Orbit

What does Orbit do?

Orbit describes itself as "An AI coding agent for desktop and mobile" that lets a user "work directly with your codebase, delegate tasks to specialized subagents, orchestrate multi-agent workflows." It supports any model from any provider, chosen through the user's own key, and ships with built-in integrations (terminal, browser panel, Git).

Three modes shape how work is done. Plan lets the agent read and propose; Build runs step by step with user approval; Orchestrate dispatches subagents on side tasks. A persistent memory graph, which the README compares to Obsidian's note graph, holds context between sessions. Mobile and desktop share sessions through a cloud sync in the roadmap; the current build runs locally.

Key facts

• Licence: GPL-3.0, with an additional permission that allows distribution through proprietary app stores (the README quotes an extra clause that keeps GPL copyleft but waives the clash with store terms).
• Platforms: Windows (installer and Microsoft Store), Linux (AppImage and .deb), Android (APK and Google Play), iOS (App Store). macOS is not listed at the time it was read.
• Models: any model from any provider, via the user's own key.
• Modes: Plan, Build, Orchestrate.
• Subagents: specialised agents dispatched for side tasks.
• Memory: a persistent graph of notes that survives between sessions.
• Model Context Protocol: supported.
• Integrated panels: terminal, browser, Git.
• Build pipeline: GitHub Actions produce the Linux AppImage and .deb, the Windows installer, and the Android and iOS packages.
• Version: 0.1.4 at the time it was read.

What does it replace, and where does it fall short?

Orbit replaces Claude Code for users who want a cross-platform coding agent that also runs on a phone, with a GPL-3.0 open source core.

Where it falls short: no macOS build in the listed releases at the time it was read; Mac users have to look at other entries on the open-source alternatives to Claude Code page. The version is 0.1.4 and the README's roadmap lists pipeline mode, routines, team collaboration, cloud sync and computer-use features as "future". GPL-3.0 is a copyleft licence, so a commercial fork that ships closed source is not allowed.

How does Orbit run?

On Windows, install through the Microsoft Store or download the installer from the Releases page. On Linux, use the AppImage or the .deb. On Android, install the APK or the Google Play build. On iOS, install the App Store build. First launch asks for a model provider and a key; the key stays on the device.

Pick a project folder (desktop) or point the mobile app at a repository through its Git integration. Choose a mode: Plan, Build or Orchestrate. Subagents can be launched for side tasks without losing the main session. The memory graph is written to disk and survives a restart.

Who is Orbit for?

A reader who works across desktop and mobile and wants a coding agent on the phone, who runs on Windows, Linux, Android or iOS, and who is happy with GPL-3.0 and a 0.x release. A Mac user, or a user who needs a stable 1.x release and team collaboration today, should look at OpenCode, Open Claude Code or Claude Code itself.

What limits does the README state?

• Version 0.1.4 at the time it was read; the roadmap lists pipeline mode, routines, team collaboration, cloud sync and computer-use features as "future".
• Windows, Linux, Android and iOS are the listed targets; macOS is not in the release matrix.
• The additional permission to the GPL allows distribution through proprietary app stores but does not change GPL copyleft for the code itself.
• Models are chosen by the user; Orbit does not bundle a provider or a model.
• Mobile uses a companion app that mirrors desktop sessions; a cloud sync is in the roadmap.

Questions people ask

Is Orbit open source?

Yes. The repository is GPL-3.0 with an additional permission that allows distribution of unmodified binaries through proprietary app stores (the Microsoft Store, Google Play, the App Store). The README calls this permission out so a reader knows the core is still copyleft. GPL-3.0 is an OSI-approved licence.

Does Orbit work offline?

Partly. The app, memory graph and tools run on the device. The model is called over the network through the user's provider of choice, so network access is required for every reply. A reader who wants a fully offline agent can pick a local model provider such as Ollama or llama.cpp, both of which have their own pages in this directory.

Can Orbit be used commercially?

Yes for use. Commercial users can run Orbit as published for free. Because the licence is GPL-3.0, any fork that is distributed to others has to publish its source under the same terms. The extra permission for app stores does not change that. A commercial user who wants a closed-source fork should talk to Fragments Labs about a separate licence.

How does Orbit compare with Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's own product, tied to Anthropic's models, with a Max subscription and Managed Agents. Orbit is GPL-3.0, works with any provider the user picks, and runs on desktop and mobile. The trade is: Anthropic's full product and polish on one side, cross-platform and model-agnostic on the other. The open-source alternatives to Claude Code page sets Orbit beside OpenCode, Open Claude Code, Crush and others.

Does Orbit really run on a phone?

Yes. The README lists an Android APK and a Google Play build, and an iOS App Store build. Mobile sessions mirror desktop sessions on the same account, and the cloud sync that would move a session between the two devices is in the roadmap. Running an agent on a phone is expensive in network terms, so the mobile app is best for small edits and reviews rather than long autonomous runs.

Sources

• Orbit README and LICENSE: github.com/Fragmentslabs/Orbit, read 2026-11-09.