OpenMAIC — Multi-Agent Interactive Classroom
Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.
OpenMAIC (Open Multi-Agent Interactive Classroom) is a Next.js 16 / React 19 / TypeScript platform that converts any topic or document into a full interactive lesson. A multi-agent pipeline (LangGraph 1.1) generates slides, quizzes, HTML simulations, and project-based learning activities delivered by AI teachers and AI classmates with voice (TTS) and whiteboard support.
Project Stack
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Framework | Next.js 16 (App Router) |
| UI | React 19, Tailwind CSS 4 |
| Agent orchestration | LangGraph 1.1 |
| Language | TypeScript 5 |
| Package manager | pnpm >= 10 |
| Runtime | Node.js >= 20 |
Installation
git clone https://github.com/THU-MAIC/OpenMAIC.git
cd OpenMAIC
pnpm install
Environment Configuration
cp .env.example .env.local
Edit .env.local — at minimum one LLM provider key is required:
# LLM Providers (configure at least one)
OPENAI_API_KEY=$OPENAI_API_KEY
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=$ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
GOOGLE_API_KEY=$GOOGLE_API_KEY
# Recommended default model (Gemini 3 Flash = best speed/quality balance)
DEFAULT_MODEL=google:gemini-3-flash-preview
# Optional: MinerU for advanced PDF/table/formula parsing
PDF_MINERU_BASE_URL=https://mineru.net
PDF_MINERU_API_KEY=$MINERU_API_KEY
# Optional: access code for hosted mode
ACCESS_CODE=$OPENMAIC_ACCESS_CODE
Provider Config via YAML (alternative to env vars)
Create server-providers.yml in the project root:
providers:
openai:
apiKey: $OPENAI_API_KEY
anthropic:
apiKey: $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
google:
apiKey: $GOOGLE_API_KEY
deepseek:
apiKey: $DEEPSEEK_API_KEY
# Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint
custom:
baseURL: https://your-proxy.example.com/v1
apiKey: $CUSTOM_API_KEY
Running the App
# Development
pnpm dev
# → http://localhost:3000
# Production build
pnpm build && pnpm start
# Type checking
pnpm tsc --noEmit
# Linting
pnpm lint
Docker Deployment
cp .env.example .env.local
# Edit .env.local with your API keys
docker compose up --build
# → http://localhost:3000
Vercel Deployment
# Fork the repo, then import at https://vercel.com/new
# Set env vars in Vercel dashboard:
# OPENAI_API_KEY or ANTHROPIC_API_KEY or GOOGLE_API_KEY
# DEFAULT_MODEL (optional, e.g. google:gemini-3-flash-preview)
One-click deploy button is available in the README; it pre-fills env var descriptions automatically.
Lesson Generation Pipeline
OpenMAIC uses a two-stage pipeline:
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Outline | AI analyzes topic/document and produces a structured lesson outline |
| Scenes | Each outline item is expanded into a typed scene: slides, quiz, interactive, or pbl |
Scene Types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
slides | AI teacher lectures with TTS narration, spotlight, laser pointer |
quiz | Single/multiple choice or short-answer with AI grading |
interactive | HTML-based simulation (physics, flowcharts, etc.) |
pbl | Project-Based Learning — choose a role, collaborate with agents |
API Usage — Generating a Classroom
REST: Start Generation Job
// POST /api/generate
const response = await fetch('/api/generate', {
method: 'POST',
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
body: JSON.stringify({
topic: 'Quantum Entanglement',
// Optional: attach document content
document: markdownString,
// Optional: model override
model: 'google:gemini-3-flash-preview',
}),
});
const { jobId } = await response.json();
REST: Poll Job Status
// GET /api/generate/status?jobId=<jobId>
const poll = async (jobId: string) => {
while (true) {
const res = await fetch(`/api/generate/status?jobId=${jobId}`);
const data = await res.json();
if (data.status === 'completed') {
console.log('Classroom URL:', data.classroomUrl);
break;
}
if (data.status === 'failed') {
throw new Error(data.error);
}
// status === 'pending' | 'running'
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 3000));
}
};
REST: Export Slides
// GET /api/export/pptx?classroomId=<id>
const exportPptx = async (classroomId: string) => {
const res = await fetch(`/api/export/pptx?classroomId=${classroomId}`);
const blob = await res.blob();
const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
// trigger download
const a = document.createElement('a');
a.href = url;
a.download = 'lesson.pptx';
a.click();
};
// GET /api/export/html?classroomId=<id>
const exportHtml = async (classroomId: string) => {
const res = await fetch(`/api/export/html?classroomId=${classroomId}`);
const html = await res.text();
return html;
};
OpenClaw Integration
OpenMAIC ships a skill for OpenClaw, enabling classroom generation from Feishu, Slack, Discord, Telegram, etc.
