Local Code

Key facts: Local Code is an AI agent that runs entirely on your Mac and works offline. Share a folder and ask for a chart, a five-slide deck or a simple web page, and it works with Python, Node.js and a shell built into the app. Apple's App Sandbox keeps it to the folders you share. Qwen 3.8 27B runs on Macs with 16 GB of memory, and bigger DeepSeek models from 32 GB by streaming from your SSD. Cloud models are optional.

Plans: Free on your own hardware. Your own API keys have no markup, and hosted models use top-ups from $9.99. There is no subscription. It is open source under GPL-3.0 and now on the Mac App Store.

Best for: People who want an agent for docs, data and code that never leaves the laptop. Who should skip it: Windows and Linux users, and anyone who needs a hosted team product.

Pros

• Runs entirely on your Mac and works offline, so private work stays private
• Apple's App Sandbox limits it to the folders you actually share
• Your own API keys carry no markup, and there is no subscription
• Handles charts, decks, web pages and code in one app

Watch out for

• Mac only, and bigger models need 32 GB of memory
• Local models will not match frontier cloud models on the hardest tasks
• A young product, so expect rough edges compared with mature editors

Best for

People who want an agent for docs, data and code that never leaves the laptop. Who should skip it: anyone on Windows or Linux, or teams needing shared cloud workspaces.

Pricing

Free on your own hardware; your own API keys have no markup, and hosted models use top-ups from $9.99. No subscription.

FAQs

Does Local Code need the internet? No, it runs entirely on your Mac and works offline, with cloud models optional.

What can it build? Charts, five-slide decks, simple web pages, and code, using Python, Node.js and a built-in shell.

How much memory do I need? Qwen 3.8 27B runs on 16 GB Macs; bigger DeepSeek models need 32 GB.

Who makes it? It comes from the team behind Draw Things, and it is open source under GPL-3.0.