A platform of autonomous AI software engineers that can write code, run commands and browse the web. Full autonomous dev environment Read our hands-on

Overview

OpenHands is an code, agents tool designed to help users accomplish specific tasks more efficiently. You can access it at https://github.com/All-Hands-AI/OpenHands. Users typically choose this tool because it excels at “Full autonomous dev environment”; it excels at “Open-source and self-hostable”. However, be aware that complex to configure securely.

Key Features

  • Autonomous coding agent — accelerates development workflows.
  • Terminal, editor and browser tools — reduces boilerplate code writing.
  • Self-hosted sandboxes — integrates into common IDE setups.
  • Multi-model support — accelerates development workflows.

Pricing

PlanPriceFor
Open source$0Everyone
HostedusageTeams

Pricing is subject to change. Check the official website for current plans and regional discounts. Free tiers often have usage limits — evaluate whether those limits match your expected volume before committing.

Comparison

vs. Devin: Compared to Devin’s IDE-focused experience, OpenHands takes a different approach to developer productivity — consider whether you need deep IDE integration or a more flexible, standalone assistant.

vs. Cursor: Compared to Cursor’s IDE-focused experience, OpenHands takes a different approach to developer productivity — consider whether you need deep IDE integration or a more flexible, standalone assistant.

Getting Started

  • Try OpenHands with a small, self-contained coding task first (a utility function, a refactoring job) before trusting it with larger changesets.
  • Connect it to your version control system if supported — reviewing diffs is easier than reviewing raw suggestions.
  • Use the tool for documentation and comments, not just code generation — these lower-risk outputs build trust quickly.

Hands-on Verdict

OpenHands is the open-source coding agent I use for end-to-end software tasks — it plans, writes, runs, and debugs in a repo like a junior engineer. It’s more autonomous than Cline on scope and a self-hosted Devin alternative. For IDE help I use Cursor.

Who it’s for: developers, teams. Tip: give it a well-scoped issue with acceptance criteria — OpenHands executes broadly, so a clear definition of done prevents drift.

Compare alternatives

Side-by-side with the 2 closest alternatives.

ToolCategoryPricingVisit
OpenHands (this) code, agentsFrom $0/mo Site ↗
Devinagents, codeFrom $20/mo Site ↗
CursorcodeFrom $0/mo Site ↗
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Editor’s Review
4.1/5
Pros
  • +Full autonomous dev environment
  • +Open-source and self-hostable
  • +Runs code, shells and browsers
Cons
  • Complex to configure securely
  • Needs oversight on real repos

A serious open Devin alternative. The sandbox model keeps things safe while the agent works through tasks.

See all reviews →

Last updated: 2026-07-31

When to use it

  • Use it when you need full autonomous dev environment
  • Use it when you need open-source and self-hostable
  • Use it when you need runs code, shells and browsers

When to skip it

  • Avoid it if complex to configure securely
  • Avoid it if needs oversight on real repos

Alternatives to consider