Maximo Syntax Desktop

Your AI workspace for work.

Maximo Syntax is a native desktop app that turns any goal into finished work — write and edit code, build software, draft documents, analyze data, organize projects, and run agent workflows. One agent that works across your files, terminals, projects, and tasks.

Built with Electron · React · Vite · TypeScript

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Features

• Agentic chat workspace — start a chat in any local folder and let the agent inspect, edit, run, and verify your work through the bundled Maximo Syntax CLI engine.
• Projects & spaces — pin, group, and organize folders, chats, and work surfaces (chat, activity, kanban, pull requests).
• Multi-provider sign-in — Maximo AI subscription, API keys, MyTabulon, Cencori, OpenRouter, and OpenCode Go/Zen. Credentials stay in the CLI's secure auth storage.
• Built-in terminal — a PTY terminal, run log, and workspace browser for local servers.
• Diff review — review file changes and pull requests inline.
• Permission controls — ask-for-approval, plan mode, accept edits, auto-approve, or explicit full access (visually distinguished).
• Local-first — your data, sessions, and credentials live on your machine, never on a Maximo server.
• Secure by default — context isolation, sandboxing, navigation blocking, and a narrow typed preload bridge (see Security model).

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Requirements

• Node.js 22.12 or newer (development only — installed builds bundle their own runtime and do not need Node.js).

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macOS: first-launch Gatekeeper notice

macOS may block the app on first launch because it is not yet signed with an Apple Developer ID. This is expected until the app is properly signed and notarized. To open it:

1. If you see "Maximo Syntax is damaged and can't be opened", clear the Gatekeeper quarantine flag for the app:

   xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Maximo Syntax.app"

   (If you haven't moved it to Applications yet, use the path where you downloaded it, e.g. ~/Downloads/Maximo Syntax.app.)

2. Then open it normally (double-click, or right-click → Open).

Alternatively, right-click the app icon → Open → Open may show the Gatekeeper prompt directly — macOS allows opening it that way without the Terminal command.

This only applies to downloaded copies; the warning disappears once the app is signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized in a future update.

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Getting started

git clone <your-fork-url>
cd maximo-syntax-desktop
npm install
npm start

npm start builds both the renderer and the Electron main process, then opens the desktop app.

For live renderer reloads while developing:

npm run dev

Available scripts

Script	Purpose
npm start	Build and launch the desktop app
npm run dev	Development mode with live renderer reloads
npm run build	Build icon, renderer, and Electron main process
npm run build:renderer	Build the renderer only (Vite → dist-renderer/)
npm run build:electron	Build the Electron main process only (tsc → dist-electron/)
npm run build:icon	Regenerate app icons from the SVG
npm run typecheck	Typecheck renderer and Electron code
npm test	Run the Vitest test suite
npm run check	Typecheck + tests + build (full verification)
npm run package	Build + unpacked app for local testing (electron-builder --dir)
npm run dist	Build signed/installable installers
npm run dist:mac	Build macOS DMG + ZIP
npm run dist:win	Build Windows NSIS installer

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Engine setup

The distributed desktop app includes @maximoai/maximo-syntax-cli, so end users do not need Node, npm, or a separate global CLI install. On launch, the runtime manager validates the engine in this order:

1. A custom CLI path selected in Settings.
2. A sibling CLI checkout in development builds.
3. A managed engine installed in the app data directory.
4. The CLI bundled in the desktop installer.
5. A compatible CLI found on the system path.

If no valid engine is available, the first-run setup can install or repair a managed copy. Chats run in the selected project folder using the CLI's supported streaming headless mode; follow-up turns resume the saved CLI session ID.

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Account controls

The sidebar Account panel uses the bundled CLI's supported authentication commands. It shows the current connection, links to usage and billing, supports Maximo subscription, API-usage, MyTabulon, Cencori, OpenRouter, and OpenCode Go/Zen sign-in, and can switch accounts or sign out. Credentials remain in the CLI's secure auth storage and are never exposed to the renderer.

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Security model

The renderer has no Node access. Electron runs with context isolation, sandboxing, navigation blocking, and a narrow typed preload bridge. Filesystem, process, Git, dialog, and shell actions are validated and executed only in the main process. Full-access mode is explicit and visually distinguished from safer permission modes.

For details on reporting vulnerabilities, see SECURITY.md.

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Project structure

desktop/                 Electron main process (Node)
  main.ts                Window, menus, IPC handlers
  preload.cts            Typed preload bridge (contextIsolated)
  auth-service.ts        Provider sign-in / account status
  cli-runner.ts          Spawns and streams the CLI engine
  runtime-manager.ts     Engine discovery, install, and repair
  terminal-manager.ts    PTY terminal sessions
  state-store.ts         Local project/thread/space state
  usage-service.ts       Usage & billing snapshots
  workspace-files.ts     Read/write workspace files
src/                     React renderer (Vite)
  App.tsx                Shell: sidebar, chat, dock, gates
  components/            Chat, diff review, kanban, PRs, modals, terminal
  styles.css             Design system
  main.tsx               React entry
scripts/                 Build, icon, and dev tooling
assets/                  Icons, fonts, logo

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Testing

npm run typecheck   # TypeScript (renderer + Electron)
npm test            # Vitest unit tests
npm run check       # typecheck + tests + full build

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Building installers

npm run dist:mac    # macOS DMG + ZIP
npm run dist:win    # Windows NSIS installer
npm run dist        # Current platform

Installers are written to release/.

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License

MIT — see LICENSE. Contributions welcome — see CONTRIBUTING.

Copyright © 2026 Maximo AI Ltd