{
  "manifest_version": "1",
  "slug": "paperclip",
  "title": "Paperclip",
  "headline": "Self-host Paperclip",
  "description": "Run Paperclip, the open-source control plane for a company of AI agents, on an exe.dev VM: a private dashboard, Claude Code and Codex agents, no API keys.",
  "category": "ai-agents",
  "tags": [
    "paperclip",
    "paperclipai",
    "ai agents",
    "multi-agent",
    "agent orchestration",
    "claude code",
    "codex",
    "self-hosted"
  ],
  "url": "https://exe.dev/deploy/paperclip",
  "markdown_url": "https://exe.dev/deploy/paperclip.md",
  "upstream": {
    "website": "https://paperclip.ing",
    "source": "https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip",
    "docs": "https://docs.paperclip.ing",
    "license": "MIT"
  },
  "example_vm_name": "my-paperclip",
  "time": "10 minutes",
  "stack": [
    {
      "name": "Paperclip 2026.1023.0",
      "detail": "Server and dashboard, a systemd user service, in authenticated mode",
      "port": 8000,
      "data": "~/.paperclip/instances/default"
    },
    {
      "name": "Embedded PostgreSQL",
      "detail": "Started by Paperclip, listening only on the VM, with hourly dumps"
    },
    {
      "name": "Claude Code and Codex",
      "detail": "Preinstalled; Paperclip's agents run them on the VM"
    },
    {
      "name": "exe.dev LLM gateway",
      "detail": "Claude and GPT models for the agents, without API keys"
    }
  ],
  "access": [
    {
      "url": "https://my-paperclip.exe.xyz/",
      "who": "private",
      "what": "The Paperclip dashboard, behind your exe.dev login and a Paperclip account"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://my-paperclip.exe.xyz/",
      "who": "shared",
      "what": "Teammates you share the VM with and invite in Paperclip"
    }
  ],
  "delivers": [
    "Paperclip's dashboard at your VM's private URL, behind your exe.dev login and its own sign-in.",
    "A one-time link that makes you its first admin; your password never passes through Shelley.",
    "Claude Code and Codex agents on models from exe.dev's LLM gateway, with no API key on the VM.",
    "Agents, tasks, and the database on the VM's disk, back after a reboot.",
    "Hourly database dumps by Paperclip, plus a nightly archive of everything, with a tested restore."
  ],
  "deployable": true,
  "deploy": {
    "new_vm_url": "https://exe.dev/new?prompt=Set%20up%20Paperclip%20on%20this%20VM%20by%20following%20the%20exe.dev%20recipe%20at%20https%3A%2F%2Fexe.dev%2Fdeploy%2Fpaperclip.md%20from%20top%20to%20bottom.%0A%0AThe%20recipe%27s%20example%20VM%20name%20is%20my-paperclip.%20This%20VM%27s%20name%20is%20the%20output%20of%20%60hostname%60%3A%20use%20it%20wherever%20the%20recipe%20writes%20my-paperclip.%20Skip%20the%20step%20that%20creates%20the%20VM%3B%20you%20are%20on%20it.%0A%0AYou%20are%20done%20when%20all%20of%20these%20are%20true.%20Check%20each%20one%20yourself%3A%0A-%20Paperclip%27s%20dashboard%20at%20your%20VM%27s%20private%20URL%2C%20behind%20your%20exe.dev%20login%20and%20its%20own%20sign-in.%0A-%20A%20one-time%20link%20that%20makes%20you%20its%20first%20admin%3B%20your%20password%20never%20passes%20through%20Shelley.%0A-%20Claude%20Code%20and%20Codex%20agents%20on%20models%20from%20exe.dev%27s%20LLM%20gateway%2C%20with%20no%20API%20key%20on%20the%20VM.%0A-%20Agents%2C%20tasks%2C%20and%20the%20database%20on%20the%20VM%27s%20disk%2C%20back%20after%20a%20reboot.%0A-%20Hourly%20database%20dumps%20by%20Paperclip%2C%20plus%20a%20nightly%20archive%20of%20everything%2C%20with%20a%20tested%20restore.%0A%0ARead%20the%20whole%20recipe%2C%20including%20the%20closed%20details.%20For%20initial%20setup%2C%0Afollow%20%22Install%20by%20hand%22%20first%2C%20skipping%20VM%20creation%20and%20SSH.