The local AI agent runtime

Local AI agents without the black box.

Control See Understand

Run AI agents locally, inspect the execution loop, and control exactly what your agents can access.

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Compatible with OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenAI-compatible APIs, local models, and custom providers.

Agent Ampel chat interface talking to a local agent
Setup in 3 steps

Get started in minutes

Agent Ampel is designed to be simple to install and configure.

01

Secure your vault

Create a vault password to protect your credentials.

API keys and secrets are encrypted and stored locally.

02

Connect your models

Configure your preferred AI providers.

Supports OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenAI-compatible APIs, local model servers, and custom providers.

03

Create your agent

Choose a model, define instructions, enable tools, configure permissions, and start working.

Learn how agents work

Inspect the execution loop.

Most AI applications hide what happens between your prompt and the final answer.

Agent Ampel exposes every step.

Inspect
User messages
Model requests
Model responses
Tool calls
Permission checks
Tool execution
Runtime events
Final responses
Agent Ampel showing a bash tool execution inside a conversation

The History Deck turns every conversation into a transparent execution trace — making Agent Ampel both a powerful runtime and a practical learning tool for engineers, researchers, students, and AI enthusiasts.

Why Agent Ampel

Built around control, transparency, and understanding.

Modern AI agents can access files, execute tools, browse the web, and interact with external systems. As agents become more capable, understanding what they are doing becomes just as important as the answers they produce.

Agent Ampel was created to explore a different approach. Instead of building another AI assistant, it focuses on the runtime beneath it.

A runtime that is
Local-first
Provider independent
Permission aware
Fully inspectable
Designed for real-world tool execution
Features

Everything you need to build and run AI agents.

Multi-provider

Connect OpenAI, Anthropic, compatible APIs, local models, and custom providers.

Tool Execution

Allow agents to interact with files, APIs, and external systems.

Permission System

Define exactly what each agent is allowed to access.

Secure Vault

Protect credentials using local encrypted storage.

Conversation History

Review every conversation and every execution step.

Streaming

Receive responses in real time.

Extensible

Add providers, tools, and integrations without changing the runtime core.

Local First

Your models, your configuration, your machine.

Built for control

AI agents should never be a black box.

Agent Ampel gives you visibility into every important decision.

Permission Resolver

Approve or deny access before tools execute.

Tool Governance

Enable only the capabilities an agent actually needs.

Audit Trail

Review every action performed during execution.

Runtime Visibility

See model calls, tool requests, permission decisions, execution flow, and errors.

Agent Ampel permission configuration for an agent's tools and file access

Nothing happens silently.

Screenshots

See Agent Ampel in action.

Agent Ampel — Main conversation
Click to expand
Main conversation
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Every action performed by an agent can be reviewed, inspected, and understood.

About

Built with care.

Agent Ampel is an independent project created by Henrique Portela. It started as an exploration of agent runtimes, tool execution, and permission systems, and evolved into a complete desktop runtime for AI agents.

The goal remains simple: build practical infrastructure that makes AI agents easier to understand, control, and trust.

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Ready to explore AI agents?

Run AI agents with transparency, control, and confidence.

Download Agent Ampel and see what happens behind the chat.

Download Agent Ampel

macOS · Windows · Linux — pick your platform on the release page