Open Codesign: A Local-First Design Tool That Works With Claude, GPT, and Gemini

Ever wanted a design tool that keeps your data private, works offline, and still lets you tap into AI models like Claude, GPT, or Gemini? That's exactly what Open Codesign does. It's a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) design tool that runs locally on your machine, so you're not sending your design files to some cloud service just to get AI suggestions.

Think of it like a whiteboard that talks to your favorite LLMs, but the whiteboard stays in your room.

What It Does

Open Codesign is a local-first design tool. You draw, wireframe, or sketch interfaces, and it lets you plug in your own API keys for Claude, GPT, or Gemini. No accounts, no subscriptions, no data leaving your computer unless you explicitly send it to the AI.

It's compatible with multiple AI providers, so you're not locked into any one ecosystem. Use the model that works best for your task, whether that's generating UI components, explaining design patterns, or rewriting copy directly on your canvas.

Why It's Cool

Three things stand out:

1. Local-first, privacy-first. Everything runs on your machine. Your design files aren't uploaded to some centralized server. You control what goes to the AI and when.

2. BYOK flexibility. Bring your own API key for any supported model. No monthly fees, no vendor lock-in. If you have a credit with OpenAI or Anthropic, you can just point the tool at it.

3. Multi-model support. Claude, GPT, Gemini — you can switch between them on the fly. This is huge for developers who want to compare responses, or for teams using different models for different tasks (like Claude for reasoning, GPT for generation).

Use cases? Think rapid prototyping, design feedback loops, or even generating code snippets from wireframes. If you've ever wanted an AI pair designer that doesn't phone home with your work, this is it.

How to Try It

Head over to the GitHub repo:

git clone https://github.com/OpenCoworkAI/open-codesign.git
cd open-codesign
# Then follow the setup instructions in the README

Once it's running, just drop in your API key for Claude, GPT, or Gemini. The tool will walk you through linking your preferred model to your workspace. No internet required after that (except for the AI calls, of course).

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of tool that makes me wish it existed a year ago. It's straightforward, respects your data, and doesn't pretend to be a full Figma replacement. Instead, it does one thing well — lets you design with AI on your terms.

For developers who care about privacy, or teams that need to work offline without losing AI assistance, Open Codesign is a solid choice. Give it a spin, and see if it fits your workflow.

Follow us on X: @githubprojects