What is tota?
tota is an open-source AI agent tool that runs autonomously on your own device with permission-hardened controls, for developers and power users who want a self-hosted assistant instead of a cloud service. It sees your screen, controls your desktop, and runs 24/7, accessible from the CLI, a local web UI at http://127.0.0.1:3001, Telegram, WhatsApp, or a REST API. tota ships with 70+ built-in tools including code execution, web search, browser automation, and native GitHub actions (PR creation, issue management, code review). A persistent SQLite memory system with 10 memory types lets it remember context across sessions, while safety controls keep it in check: it asks for explicit permission before acting, enforces a daily token budget with an auto-concise mode, applies a shell command blocklist against dangerous patterns, and scopes file-system access per session. It also handles computer vision and screenshot analysis, Android automation via ADB, Google Calendar integration, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) plugins. Released under the MIT License and installable via npm, tota works with multiple LLM providers (some free, some paid), so all data stays local with no cloud dependency.
What is tota used for?
Developers and power users run tota as a self-hosted, permission-controlled AI agent that automates desktop, coding, and GitHub tasks from the CLI, Telegram, or API.
How much does tota cost?
Pros and cons
Pros
- Open-source (MIT License), self-hosted, and installable via npm — all data stays local with no cloud dependency
- 70+ built-in tools including code execution, web search, browser automation, and native GitHub PR/issue/review actions
- Multi-channel access from CLI, local web UI, Telegram, WhatsApp, and REST API
- Permission-hardened: asks before acting, shell command blocklist, per-session file scoping, and daily token budgets
- Persistent SQLite memory with 10 memory types plus computer vision and screenshot analysis
Cons
- New and unproven with a small user base; limited track record or third-party reviews
- Self-hosting and CLI/npm setup require developer skills — not aimed at non-technical users
- Requires your own LLM provider keys and covers token costs separately from the free software
- Desktop control, vision, and Android/ADB automation add configuration and security surface to manage
Questions about tota
What is tota and what does it do?
tota is an open-source, self-hosted AI agent that runs on your own device. It can see your screen, control your desktop, and run 24/7 while asking for explicit permission before acting. You access it from the CLI, a local web UI, Telegram, WhatsApp, or a REST API, and it comes with 70+ built-in tools like code execution, web search, browser automation, and GitHub actions.
Is tota free?
Yes. tota is released under the MIT License and is free and open source, installable via npm. You supply your own LLM provider (some are free, some paid), so the only cost is the model provider tokens you choose to use — the software itself has no subscription.
How do you access and run tota?
tota runs locally and is available through multiple channels: the command line (CLI), a local web dashboard at http://127.0.0.1:3001, a Telegram bot with inline keyboards and file uploads, WhatsApp (without the Business API), and a REST API for programmatic control.
Is tota safe to give desktop control?
tota is built with safety controls: it requires explicit permission before executing actions, enforces a shell command blocklist against dangerous patterns, scopes file-system access per session, and applies daily token budgets with an auto-concise mode. Because it is self-hosted, all data stays on your device with no cloud dependency.
Who is tota for?
tota targets developers and power users who want an autonomous AI agent with full local privacy and explicit safety controls, rather than a cloud-hosted assistant. Its CLI, npm install, and GitHub/MCP integrations make it best suited to technical users.
What are the best alternatives to tota?
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