How do I install Nexu?
Download an installer. One click.
Step 1: Download from nexu.io
Go to nexu.io or GitHub Releases and grab the right installer:
- macOS Apple Silicon:
.dmg - macOS Intel:
.dmg - Windows 10+:
.exe
Step 2: Bring your own API key
Nexu is BYOK — bring your own API key. No account on Nexu's side, no subscription:
- Anthropic Claude
- OpenAI GPT / Codex
- Google Gemini
- MiniMax
- GLM (with OAuth)
Step 3: Connect a messaging platform
In the app, pick the platform you want your agent to live in:
| Platform | What it does |
|---|---|
| Agent inside Chinese-speaking team chat | |
| Feishu | Agent inside ByteDance enterprise chat |
| Slack | Agent inside your existing Slack workspace |
| Discord | Agent inside any Discord server |
Nexu bridges the agent through these platforms so it stays online 24/7 even when your laptop is closed (with the desktop app running on a home server).
Step 4: Use the bundled design skills
Two skills ship with Nexu out of the box:
- OpenClaw: General agent skills layer
- Feishu Skills: Pre-built workflow patterns for Feishu
For UI-design specifically, install Impeccable on top — it adds a vocabulary layer that makes the underlying model's design output dramatically better.
Step 5: Run an agent task
Type your request in the desktop chat:
"Design a 3-screen onboarding flow for a habit tracker app"
Nexu routes the prompt through your chosen model (with your API key), executes the task, and dumps assets to disk.
What is Nexu?
Nexu is an open-source desktop client that bridges AI agents to messaging platforms. The maintainers describe it as "The simplest desktop client for OpenClaw — bridge your Agent to WeChat, Feishu, Slack & Discord in one click." The repo has 2.9k stars and ships under the MIT license.
The architecture is local-first. The README is explicit: "All data stays on your machine. Your privacy, fully in your control." Nothing routes through Nexu's servers.
Is Nexu really free?
Yes — the client is free and open-source. The README is honest about the cost model: "Client is free; pay providers via your own API keys." You bring your own keys for Claude, GPT, Gemini, MiniMax, or GLM.
Compare with Claude Design — it requires a Claude Pro at $20/month or Max at $100/month subscription, with usage metered separately. Nexu is "pay only the model API."
How is Nexu different from Claude Design?
Three differences:
- Open-source vs proprietary. Nexu is MIT licensed on GitHub. Claude Design is closed-source inside Anthropic's product surface.
- Multi-model. Nexu lets you swap between Claude, GPT, Gemini, MiniMax, and GLM in one app. Claude Design is Claude only.
- Multi-platform delivery. Nexu ships agents to WeChat, Feishu, Slack, and Discord. Claude Design lives inside the Claude web app.
The trade is honest: Claude Design has a polished UX baked in. Nexu is a desktop client you assemble — it gives you breadth and ownership instead of polish.
What's the catch?
- You bring your own API budget. Nexu does not include free model usage. Plan for $5-50/month in API costs depending on volume.
- You set up the bridges. Hooking it into Slack or WeChat needs platform credentials. Budget 30-60 minutes per platform.
- Less polished than commercial design tools. Nexu plus Claude is powerful, but for pure UI design you may want to layer Impeccable on top to get production-grade output.
Bottom line
Nexu replaces Claude Design when you want open-source, multi-model, and multi-platform delivery. The combination of "Nexu desktop + your own API key + Impeccable for design quality" gives you everything Claude Design does, plus broader reach, plus full ownership — and you only pay for tokens you actually use.
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