Directory / Local AI assistant / Hob
Hob
Free, open-source desktop app that runs AI entirely on your own computer: it picks the best open-weight model your machine can handle (Qwen, Gemma, GPT-OSS), then reads and edits your files, runs code in a sandbox, draws charts and fills in PDFs, offline.
💲 Open source (MIT). No subscription and no account; models run locally. Source: hob.chat (checked Oct 27, 2026).
Pros & cons
👍 Pros
- Fully local and private, works offline
- Handles model choice and setup for you
- Works with real files and folders, asks before changing them, and can undo edits
👎 Cons
- Needs at least 8 GB RAM; 32 GB+ for the best models
- Brand-new project (v0.2) and Windows builds aren't code-signed yet
Latest release
v0.2.1; Show HN launch
Hob (backed by Y Combinator, by Frigade) launched on Show HN as an on-device alternative to Claude Cowork and ChatGPT, with Mac, Windows and Linux downloads. Source ↗
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