agent-cu vs Contop

agent-cu is a command-line tool for controlling desktop apps by clicking, typing, and reading interface information. It uses the accessibility tree that screen readers rely on to identify interface elements, then acts on them through references. Commands include snapshots, selectors, clicks, typing, scrolling, dragging, window management, and JSON output. Users can batch commands and reuse YAML workflows. The tool supports Electron apps through CDP, including Slack, Cursor, VS Code, Postman, Discord, and Notion. Its skill can be used with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot, OpenCode, Cline, and 40+ other agents. agent-cu runs locally on macOS, Linux, and Windows; precompiled binaries are available for macOS Apple Silicon and Intel, Linux, and Windows. Installation instructions cover npm, pnpm, yarn, and bun. It requires explicit operating-system accessibility permissions to read and control apps. The project is free and MIT licensed. Its repository states that it is no longer maintained and recommends Cua and Cua Driver instead.

Contop is an open-source remote compute agent for controlling a desktop from a phone. It streams the screen in real time, accepts voice or text input, and can carry out tasks autonomously. The agent can run terminal commands, interact with the desktop and Chrome, and read, edit, or search files; the maker lists 33 built-in tools for commands, screen control, file management, and workflow automation. Users can create reusable skills using prompt instructions, YAML workflows, Python tools, or combinations. Listed AI providers are Google Gemini, OpenAI, Anthropic, and OpenRouter, with per-role model selection. Connections include LAN, Tailscale, and Cloudflare Tunnel, with automatic path selection and fallback. The site says phone-to-desktop traffic is end-to-end encrypted with DTLS and does not pass through third-party servers. Risky commands can be blocked, sandboxed, or held for approval, and session logs record prompts, commands, tools, and results. Android is available via Google Play; iOS is coming soon. Desktop downloads for Windows, macOS, and Linux require Python 3.12 or later.