| name | ghostex-computer-use |
| description | Use this skill when the user asks for Ghostex Computer Use, Desktop Control, or native macOS app automation. It wraps the Cua Driver workflow so agents can drive desktop apps without the user needing to remember `$cua-driver`. |
ghostex-computer-use
Use this skill when a task needs native macOS app automation through Ghostex
Desktop Control. This skill is intentionally a wrapper around $cua-driver: if
the $cua-driver skill is available, load it and follow its workflow exactly.
Use $ghostex-browser-use instead for Ghostex embedded browser panes.
Requirements
- Desktop Control must be installed from Ghostex first-launch setup or Settings
Integrations.
- Cua Driver must be available as
cua-driver.
- macOS Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions must be granted for Cua
Driver.
Check the machine state before acting:
which cua-driver
cua-driver status
cua-driver check_permissions '{"prompt":false}'
If the daemon is not running, start it with:
open -n -g -a CuaDriver --args serve
Operating Rules
- Prefer CLI calls:
cua-driver <tool> '<JSON>'.
- Use the Cua Driver MCP server only when the task or environment explicitly
needs MCP mode.
- Do not register or rely on a persistent
cua-driver mcp server for ordinary
Ghostex Computer Use. The CLI proxies through the signed CuaDriver.app daemon,
while global MCP registration can leave many stdio helper processes around.
- Do not foreground the user's apps unless the user explicitly asks for that.
- Do not use
open -a, AppleScript activation, HID event injection, cliclick,
or menu-bar automation for background control.
- Do not rely on coordinates when the accessibility tree gives stable
element_index values.
Canonical Loop
-
Launch or find the app with Cua Driver, for example:
cua-driver launch_app '{"bundle_id":"com.apple.TextEdit"}'
-
Get the window state:
cua-driver get_window_state '{"pid":1234,"window_id":5678}'
-
Choose the target by element_index from the snapshot.
-
Perform one action such as click, type, scroll, drag, key press, or set value.
-
Re-run get_window_state and verify the expected UI state before continuing.
Notes
- Keep the user's current foreground app alone. Cua Driver can launch and drive
apps in the background when you identify the right app, pid, window id, and
element indexes.
- Prefer one small verified action at a time. Re-snapshot after every stateful
action because element indexes can change as the UI updates.
- For full command details, defer to
$cua-driver; this wrapper exists so users
can ask for $ghostex-computer-use.