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Guide · Open source

How to use invisible_dots: install, create a Dot and run tasks

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

invisible_dots is an open-source, self-hosted AI agent. You give it tasks in a chat, and it works on a virtual Linux computer it runs itself, using a Firefox browser that keeps its own logins. This guide covers what you need, how to install and set it up from source, and how to create your first Dot and give it a task.

invisible_dotsfeder-cr/invisible_dots · ★ 32.4k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Check prerequisites. Confirm Node.js 24+, Go 1.25+, Git, an x86-64 CPU with hardware virtualization, and an OpenRouter API key.
  2. 2Clone the repository. Run git clone on the invisible_dots repository and change into its folder.
  3. 3Install dependencies. Run npm ci inside the project folder.
  4. 4Build the CLI. Run npm run build --workspace @invisible-dots/cli.
  5. 5Run setup. Run node apps/cli/dist/invisible-dots.mjs setup --all to install QEMU, enable the accelerator and build or download the Dot's images.
  6. 6Start the server and create a Dot. Run the server command, open http://127.0.0.2:3000, paste your OpenRouter key and create your first Dot.

What you need before installing invisible_dots

invisible_dots is installed by cloning the repository and building it yourself. The quickstart lists these prerequisites: Node.js 24+, Go 1.25+, Git, hardware virtualization on an x86-64 CPU, and an OpenRouter API key.

The project is aimed at developers comfortable with a command-line setup. It is marked alpha in the README, so it is not presented as a production-stable tool.

  • Node.js 24 or newer
  • Go 1.25 or newer
  • Git
  • Hardware virtualization (x86-64)
  • An OpenRouter API key

Install invisible_dots on Windows or Linux

The quickstart gives separate instructions for Windows (PowerShell) and Linux (Ubuntu 24.04). On Windows, the README installs Node, Go and Git with winget. On Linux, it installs Node from the NodeSource script and Go with snap.

The core steps are the same on both systems: clone the repository, install dependencies, build the CLI, and run setup.

git clone https://github.com/feder-cr/invisible_dots cd invisible_dots npm ci npm run build --workspace @invisible-dots/cli node apps/cli/dist/invisible-dots.mjs setup --all

Run setup and start the server

The setup command installs QEMU and turns on the accelerator, which is KVM on Linux or the Windows Hypervisor Platform on Windows. It then builds or downloads the Dot's images. If you restart your machine, run setup again and it continues where it stopped.

Once the server is running, open http://127.0.0.2:3000 in your browser, paste your OpenRouter key, and create your first Dot. The full list of steps and failure modes is in the guide's quickstart.

node apps/cli/dist/invisible-dots.mjs setup --all node apps/cli/dist/invisible-dots.mjs server

Create a Dot and give it a task

A Dot is the agent. You talk to it in its chat and it works on its own computer, which has a desktop, a terminal, files, and a Firefox browser. Each browser identity keeps its own cookies and logins.

The README gives examples of suitable tasks: checking a page, a recurring fare search that writes results to a CSV file, or logging in to a shop to download invoices. Tasks that need a computer and a person's judgement fit best.

  • Open a browser identity called research, go to a page and report its title.
  • Every morning, check fares for a route and write them to ~/workspace/fares.csv.
  • Log in to a shop with a named identity and download this month's invoices to ~/documents.

Control permissions, approvals and automations

Every tool belongs to a permission: allow, ask or deny. An ask waits in your Inbox, survives a restart, and runs the call once after you approve it. This lets you decide which actions the agent may take on its own.

A Dot can also run recurring jobs called automations. Its computer is started on time for them, and it sleeps when idle.

  • allow: the tool runs without asking
  • ask: the request waits in your Inbox for approval
  • deny: the tool is not run

Where invisible_dots helps and where it does not

The README says the project is an alternative to commercial products such as OpenAI Dots and Grok Bot, and that it is built to avoid anti-bot detection. Its disclaimer asks you to respect the terms of the sites it visits and their robots.txt, and to comply with the laws of your jurisdiction, because a Dot acts with your accounts.

Comparable projects named in this context are OpenHands, Browser Use, Open Interpreter and nanobot. The README notes that the engine is a fork of nanobot.

What people use it for

  • Checking a web page in a named browser identity and reporting its title and first sentence.
  • Running a recurring fare search every morning and saving the results to a CSV file.
  • Logging in to a shop with a dedicated identity and downloading monthly invoices.
  • Saving notes and reusable steps so the agent remembers where a page is for next time.
  • Sending a periodic report through a connected channel such as Telegram.

Frequently asked questions

Is invisible_dots free?

invisible_dots is released under the MIT licence, and the README says the license is in the LICENSE file. The README does not list prices for hosting or for the OpenRouter service, which you access with your own key.

What are the requirements to run invisible_dots?

You need Node.js 24+, Go 1.25+, Git, an x86-64 CPU with hardware virtualization, and an OpenRouter API key. The source notes that hardware without x86-64 virtualization support is not suitable.

Can non-technical users install invisible_dots?

The source says setup requires a command-line workflow with Node.js, Go and Git. It is aimed at developers and hobbyists comfortable with that, so non-technical users will likely find it hard to set up.

Does invisible_dots run on Mac?

The README badge lists hosts as Linux and Windows. The quickstart covers Windows and Linux only, so Mac is not listed as a supported host in the source.

Is invisible_dots production-ready?

No. The README badge says status: alpha, so it is not presented as a production-stable tool.

What are alternatives to invisible_dots?

The source names OpenHands, Browser Use, Open Interpreter and nanobot as comparable projects. Choose based on whether you need a self-hosted agent with its own computer and browser.

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Our verdict

invisible_dots suits developers and hobbyists who are comfortable with a command-line setup and want a self-hosted agent that runs recurring browser tasks on Linux or Windows. Skip it if you need a stable production tool, a non-technical setup, or automation of sites without permission.

Install options & downloads