Workshop Desktop runs directly on your machine, giving the agent full access to your local file system. Unlike Workshop Cloud’s sandboxed VM, there are no restrictions on which files the agent can read, write, or execute.
Real-Time File Watching
Workshop Desktop uses a Rust-based file watcher (built into the Tauri shell) to monitor your project directory for changes. When you edit a file in an external editor, create new files, or delete something — Workshop detects it immediately and updates the file tree in the sidebar.
The file watcher is:
.gitignore-aware — Files and directories listed in your .gitignore are excluded from the file tree by default, keeping the view focused on the files that matter.- Configurable — You can toggle hidden file visibility and adjust excluded patterns.
- Lazy-loaded — Directory contents are loaded on-demand when you expand folders, so large projects don’t slow down the interface.
File change events propagate through the app in real time — the sidebar file tree, any open file references, and the agent’s context all stay in sync with your actual file system.
File Tree
The sidebar displays your project’s file structure as an expandable tree. It mirrors your actual directory layout on disk.
Key behaviors:
- Expand on demand — Click a folder to load and display its contents. Subdirectories are fetched lazily to keep the interface responsive.
- Automatic updates — When the file watcher detects changes (new files, deletions, renames), the affected directories refresh automatically.
- Drag and drop — Drag files from your system into the chat to add their path to your message, giving the agent context about specific files.
When Workshop Desktop runs code that takes more than a few seconds, a terminal icon appears in the code execution header. Clicking it triggers the terminal popup feature:
- The current code execution stops
- A new native terminal window opens
- The same command re-runs in the external terminal
This is useful when you want to:
- Interact with a running process — The agent’s built-in terminal doesn’t support interactive input. Pop out to a real terminal for processes that need user interaction.
- Keep a server running — If Workshop starts a development server, pop it out so it keeps running independently of the conversation.
- Debug in your preferred terminal — Use your terminal’s features (scrollback, search, tabs) for deeper investigation.
| Platform | Terminal Used | Details |
|---|
| macOS | Terminal.app | Uses AppleScript to send commands to the default Terminal application |
| Windows | Command Prompt | Creates a temporary batch file and opens it in a new cmd window |
| Linux | Auto-detected | Tries gnome-terminal, konsole, xfce4-terminal, and other common emulators in order |
Direct File System Access
The fundamental difference between Workshop Desktop and Workshop Cloud is file system access:
- Workshop Desktop — The agent reads and writes files directly on your disk. Your project is a real directory you can open in VS Code, Finder, or any other tool. Changes the agent makes are immediately visible to other applications, and vice versa.
- Workshop Cloud — The agent operates inside a sandboxed VM. Files exist only within that sandbox and must be downloaded or pushed to GitHub to access them elsewhere.
This means Workshop Desktop can:
- Work with files anywhere on your machine (not just the project directory)
- Install system-level dependencies and tools
- Run processes that bind to local ports
- Access hardware resources (GPUs for local models, USB devices, etc.)
- Interact with other applications running on your system
Because Workshop Desktop has full file system access, treat it like any other development tool — keep important files under version control and use checkpoints to snapshot your project state before major changes.
