DeepSeek Harness
by DeepSeek
DeepSeek’s open-source agent framework and coding harness — positioned as the open alternative to Claude Code and Codex.
Features
- Open-source agent harness, not a model — brings its own loop, tools and orchestration
- Runs against any provider: DeepSeek V4 Flash/Pro, Claude, Codex, or local models
- Local execution via Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint
- Free usage paths documented that need no VRAM and no paid API
- Vision support when paired with DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision
Superpowers
The draw is cost. Independent tests reported building a full site for 0.56 with V4 Pro — roughly two orders of magnitude below comparable commercial
agent runs. Because the harness is model-agnostic, that cost profile is a floor you can raise
selectively rather than a ceiling you are stuck with.
Long-duration comparisons are scarce; most published evaluations are first-impressions tests.
Weight them accordingly before adopting.
Adoption note
Released August 2026 and very rapidly adopted. Treat “Claude Code killer” framing with the caution
due to a tool only weeks old.
Related
- DeepSeek · Claude Code · codex · Prime Agent · Hermes Agent