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).