Web, CLI or Desktop?
How PawOS Web, Desktop and CLI differ in where code runs and what each product can access.
PawOS is an AI Development Operating System with three product experiences. PawOS Web works in a browser with connected GitHub repositories; PawOS Desktop runs locally on Windows; PawOS CLI is independently installed and runs local project work from your terminal. Phone access is PawOS Web in a mobile browser or a paired view of Desktop.
Warning
The CLI does not require the Desktop app or Web interface to be installed for local terminal use. It does require a PawOS account; signing in may require a browser handoff. Published CLI 1.2.0 and local unpublished candidate 1.2.1 have different commands.
Capability comparison
| Capability | PawOS Web | Published CLI 1.2.0 | Desktop source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local project access | No; works with connected GitHub repositories. | Yes; operates in the folder where `pawos` starts. | Yes; operates in a selected local workspace. |
| Git and non-Git folders | GitHub repository required for Code tasks. | Local project work supports non-Git folders; Git workflows require a repository. GitHub features depend on remote/account setup. | Local workspace can be non-Git; Git operations require Git/repository context. |
| Development execution | Does not run project commands on your computer; reads repository checks/previews. | Runs an approved set of local development programs and project checks. | Runs registered local development actions subject to permission and supported tooling. |
| Environment diagnostics | None for the local machine. | No `/env` command in 1.2.0. | Source includes environment discovery/checks; runtime not independently verified here. |
| Environment repair | No. | No. | Source includes PATH and environment-variable management with confirmation/elevation where required; not independently runtime verified here. |
| Software management | No local installs. | No Desktop-style installer manager. | Source includes install, verify, repair and uninstall plugins; package/OS support varies and was not runtime verified here. |
| Validation and recovery | Shows repository-provided checks/previews; does not run local tests. | Runs local commands; `/undo` covers PawOS file changes, not command side effects or commits. | Source includes validation runners, retry/recovery and Work Records; coverage is partial and not runtime verified here. |
| Integrations | GitHub-backed coding workflow and supported Web connectors. | 1.2.0 exposes no candidate `/tools`, `/github`, `/linear` or `/work` command; see candidate disclosure below. | Source registers connector/MCP plugins; individual provider operations depend on connector, plan and authorization. |
| Browser and process verification | Can show repository previews/checks; cannot inspect a local app/process. | Can manage a local development server and request a local browser open; it cannot inspect the rendered page. | Source includes managed browser and process tools; adapter support varies and visual checks are not guaranteed in the default pipeline. |
Local CLI candidate 1.2.1 — unpublished
The repository contains a local 1.2.1 candidate that adds `/env`, `/tools`, `/github`, `/linear`, and `/work`. These commands are not in the published npm 1.2.0 package. Candidate tests do not prove that service-backed endpoints are deployed or working for production accounts.
| Candidate command | Scope |
|---|---|
| /env [tool] | Read-only paths and Java/Android environment diagnostics. Tools: node, npm, git, python (python3/py aliases), java, javac, adb, sdkmanager. It does not repair PATH or install software. |
| /tools | Shows service-reported GitHub and Linear tools. |
| /github … and /linear … | A limited set of repository/issue/PR/file reads and confirmed comments. No general MCP executor. Live production availability is unverified. |
| /work <ticket> | Candidate ticket-work flow for supported GitHub/Linear references. Entitlement, billing, account and writeback paths require live verification; it is not a promise of automatic PR creation. |
Candidate CLI 1.2.1 passed local tests/build/package checks, but is unpublished. Live service/API behavior has not been independently verified. The currently published npm version is 1.2.0.
Desktop source and release status
Desktop source includes local project execution, environment/software management, validation, recovery, Work Records, managed browser/process features, and integrations. Not every feature is verified in this documentation audit, supported on every machine, or enabled for every account.
The existing Desktop 1.0.4 MSIX is unsigned, has no matching WACK report or verified source provenance, and has not passed disposable-environment installation/runtime checks. It is not certified or ready for Partner Center and is not proven equivalent to current source.
Choose where the work belongs
| Use | When |
|---|---|
| Web | You want a browser-based workspace for chat or supported GitHub repository work. |
| CLI | You want a terminal coding agent working directly in the local folder, including a non-Git project. The current npm package is 1.2.0. |
| Desktop | The task needs Desktop-specific Windows environment/software management, managed browser/process tools, integrations, or a UI Work Record. Treat source-backed features as unverified unless stated otherwise. |
Note
Plans and entitlements are enforced by PawOS services. The account may be shared, but capabilities, project access, execution location, and approval flows differ by product.