tools.astar.sh

Tools for building AI that works.

An open directory by Astar · 35 tools

AI coding

  • OpenAI CodexA lightweight coding agent that runs from the terminal and works inside a repository. Why included: A strong reference for agentic, task-oriented software work with an inspectable local client. Tags: agent, CLI, software engineering. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Partial · local client, model service required. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • AiderTerminal-based pair programming with repository maps, model choice and git-aware edits. Why included: It keeps the coding loop close to source control and makes model-provider trade-offs visible. Tags: pair programming, CLI, git. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Partial · local client, model endpoint required. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • ContinueAn open-source coding agent with IDE integrations and configurable model backends. Why included: Useful when teams need a provider-flexible assistant that can fit existing editor workflows. Tags: agent, IDE, provider-neutral. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Partial · client and local models supported. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • OpenHandsA platform for running software-development agents in controlled workspaces. Why included: It is a useful reference for sandboxing, agent runtimes and repeatable software tasks. Tags: agent runtime, sandbox, automation. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Research and evaluation

  • LangfuseTracing, evaluation, prompt management and datasets for applications built with language models. Why included: It brings operational evidence and evaluation into one workflow without forcing a single model provider. Tags: observability, evaluation, tracing. Open source: Open core · MIT plus enterprise terms. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Arize PhoenixAI observability and evaluation tooling for traces, experiments and retrieval systems. Why included: A practical investigation surface when quality failures span prompts, retrieval and model calls. Tags: observability, RAG, experiments. Open source: Source-available · ELv2. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • DeepEvalA test framework for language-model applications with metrics for agents and RAG pipelines. Why included: It makes evaluation executable in familiar test and CI workflows instead of leaving it in notebooks. Tags: testing, RAG, CI. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Partial · framework is local; models may be remote. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • promptfooDeclarative testing, comparison and red teaming for prompts, agents and retrieval systems. Why included: It supports reproducible checks across providers and works well as a release gate in CI. Tags: red teaming, testing, provider-neutral. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • RagasAn evaluation framework focused on language-model applications, especially retrieval-augmented systems. Why included: It provides a concrete starting point for measuring retrieval and response quality separately. Tags: RAG, metrics, experiments. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Partial · framework is local; models may be remote. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Design and prototyping

  • PenpotA collaborative design and prototyping platform built around open web standards. Why included: It gives product and engineering teams an inspectable, self-hostable design workspace. Tags: interface design, prototyping, collaboration. Open source: Yes · MPL-2.0. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • ExcalidrawA low-friction whiteboard for diagrams, system sketches and collaborative thinking. Why included: Fast diagrams are often the shortest path to aligning a team on an AI system boundary. Tags: diagramming, whiteboard, collaboration. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • StorybookA workshop for building, documenting and testing interface components in isolation. Why included: AI interfaces need explicit states for latency, uncertainty, partial results and failure—not only a happy path. Tags: components, UI testing, documentation. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes · static output. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • React FlowComposable React components for node-based editors, workflows and visual graphs. Why included: Useful for making agent flows and human checkpoints visible when a plain form is not enough. Tags: React, node editor, workflow. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Data and infrastructure

  • PostgreSQLA mature relational database with strong transactions, indexing and an extensive extension ecosystem. Why included: A dependable default for systems that need auditable state before they need exotic infrastructure. Tags: database, SQL, transactions. Open source: Yes · PostgreSQL License. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • pgvectorVector similarity search as a PostgreSQL extension, with exact and approximate indexes. Why included: It can keep embeddings beside operational data and delay a separate vector database until it is justified. Tags: vector search, PostgreSQL, embeddings. Open source: Yes · PostgreSQL License. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • QdrantA vector search engine with filtering, distributed deployment and a managed-cloud option. Why included: A focused option when vector retrieval has outgrown the operational shape of an extension. Tags: vector database, retrieval, Rust. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • DuckDBAn in-process analytical SQL database designed for fast local work on tabular data. Why included: It is a small, effective bridge between raw files, notebooks and reproducible data preparation. Tags: analytics, SQL, embedded. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes · embedded. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Apache ArrowA language-independent columnar memory format and toolkit for efficient data interchange. Why included: It reduces needless serialization between the many runtimes that practical AI systems accumulate. Tags: columnar, interchange, analytics. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Not applicable · library and format. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Robotics, computer vision and 3D

