How to Use OpenHands in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
Open-source AI software engineering agent that autonomously writes, edits, and tests code, runs shell commands, and browses the web to complete programming tasks.
OpenHands (formerly OpenDevin) is an open-source platform for AI-powered software engineering agents developed by All Hands AI. It enables AI agents — backed by models like Claude, GPT-4o, or Llama — to autonomously complete software engineering tasks: writing code, fixing bugs, running tests, navigating documentation, and deploying changes.
Core approach: OpenHands operates through a sandboxed environment where the agent has access to a code editor, terminal, and web browser. Given a task description ("add a login form to this Flask app with email validation and session management"), the agent plans the implementation, writes the code, runs tests, and iterates on failures — without requiring step-by-step human supervision.
Agent capabilities:
- Full code editor access: read, write, create files
- Terminal: run any shell command, install packages, execute scripts
- Web browser: look up documentation, check GitHub issues, search Stack Overflow
- Multi-file understanding: work across a codebase with context about the full project structure
Supported models: OpenHands is model-agnostic. Users configure it with their API keys for Claude Sonnet (generally recommended for coding tasks), GPT-4o, or open models via Ollama. Claude Sonnet 3.5/3.7 is frequently cited in community benchmarks as the most effective model for complex multi-file engineering tasks.
SWE-bench performance: OpenHands achieved strong results on SWE-bench (a benchmark for resolving real GitHub issues), placing it among the top-performing open-source agent systems for software engineering.
Deployment: Runs locally via Docker (one-line setup command). A hosted cloud version at app.all-hands.dev is in development for users who don't want to self-host.
Use cases: Bug fixing from issue descriptions, feature implementation, code refactoring, test generation, and codebase exploration/explanation. Works best with clearly specified tasks and well-structured codebases.
Who it's for: Developers who want to explore AI-assisted coding beyond autocomplete — where the agent can work on a full task rather than completing a single function. Also researchers studying AI agent behavior and capabilities.
What You'll Need
- A OpenHands account (free to create)
- A modern web browser or the OpenHands app
Getting Started
Create Your Account
Visit https://www.all-hands.dev and sign up for a free account. You'll need an email address to register.
Start Your First Conversation
Once logged in, you'll see the main chat interface. Type a question or task in the input box and press Enter. OpenHands supports autonomous-agent, coding, software-engineering, open-source, code-execution — start with a simple text prompt to get familiar.
Pro Tips
- Be specific: The more context you provide, the better the response. Instead of "write an email," try "write a professional follow-up email to a client who hasn't responded in two weeks."
- Iterate: If you don't get what you need, ask for clarification or refinement: "Make it shorter" or "Use a more formal tone."
- Use examples: Show OpenHands what format you want by including an example in your prompt.
- Save useful conversations: Most platforms let you name and revisit conversations — organize by project or topic.
Common Use Cases
Programming & Code
AI assistants focused on writing, debugging, and explaining code across programming languages.
Browse Programming & Code chatbots →Troubleshooting
- Responses seem generic or unhelpful
- Add more context to your prompt. Specify the audience, tone, length, and format you need. Try starting over with a clearer description of your goal.
- The tool isn't responding or is slow
- AI chatbots can experience high traffic. Refresh the page and try again. Check the service's status page if issues persist.
- Output is too long or too short
- Explicitly specify the length: "in 100 words," "as a brief summary," or "in detail with examples."
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is OpenHands free to use?
- Yes, OpenHands is completely free to use.
- Do I need an account to use OpenHands?
- You may be able to try OpenHands without an account, though a free account unlocks more features and saves your history.
- What can I use OpenHands for?
- Open-source AI software engineering agent that autonomously writes, edits, and tests code, runs shell commands, and browses the web to complete programming tasks.
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