How to build open source for AI agents: 5 best practices
santanah8 · reddit · 2026-08-31
The author reviewed fast-growing open-source projects like PostHog, Supabase, n8n, Postiz, and Resend, and distilled 5 best practices for making open source agentic-ready:
- Keep It Simple: clear naming and simple repo structures so agents can quickly understand.
- Write Docs for Agents: use README, AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, skills, robots.txt, llms.txt for clear instructions.
- Give Agents a Way to Use the Product: APIs, MCPs, CLIs, SDKs, examples, templates.
- Make It Easy to Run: simplify setup, support self-hosting, document required keys, clear licensing.
- Make Contributing Easy: define contribution rules, testing, reviews, AI-assisted contribution policies.
Main Takeaways:
- Monorepo is optimal
- Agentic docs should be in the repo
- Machine-friendly setup reduces friction
- Interfaces turn products into infrastructure
- You don't need to open-source everything, just define boundaries
- Examples and templates are distribution, not just onboarding
Full article: https://agentledco.substack.com/p/how-to-build-open-source-for-ai-agents
Related event: Five Best Practices for Building Open-Source Projects for AI Agents(2 posts)→
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