Goose

Open-source local-first AI agent, now stewarded by the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation.

Open Source Coding & Development
Visit Website ↗ by Agentic AI Foundation (Linux Foundation)

What is Goose?

Goose is an open-source (Apache 2.0) general-purpose AI agent originally built by Block and, since late 2025, stewarded by the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation — putting it alongside projects like MCP under neutral governance. It runs entirely on your own machine as a CLI and a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, using whatever model provider you configure: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, OpenRouter, or local models through Ollama. Capabilities are delivered as MCP extensions (70+ documented), so the agent orchestrates tools rather than carrying them in the binary. It handles software development and general computer tasks like shell commands, file edits, and browser automation.

Key features

  • Runs fully locally — CLI and desktop app
  • Model-agnostic across 15+ providers plus local models
  • MCP-native extensions (70+ documented)
  • Software development and general computer tasks
  • Apache 2.0 license with neutral foundation governance

Pros

  • Free and open source; you only pay your model provider
  • Neutral Linux Foundation stewardship signals longevity
  • Extensible via MCP rather than vendor-locked tools

Cons

  • Bring-your-own-key model — usage cost is on you
  • Documentation home moved as governance changed
  • Less polished than some commercial alternatives

Goose at a glance

PricingOpen Source
CategoryCoding & Development
Platformswindows, macos, linux
CompanyAgentic AI Foundation (Linux Foundation)
Official websitegoose-docs.ai
ai-agentcliopen-sourcelocal-firstmcplinux-foundation

How to choose the right Coding & Development tool

The right coding tool depends on where you write code and how much of your codebase it can understand. IDE integration is the first filter — a tool that lives in your editor, sees your project files and respects your stack will help far more than a general chatbot you paste snippets into. Look for accurate completions, clear explanations of suggested changes, and strong refactoring and debugging support for your main languages. Privacy deserves real attention: check whether your code is used for training, and whether a self-hosted or enterprise option exists for sensitive projects. Price against the hours it actually saves — most developers feel the difference within the first week of real use.

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Goose FAQs

What is Goose?

Goose is an open-source (Apache 2.0) general-purpose AI agent originally built by Block and, since late 2025, stewarded by the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation — putting it alongside projects like MCP under neutral governance. It runs entirely on your own machine as a CLI and a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, using whatever model provider you configure: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, OpenRouter, or local models through Ollama. Capabilities are delivered as MCP extensions (70+ documented), so the agent orchestrates tools rather than carrying them in the binary. It handles software development and general computer tasks like shell commands, file edits, and browser automation.

What are the main features of Goose?

Goose offers Runs fully locally — CLI and desktop app, Model-agnostic across 15+ providers plus local models, MCP-native extensions (70+ documented), Software development and general computer tasks and Apache 2.0 license with neutral foundation governance.

How much does Goose cost?

Goose is open source, so the software itself is free to download, use and self-host. Your only costs are the infrastructure you run it on and any paid services you connect to it.

What are the pros and cons of Goose?

Strengths of Goose include Free and open source; you only pay your model provider; Neutral Linux Foundation stewardship signals longevity; Extensible via MCP rather than vendor-locked tools. On the downside, Bring-your-own-key model — usage cost is on you; Documentation home moved as governance changed; Less polished than some commercial alternatives.