Terminator is an AI-first SDK for automating native GUI applications on Windows, offering a Playwright-like API for developers. It targets AI agents and users seeking faster, more reliable desktop automation than vision-based methods, by leveraging OS-level accessibility APIs.

How It Works

Terminator interacts with native Windows applications using OS-level accessibility APIs, bypassing the need for screen scraping or computer vision. This approach allows for deeper UI introspection, background application interaction, and significantly faster execution speeds compared to vision-based AI agents. It can record human workflows and compile them into highly efficient AI decision trees, using AI as a fallback only during inference.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Install: Clone the repository.
• Server Setup:
  • Windows: Run powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\setup_windows.ps1
  • macOS: Install Rust/Cargo and Xcode Command Line Tools, then run cargo build --release --package server.
• Run Server:
  • Windows: ./server_release/server.exe --debug
  • macOS: ./target/release/examples/server --debug
• Run Example Client: cd examples/hello-world, npm i, npm run dev.
• Prerequisites: Rust/Cargo and Xcode Command Line Tools for macOS server compilation.
• Documentation: Official Documentation

Highlighted Details

• Playwright-style API for familiar developer experience.
• Claims 100x speed and cost advantage over OpenAI Operator/Anthropic Computer Use.
• Benchmarks show UI element querying in ~80ms.
• Supports background application interaction.

Maintenance & Community

• Actively under development with a focus on Windows.
• Community contributions are welcome.
• Discord server available for discussion.

Licensing & Compatibility

• The README does not explicitly state a license. Compatibility for commercial use or closed-source linking is not specified.

Limitations & Caveats

Terminator is experimental and under active development, with potential bugs and breaking changes. macOS support is partial and community-driven, while Linux is not supported.