%20The%0Awalkthrough%20at%20the%20top%20is%20for%20the%20owner%20afterwards%3A%20don%27t%20create%20the%0Aowner%27s%20Paperclip%20account%2C%20companies%2C%20agents%2C%20or%20AI%20connections%0Ayourself.%20Do%20not%20run%20the%20restore%20or%20update%20instructions.%0AInstall%20exactly%20the%20pinned%20version.%20Don%27t%20use%20paperclip.ing%2Finstall.sh.%0ADon%27t%20run%20%60exeuntu%20configure%20claude%60%20or%20%60exeuntu%20configure%20codex%60%2C%20and%0Adon%27t%20create%20~%2F.claude%2Fsettings.json%20or%20~%2F.codex%2Fconfig.toml%3A%20Paperclip%0Arefuses%20AI%20connections%20when%20those%20hold%20API%20settings.%0AKeep%20the%20VM%20private.%20Never%20run%20share%20set-public%20or%20switch%20Paperclip%20to%0Alocal_trusted%20mode.%20On%20an%20existing%20VM%2C%20ask%20before%20replacing%20anything%0Aon%20port%208000.%0AVerify%3A%20%2Fapi%2Fhealth%20says%20authenticated%20and%20private%2C%20the%20service%20is%0Aenabled%20and%20active%2C%20Linger%3Dyes%2C%20the%20backup%20timer%20is%20scheduled%2C%20and%20the%0Atest%20archive%20lists%20default%2Fconfig.json.%20Do%20not%20reboot.%0AFinish%20with%20the%20dashboard%20URL%20and%20the%20invite%20link%20from%20%22Make%20yourself%0Athe%20admin%22%2C%20and%20tell%20the%20owner%20it%20works%20once%20and%20expires%20in%2072%20hours.%0A%0AFinish%20with%20the%20URLs%20I%20should%20open.%0A",
    "terminal": "curl -fsSL https://exe.dev/deploy/paperclip/prompt.txt | ssh exe.dev new --prompt=/dev/stdin",
    "prompt": "Set up Paperclip on this VM by following the exe.dev recipe at https://exe.dev/deploy/paperclip.md from top to bottom.\n\nThe recipe's example VM name is my-paperclip. This VM's name is the output of `hostname`: use it wherever the recipe writes my-paperclip. Skip the step that creates the VM; you are on it.\n\nYou are done when all of these are true. Check each one yourself:\n- Paperclip's dashboard at your VM's private URL, behind your exe.dev login and its own sign-in.\n- A one-time link that makes you its first admin; your password never passes through Shelley.\n- Claude Code and Codex agents on models from exe.dev's LLM gateway, with no API key on the VM.\n- Agents, tasks, and the database on the VM's disk, back after a reboot.\n- Hourly database dumps by Paperclip, plus a nightly archive of everything, with a tested restore.\n\nRead the whole recipe, including the closed details. For initial setup,\nfollow \"Install by hand\" first, skipping VM creation and SSH. The\nwalkthrough at the top is for the owner afterwards: don't create the\nowner's Paperclip account, companies, agents, or AI connections\nyourself. Do not run the restore or update instructions.\nInstall exactly the pinned version. Don't use paperclip.ing/install.sh.\nDon't run `exeuntu configure claude` or `exeuntu configure codex`, and\ndon't create ~/.claude/settings.json or ~/.codex/config.toml: Paperclip\nrefuses AI connections when those hold API settings.\nKeep the VM private. Never run share set-public or switch Paperclip to\nlocal_trusted mode. On an existing VM, ask before replacing anything\non port 8000.\nVerify: /api/health says authenticated and private, the service is\nenabled and active, Linger=yes, the backup timer is scheduled, and the\ntest archive lists default/config.json. Do not reboot.\nFinish with the dashboard URL and the invite link from \"Make yourself\nthe admin\", and tell the owner it works once and expires in 72 hours.\n\nFinish with the URLs I should open.\n",
    "prompt_url": "https://exe.dev/deploy/paperclip/prompt.txt"
  },
  "updated": "2026-10-31",
  "verified": "2026-10-31",
  "related": [
    "hermes-agent",
    "openclaw",
    "claude-code",
    "codex",
    "pi",
    "opencode"
  ]
}