FlareStart
HomeNewsHow ToSources
FlareStart

Where developers start their day. All the tech news & tutorials that matter, in one place.

Quick Links

  • Home
  • News
  • Tutorials
  • Sources
  • Privacy Policy

Connect

© 2026 FlareStart. All rights reserved.

Back to articles
Show HN: Understudy – Teach a desktop agent by demonstrating a task once
NewsTools

Show HN: Understudy – Teach a desktop agent by demonstrating a task once

via Hacker Newsbayes-song2w ago

I built Understudy because a lot of real work still spans native desktop apps, browser tabs, terminals, and chat tools. Most current agents live in only one of those surfaces. Understudy is a local-first desktop agent runtime that can operate GUI apps, browsers, shell tools, files, and messaging in one session. The part I'm most interested in feedback on is teach-by-demonstration: you do a task once, the agent records screen video + semantic events, extracts the intent rather than coordinates, and turns it into a reusable skill. Demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d5cRGnlb_0 In the demo I teach it: Google Image search -> download a photo -> remove background in Pixelmator Pro -> export -> send via Telegram. Then I ask it to do the same for Elon Musk. The replay isn't a brittle macro: the published skill stores intent steps, route options, and GUI hints only as a fallback. In this example it can also prefer faster routes when they are available instead of repeating every GUI st

Continue reading on Hacker News

Opens in a new tab

Read Full Article
11 views

Related Articles

Best WiiM Streamers (2026): Simplify Your Sound With WiiM Streaming Gear
News

Best WiiM Streamers (2026): Simplify Your Sound With WiiM Streaming Gear

Wired • 16h ago

Retrospec Judd Rev 2 Electric Folding Bike Review: Affordable, Simple, Easy to Store
News

Retrospec Judd Rev 2 Electric Folding Bike Review: Affordable, Simple, Easy to Store

Wired • 16h ago

These car gadgets are worth every penny
News

These car gadgets are worth every penny

ZDNet • 17h ago

Taylor Lorenz’s Screen Time Is Almost 17 Hours a Day
News

Taylor Lorenz’s Screen Time Is Almost 17 Hours a Day

Wired • 17h ago

These Are the 4 Artemis II Astronauts Leading the Historic Return to the Moon
News

These Are the 4 Artemis II Astronauts Leading the Historic Return to the Moon

Wired • 17h ago

Discover More Articles