terminal-mac
Virtual macOS desktop for AI agents in your terminal
Developer ToolsOpen sourceOpen source · verified#virtual-macos#ai-agents#terminal
Listed by the ProductPerch team from GitHub · not launched here yet
What is terminal-mac?
terminal-mac runs a complete macOS virtual machine inside your terminal window. It uses Apple Virtualization to create a separate guest environment that operates independently from your host system. The virtual desktop streams its display directly into supported terminals like Kitty, iTerm2, or Ghostty using graphics rendering.
The project is designed primarily for AI agents that need computer control. A bundled helper inside the virtual machine captures the screen and accepts input events. This allows automated tools to interact with the guest OS without moving your physical mouse pointer or altering your clipboard. The virtual Mac maintains its own applications, files, accounts, and permissions.
Installation requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later. The setup downloads a compatible Apple restore image and configures a default sixty-four gigabyte virtual disk. Agents can connect through Model Context Protocol tools or skill files to perform actions like clicking, typing, scrolling, and taking screenshots within the isolated environment.
terminal-mac features
- Runs a full macOS virtual machine inside the terminal
- Streams guest display using Kitty, iTerm2, or Ghostty
- Isolates agent interactions from the host Mac environment
- Provides MCP tools for screenshot, click, drag, scroll, type, and key actions
- Supports skill-based observe, act, and verify loops for AI agents
- Requires no administrator rights or development tools to install
- Maintains separate apps, files, accounts, and permissions per VM
Who uses terminal-mac and for what
- Run automated testing scripts in an isolated macOS environment without affecting the main system
- Allow AI coding assistants to navigate and interact with a virtual desktop safely
- Test software compatibility across different macOS versions in a clean virtual machine
- Provide secure sandboxed access for computer-use agents to manage cloud or local services
- Streamline terminal-based workflows by keeping virtual desktops inline with command line tasks
terminal-mac FAQ
Is terminal-mac free?
Yes, the repository is released under the MIT license and provides prebuilt releases at no cost. The website does not mention commercial plans or enterprise pricing.
Does terminal-mac work on Intel Macs?
The website states that terminal-mac requires an Apple silicon Mac. It does not support Intel-based processors.
What is terminal-mac used for?
It is used to run a separate macOS virtual machine inside a terminal window. It gives AI agents computer use capabilities through MCP tools and skills while keeping the guest environment isolated from the host system.
Is terminal-mac open source?
Yes, the source code is publicly available on GitHub under the MIT license. Contributors can review and modify the Swift-based codebase.
Does terminal-mac require Xcode to run?
No, prebuilt releases do not require development tools. Only maintainers building from source need Xcode 16 or later with Swift 6.
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