whole thing without paying for a model. Add a provider, choose OpenCode or OpenRouter, paste your API key, and pick a free model from the list.
My free pick is Flash 3.1 through OpenCode. It's quick, it handles everyday agent work well, and it costs nothing to try. Free model lists change often, so check what each provider is offering when you set up.
If you want to see how different models stack up on real business tasks before you commit, look at Goldie Bench.
A scheduled task example
This is where the desktop app stops being a chat window and starts being an employee. The task I set up on camera was simple:
Every Monday, make a slide deck on the latest AI automation news.
You write that once, set the frequency, and the automation tasks plugin handles the rest. The run history shows you every time it fired and what it produced. Because tasks keep running after the app is closed (per DeepSeek), you don't need to babysit it.
Think about what else fits that pattern: a weekly competitor roundup, a daily inbox summary, a Friday report on your content stats. Anything you repeat on a schedule is a candidate.
📺 Watch: DeepSeek Harness VS Claude Code
Privacy and safety
I'll be straight with you here. DeepSeek Harness comes from a Chinese company. My practical advice: don't put private data you aren't comfortable sharing through it. Use it for public research, content, code you'd happily open-source and general automation. Keep sensitive client data somewhere you fully control.
Second, this is a preview. The README on deepseek-ai/deepseek-harness warns there will be compatibility-breaking changes and asks you to read its safety notice first. Do that before you give agents shell access or let them run without approval.
Third, a stronger sandbox and better security are on DeepSeek's roadmap, which tells you the current version isn't the final word on isolation. Until then, use the review plugin and keep approval switched on for anything that touches important files.
If you'd like help working out which agent setup is safe and sensible for your business, book a free strategy session and we'll map it out with you.
What's coming next
Per DeepSeek's roadmap and what I covered in my video, these are next:
- A stronger sandbox and better security
- Better agent teams
- Personalised long-term memory
- GUI and browser automation
- Mobile access
- A plugin marketplace
Per the v0.2.1-alpha.1 notes, there's also an experimental Claude Code Mods compatibility layer. If you already use Claude Code, watch that one closely. And if you're weighing DSH against other agent tools, I've compared it head to head in DeepSeek Harness vs Hermes.
Quick start in five steps
- Install the app. Download it from the official Harness page at deepseek.com/en/harness and run the installer.
- Start a new session and pick your project folder. This is where the agent will read and write files.
- Pick a mode. Standard is fine to start. Switch to Creator when you want to build a plugin.
- Pick a model. Add a provider, or use OpenCode with Flash 3.1 to keep it free.
- Use the plus button to run agents in parallel. Give each one a separate job and let them work side by side.
Want DSH working alongside the rest of your agents? My Agent OS integrates DeepSeek Harness directly. The Agent OS guide shows how it all fits together.
FAQ
Is DeepSeek Harness Desktop free?
Yes. The app is free and the harness is open source under the MIT licence. You only pay if you choose a paid model. Pick a free model through OpenCode or OpenRouter and it costs nothing to run.
Is there a DeepSeek Harness desktop app for Linux?
Not as an official installer in the announcement, which lists macOS on Apple silicon and 64-bit Windows. On Linux you run it from the npm package with npx @deepseek-ai/dsh web. You need Node.js installed, and it opens the web UI locally at 127.0.0.1:3080. The rc.2 release notes also mention a fix for launching on Linux from a graphical entry, so keep an eye on future builds.
Is DeepSeek Harness Desktop official?
Yes. The v0.2 desktop app comes from DeepSeek and is downloaded from deepseek.com/en/harness. There are also community-built options, and any third-party DeepSeek Harness desktop client is independent of DeepSeek, so check who maintains a build before you install it. I've listed the main ones on my DeepSeek Harness Desktop GitHub page.
Get it running on your business
The desktop app makes DeepSeek Harness easy enough for anyone to use. The people who win with it are the ones who turn it into scheduled, repeatable work.
If you want the full one-hour DeepSeek Harness course plus the exact agent workflows I use every week, join the AI Profit Boardroom. And if you want us to look at your business and show you where agents will save you the most time, book your free strategy session here.
