Your desktop & tools
When your session starts, a full XFCE Linux desktop opens in your browser. It behaves like a normal workstation — a panel, application menu, file manager, terminals, and windows you can move and resize — except it's streaming from a GPU machine and rendering in your browser tab.
Using the browser desktop
- Launch apps from the desktop menu or panel, just like a local machine.
- Go full-screen for more room; the stream scales to your window.
- Open a terminal for shell access,
pip/conda,git, and CLI tools. - Manage files with the graphical file manager — everything under your home folder persists between sessions (see Files & persistent storage).
For the crispest experience use a recent Chrome/Chromium or Firefox and a stable connection. The desktop is tuned for high quality and low latency out of the box.
What's preloaded
Everything below is installed and ready the moment your session starts — no setup scripts, no dependency wrangling.
Development & data science
| Tool | What it's for |
|---|---|
| JupyterLab | Notebooks with BeakerX multi-language kernels |
| RStudio | Full R development environment |
| Spyder | Scientific Python IDE |
| GNU Octave | MATLAB-like numerical computing |
Bioinformatics & modeling
| Tool | What it's for |
|---|---|
| UGENE | Integrated bioinformatics suite |
| CellModeller | Multicellular / bacterial colony modeling |
| GROMACS | GPU-accelerated molecular dynamics |
| NGL Viewer | Browser-based molecular visualization |
Imaging & geospatial
| Tool | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Fiji / ImageJ | Image processing and analysis |
| QGIS | Geographic Information System |
| GRASS GIS | GIS with full GUI support |
Workflows & decentralized tools
| Tool | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Nextflow | Reproducible pipeline manager |
| IPFS Desktop | Decentralized file sharing |
| Syncthing | Peer-to-peer file sync |
| EtherCalc | Collaborative spreadsheet |
Web3 & AI
| Tool | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Remix IDE | Ethereum smart-contract development |
| Nault | Nano cryptocurrency wallet |
| AxonOS Assistant | Built-in AI helper — see below |
The AI assistant
A native assistant runs right on the desktop, powered by local Ollama models. It can answer questions about AxonOS, help with workflows, analyze what's on your screen, and search the web. See The AxonOS Assistant.
GPU-accelerated work
Your session is bound to dedicated GPUs (per your profile), so tools like GROMACS and AI inference run on real hardware. Pick a larger profile for multi-GPU training or simulation; pick Small to keep credits stretching further.
On the hosted platform the toolset is curated for you. If you self-host, you can add your own tools with the plugin system — see Extending AxonOS.
Next: keep your data safe across sessions in Files & persistent storage.