Overview
The openhands web command launches the CLI’s terminal interface as a web application, accessible through your browser. This is useful when you want to:
- Access the CLI remotely
- Share your terminal session
- Use the CLI on devices without a full terminal
This is different from openhands serve, which launches the full GUI web application. The web interface runs the same TUI you see in the terminal, just in a browser.
Basic Usage
# Start on default port (12000)
openhands web
# Access at http://localhost:12000
Options
| Option | Default | Description |
|---|
--host | 0.0.0.0 | Host address to bind to |
--port | 12000 | Port number to use |
--debug | false | Enable debug mode |
Examples
# Custom port
openhands web --port 8080
# Bind to localhost only (more secure)
openhands web --host 127.0.0.1
# Enable debug mode
openhands web --debug
# Full example with custom host and port
openhands web --host 0.0.0.0 --port 3000
Remote Access
To access the web interface from another machine:
-
Start with
--host 0.0.0.0 to bind to all interfaces:
openhands web --host 0.0.0.0 --port 12000
-
Access from another machine using the host’s IP:
When exposing the web interface to the network, ensure you have appropriate security measures in place. The web interface provides full access to OpenHands capabilities.
Use Cases
Development on Remote Servers
Access OpenHands on a remote development server through your local browser:
# On remote server
openhands web --host 0.0.0.0 --port 12000
# On local machine, use SSH tunnel
ssh -L 12000:localhost:12000 user@remote-server
# Access at http://localhost:12000
Sharing Sessions
Run the web interface on a shared server for team access:
openhands web --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080
Comparison: Web Interface vs GUI Server
| Feature | openhands web | openhands serve |
|---|
| Interface | TUI in browser | Full web GUI |
| Dependencies | None | Docker required |
| Resources | Lightweight | Full container |
| Best for | Quick access | Rich GUI experience |
See Also
