@dexterai/opendexter
@dexterai/opendexter is the local npm package for the OpenDexter discovery and payment flow.
Use it when you want the OpenDexter tool surface in a local stdio runtime rather than in a hosted connector.
What It Is
OpenDexter exists in more than one form:
- hosted public MCP at
open.dexter.cash/mcp - authenticated Dexter MCP profiles
- local npm package
- OpenClaw plugin via
@dexterai/clawdexter
This page is about the local npm package specifically.
Current Package Name
The current public npm package is @dexterai/opendexter.
One important source-accuracy note:
- npm metadata confirms
@dexterai/opendexterexists - some older or internal repo documentation may still mention
@dexterai/x402-discovery
For public docs, treat @dexterai/opendexter as the canonical install name.
When To Use It
Use @dexterai/opendexter when:
- you want a local stdio setup
- you are using Cursor, Codex, Claude Code, or another local CLI/editor agent runtime
- you want a persistent local signer instead of a hosted session wallet
- you want the OpenDexter five-tool discovery and payment flow without OpenClaw
Use hosted OpenDexter instead when:
- the environment cannot install a package
- you want session wallets managed by the hosted flow
- you are using hosted agent environments like ChatGPT or Claude connectors
Use @dexterai/clawdexter instead when:
- your runtime is OpenClaw specifically
- you want the OpenClaw plugin path instead of a generic local stdio path
Install
The package is presented in this docs repo with:
That is the canonical install path currently shown in the OpenDexter docs.
Runtime Model
This package is documented in the OpenDexter docs as:
- transport: local stdio
- wallet model: persistent local signer
- best for: Cursor, Codex, CLI agents, and local development environments
The surrounding docs describe the signer location as:
~/.dexterai-mcp/wallet.json
Tool Surface
The OpenDexter docs describe the same canonical five-tool flow for the local package:
x402_searchx402_checkx402_walletx402_fetchx402_pay
These tools cover:
- search the marketplace
- inspect payment requirements
- inspect or fund the local wallet context
- pay and fetch a resource
- explicitly separate pay from fetch when needed
How It Differs From Hosted OpenDexter
| Attribute | Hosted OpenDexter | @dexterai/opendexter |
|---|---|---|
| Transport | HTTPS / SSE | stdio |
| Wallet model | ephemeral session wallets | persistent local signer |
| Session lifetime | 30 days | indefinite / local |
| Best for | ChatGPT, Claude, hosted agents | Cursor, Codex, CLI agents |
The docs in this repo consistently describe the local package as the same OpenDexter tool story with a different wallet and transport model.
How It Differs From @dexterai/clawdexter
| Package | Best for | Runtime shape |
|---|---|---|
@dexterai/opendexter | generic local stdio runtimes | editor / CLI / local agent environments |
@dexterai/clawdexter | OpenClaw | OpenClaw plugin |
If you are not specifically targeting OpenClaw, @dexterai/opendexter is the better conceptual default.
Common Failure Modes
Product/package confusion
OpenDexter the product is not the same thing as @dexterai/opendexter the package.
This page documents the package.
Wrong runtime choice
If the user cannot install a local package, they likely need the hosted OpenDexter MCP instead.
Expecting OpenClaw-specific behavior
If the target runtime is OpenClaw, use @dexterai/clawdexter, not the generic local package docs.
Naming drift
If you see @dexterai/x402-discovery in older/internal material, do not assume it is the public npm package. Public docs should prefer @dexterai/opendexter.