  • ROS 2A modular set of libraries and tools for building distributed robot software. Why included: It supplies the communication, lifecycle and tooling layer needed beyond a one-off hardware demo. Tags: robotics, middleware, distributed systems. Open source: Yes · primarily Apache-2.0 and BSD. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • OpenCVA broad computer-vision library spanning image processing, calibration, tracking and inference utilities. Why included: It remains a useful baseline for deterministic vision work around learned models. Tags: computer vision, image processing, C++. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Yes · library. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Open3DA library for 3D data processing, including point clouds, meshes, registration and reconstruction. Why included: It offers practical primitives for checking and processing spatial outputs before building custom geometry code. Tags: 3D, point clouds, reconstruction. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes · library. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • BlenderA complete 3D creation suite with scripting, rendering, simulation and data-preparation workflows. Why included: Its Python API makes it valuable for synthetic scenes, inspection assets and reproducible visual pipelines. Tags: 3D, simulation, synthetic data. Open source: Yes · GPL. Self-hosting: Yes · desktop and headless. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • COLMAPA structure-from-motion and multi-view stereo pipeline with command-line and graphical interfaces. Why included: It is a strong classical baseline for testing whether captured views support real reconstruction. Tags: photogrammetry, reconstruction, multi-view. Open source: Yes · BSD-3-Clause. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Deployment and operations

  • MobyOpen components for assembling container-based systems, including the engine behind Docker. Why included: Containers remain a practical unit for making model services and dependencies repeatable. Tags: containers, runtime, packaging. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • KubernetesA platform for scheduling and operating containerised workloads across clusters. Why included: Relevant once service count, availability and deployment policy justify the added operational surface. Tags: orchestration, containers, infrastructure. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • OpenTelemetryVendor-neutral standards and tooling for collecting traces, metrics and logs. Why included: AI systems cross many service boundaries; portable telemetry prevents observability from becoming a lock-in choice. Tags: telemetry, tracing, standards. Open source: Yes · Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Grafana OSSA composable interface for exploring and presenting metrics, logs and traces from many sources. Why included: It turns operational signals into a shared view for the people responsible for a system after launch. Tags: observability, dashboards, operations. Open source: Yes · AGPL-3.0. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Next.jsA React framework for server-rendered and statically generated web applications. Why included: It can ship a fast static surface while leaving room for carefully scoped server behaviour when needed. Tags: web, React, static generation. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • VercelA managed deployment platform for web applications with branch previews and a global delivery network. Why included: Preview deployments make visual and product review a distinct gate before production promotion. Tags: hosting, preview deployments, web. Open source: Mixed · CLI Apache-2.0; platform proprietary. Self-hosting: No · managed platform. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Norwegian data and public services

  • Data.norge.noNorway’s national catalogue for discovering datasets, APIs, concepts and public services. Why included: It is the first place to check whether an authoritative Norwegian source already exists. Tags: Norway, open data, catalogue. Open source: Yes · portal services Apache-2.0. Self-hosting: Partial · source available; national catalogue is hosted. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Statistics Norway APIProgrammatic access to tables in Statistics Norway’s Statbank through the PxWeb API. Why included: Official statistics are a better grounding source than copied figures with lost definitions and dates. Tags: Norway, statistics, public API. Open source: Unknown · service implementation. Self-hosting: No · hosted public API. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Brønnøysund Register APIOpen REST access to organisations and sub-entities in Norway’s Central Coordinating Register. Why included: It is an authoritative base for organisation identity, rather than fuzzy names copied between systems. Tags: Norway, organisations, public API. Open source: Unknown · service implementation. Self-hosting: No · hosted public API. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Kartverket APIsOpen maps, addresses, elevation models and geospatial services from the Norwegian Mapping Authority. Why included: Spatial systems should start with the authoritative coordinates, boundaries and addresses available for Norway. Tags: Norway, geospatial, maps. Open source: Mixed · some service code is public. Self-hosting: Partial · downloads available; APIs are hosted. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.
  • Entur APIsNational public-transport data and journey-planning APIs for stops, routes and mobility services. Why included: A strong public building block for travel assistants and services that need Norwegian transport context. Tags: Norway, transport, GraphQL. Open source: Mixed · many components EUPL-1.2. Self-hosting: Partial · components public; national APIs are hosted. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Astar-built tools

  • NM AI PlatformA task-agnostic platform for running AI competitions with reusable challenge infrastructure. Why included: It publishes the operational shell for fair, repeatable AI challenges instead of hiding it behind an event site. Tags: competitions, evaluation, Astar. Open source: Yes · MIT. Self-hosting: Yes. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.