dexto

Overview

Dexto is a comprehensive agent harness that can function as an MCP server through its stdio or HTTP/SSE transport modes. It provides a production-ready coding agent and supports building custom agents via YAML configuration. The system integrates with 50+ LLM models and offers MCP integration with 30+ tools. Dexto includes persistent sessions, memory management, and human-in-the-loop controls, making it suitable for building robust AI applications.

Try asking AI

After installing, here are 7 things you can ask your AI assistant:

• mcp--filesystem--read_file

  Read file contents from the filesystem

  Try:Read the contents of the README.md fileTry:Show me what's in the index.js file
• mcp--filesystem--list_directory

  List contents of a directory

  Try:List all files in the current directoryTry:Show me what's in the src folder
• agent-spawner

  Spawn specialized sub-agents to handle complex subtasks

  Try:Use the explore-agent to analyze the codebaseTry:Spawn an agent to help with debugging
• explore-agent

  Fast, read-only codebase exploration agent

  Try:Explore the codebase to find all API endpointsTry:Search for functions that handle user authentication
• switchLLM

  Switch between different language models during a conversation

  Try:Switch to Claude Sonnet for this taskTry:Change to GPT-5.2 for better code generation

Note: Tool names were extracted from documentation about MCP integration, permissions configuration, and agent spawning functionality. Some signatures were not explicitly documented.

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Installation

# macOS / Linux / WSL (native installer, recommended)
curl -fsSL https://dexto.ai/install | bash

# Windows PowerShell
irm https://dexto.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# Or build from source
git clone https://github.com/truffle-ai/dexto.git
cd dexto && pnpm install && pnpm install-cli

# Start as MCP server
npx dexto --mode mcp --agent coding-agent --auto-approve --no-elicitation

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dexto": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "dexto", "--mode", "mcp", "--agent", "coding-agent", "--auto-approve", "--no-elicitation"]
    }
  }
}

FAQ

How is Dexto different from other agent frameworks?

Dexto provides both a coding agent out-of-the-box and the ability to build custom agents through YAML configuration. It has built-in MCP server capabilities and supports 50+ LLM models with instant switching.

Can I use Dexto locally without sending data to cloud services?

Yes, Dexto supports running with local models through Ollama or GGUF formats, keeping data on your machine with automatic GPU detection.

How do I integrate Dexto with my existing workflow?

Dexto provides multiple interfaces: CLI, Web UI, REST API, Discord, Telegram, and can be embedded in applications. You can also expose it as an MCP server to integrate with tools like Claude Code or Cursor.

On Hacker News

Recent discussion from the developer community.

• Show HN: Dexto – Connect your AI Agents with real-world tools and data▲ 41💬 12
  Story by shaunaks · 2025-10-28

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