Block Open Sources Berd, a Free Local AI Agent Workspace
Block open sources Berd, a free local desktop workspace for AI agents, with multiple models, persistent projects, local history and Apache 2.0 licensing.
Summary
On Aug. 18, 2026, Jack Dorsey's Block, owner of Square, Cash App and Tidal, open sourced Berd, its internal workspace unifying Goose, Anthropic's Claude Code and OpenAI's Codex. The Apache 2.0 macOS, Windows and Linux app reached version 0.6.2, its seventh public release, with 91 contributors. Berd combines persistent projects, sessions, skills, extensions and automations, exposes active context and failures, and distinguishes agents as Berdy, Pushback, Choosey, Copycat, Tinker and Wildcard. Tauri 2 and React 19 power Berd; Agent Client Protocol connects a pinned, verified Goose sidecar. Goose, launched in January 2025 and contributed in December 2025 to the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation, links proprietary or Ollama local models to tools through Model Context Protocol. Users choose providers and pay their charges. Berd is free, against $20 to $200 monthly for Codex, $20 to $200 plus API use for Claude Code, and $20 or $200 for Anysphere's Cursor 3.
History stays in Goose's local database and credentials in the OS keychain, but chosen context leaves for providers under their terms. Official telemetry defaults off; opt in data includes a random installation ID and predefined events, excluding prompts, messages, files, code, credentials, names, emails and payload IPs, although IPs support transmission, security and rate limiting. Organizations can overlay providers, private agents, tools, updates and signing, but no SSO, central policies, permissions, retention or audit logs are documented; forks may redirect telemetry. Local files, Git, skills, exported agents, ACP and MCP aid portability, not full interchangeability. Block closes outside pull requests, leaving upstream to its small team. Block prioritizes free Apache 2.0 Buzz, its Nostr based, self or Block hosted multiplayer workspace with permissioned cryptographic agents. Berd remains desktop only while Block plans to bring its private workflows, context and mobile continuity into Buzz; enterprise commercialization remains an interest.
Positives
- Apache 2.0 licensing lets anyone use, modify, redistribute or commercially package Berd across macOS, Windows and Linux.
- Version 0.6.2 marked Berd's seventh public release on Aug. 18, with 91 contributors listed in its repository.
- Conversation history remains in Goose's local database, credentials use the operating system keychain, and official telemetry is disabled by default.
- Goose, Claude Code and Codex can share one workspace while users select their own models, providers and agent harnesses.
- Enterprise distribution seams support managed providers, private agents, companion tools, update channels, signing and publishing infrastructure.
- ACP, MCP, local files, Git repositories, file based skills and exported agents advance Block's goal of user controlled portability.
Risks & concerns
- Selected prompts and context leave the device whenever Berd uses a remote model, making privacy dependent on each provider's terms.
- Berd documents no single sign on, central policy enforcement, organization wide permissions, retention controls or audit logs.
- External pull requests are automatically closed, leaving Berd's upstream development and maintenance controlled by Block's small team.
- Third party forks can alter or redirect telemetry, so enterprises must inspect customized distributions rather than rely on Block's defaults.
- Block now prioritizes Buzz, while Berd's long term maintenance, support and possible commercial enterprise layer remain unspecified.
- Free software does not eliminate model expenses because users and organizations still pay their chosen API or provider charges.