Install the Skill
# Via ClawHub (recommended)
clawhub install openmaic
# Manual install
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills
cp -R /path/to/OpenMAIC/skills/openmaic ~/.openclaw/skills/openmaic
Configure OpenClaw
Edit ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
{
"skills": {
"entries": {
"openmaic": {
"config": {
// Hosted mode — get access code from https://open.maic.chat/
"accessCode": "$OPENMAIC_ACCESS_CODE",
// Self-hosted mode — local repo + server URL
"repoDir": "/path/to/OpenMAIC",
"url": "http://localhost:3000"
}
}
}
}
}
OpenClaw Skill Lifecycle
| Phase | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Clone | Detect existing checkout or clone fresh |
| Startup | Choose pnpm dev, pnpm build && pnpm start, or Docker |
| Provider Keys | Guide user to edit .env.local |
| Generation | Submit async job, poll, return classroom link |
Custom Scene Development Pattern
Scenes are typed React components. To add a new scene type:
// types/scene.ts
export type SceneType = 'slides' | 'quiz' | 'interactive' | 'pbl' | 'custom';
export interface CustomScene {
type: 'custom';
title: string;
content: string;
// your fields
metadata: Record<string, unknown>;
}
// components/scenes/CustomScene.tsx
'use client';
import { type CustomScene } from '@/types/scene';
interface Props {
scene: CustomScene;
onComplete: () => void;
}
export function CustomSceneComponent({ scene, onComplete }: Props) {
return (
<div className="flex flex-col gap-4 p-6">
<h2 className="text-2xl font-bold">{scene.title}</h2>
<div dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: scene.content }} />
<button
className="mt-4 rounded-lg bg-blue-600 px-6 py-2 text-white"
onClick={onComplete}
>
Continue
</button>
</div>
);
}
Multi-Agent Interaction Modes
| Mode | Trigger | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom Discussion | Automatic | Agents proactively start discussions; user can jump in or get called on |
| Roundtable Debate | Scene config | Multiple agent personas debate a topic with whiteboard illustrations |
| Q&A | User asks question | AI teacher responds with slides, diagrams, or whiteboard drawings |
| Whiteboard | During any scene | Agents draw equations, flowcharts, or concept diagrams in real time |
MinerU Advanced Document Parsing
For complex PDFs with tables, formulas, or scanned images:
# Use MinerU hosted API
PDF_MINERU_BASE_URL=https://mineru.net
PDF_MINERU_API_KEY=$MINERU_API_KEY
# Or self-hosted MinerU instance (Docker)
PDF_MINERU_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8888
Without MinerU, OpenMAIC falls back to standard PDF text extraction.
Supported LLM Providers & Model Strings
// Model string format: "provider:model-name"
const models = {
// Google (recommended)
geminiFlash: 'google:gemini-3-flash-preview', // best speed/quality
geminiPro: 'google:gemini-3.1-pro', // highest quality
// OpenAI
gpt4o: 'openai:gpt-4o',
gpt4oMini: 'openai:gpt-4o-mini',
// Anthropic
claude4Sonnet: 'anthropic:claude-sonnet-4-5',
claude4Haiku: 'anthropic:claude-haiku-4-5',
// DeepSeek
deepseekChat: 'deepseek:deepseek-chat',
// OpenAI-compatible (custom base URL)
custom: 'custom:your-model-name',
};
Export Formats
| Format | Endpoint | Notes |
|---|---|---|
PowerPoint .pptx | GET /api/export/pptx?classroomId= | Fully editable slides |
Interactive .html | GET /api/export/html?classroomId= | Self-contained HTML page |
Common Patterns
Generate a Classroom from a Document String
const generateFromDocument = async (markdownContent: string, topic: string) => {
const res = await fetch('/api/generate', {
method: 'POST',
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
body: JSON.stringify({
topic,
document: markdownContent,
model: process.env.DEFAULT_MODEL ?? 'google:gemini-3-flash-preview',
}),
});
const { jobId } = await res.json();
// Poll until done
let classroomUrl: string | null = null;
while (!classroomUrl) {
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 4000));
const status = await fetch(`/api/generate/status?jobId=${jobId}`).then(r => r.json());
if (status.status === 'completed') classroomUrl = status.classroomUrl;
if (status.status === 'failed') throw new Error(status.error);
}
return classroomUrl;
};
Check Provider Health
// GET /api/providers
const checkProviders = async () => {
const res = await fetch('/api/providers');
const { providers } = await res.json();
// providers: Array<{ name: string; available: boolean; models: string[] }>
return providers.filter((p: { available: boolean }) => p.available);
};
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
No LLM provider configured | Set at least one of OPENAI_API_KEY, ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, or GOOGLE_API_KEY in .env.local |
| Generation hangs at outline stage | Check API key quota; try switching to google:gemini-3-flash-preview for higher rate limits |
| TTS not working | TTS requires a browser with Web Speech API support; check browser console for errors |
| PDF parsing produces garbled text | Enable MinerU by setting PDF_MINERU_BASE_URL in .env.local |
| Vercel timeout during generation | Increase function timeout in vercel.json; generation is async so the API should return a jobId immediately |
| Docker build fails | Ensure DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 and that .env.local exists before running docker compose up --build |
| OpenClaw skill not found | Run clawhub install openmaic or manually copy skills/openmaic to ~/.openclaw/skills/ |
pnpm install fails on Node < 20 | Upgrade Node.js to >= 20 (nvm use 20) |
| Port 3000 already in use | Set PORT=3001 in .env.local or run PORT=3001 pnpm dev |
Key File Structure
OpenMAIC/
├── app/ # Next.js App Router pages & API routes
│ ├── api/
│ │ ├── generate/ # POST lesson generation, GET status
│ │ ├── export/ # pptx / html export endpoints
│ │ └── providers/ # LLM provider health check
│ └── classroom/ # Classroom viewer pages
├── components/
│ ├── scenes/ # Slide, Quiz, Interactive, PBL components
│ ├── whiteboard/ # Real-time whiteboard rendering
│ └── agents/ # Agent avatar & TTS components
├── lib/
│ ├── agents/ # LangGraph agent graph definitions
│ ├── providers/ # LLM provider abstractions
│ └── generation/ # Outline + scene generation pipeline
├── skills/
│ └── openmaic/ # OpenClaw skill definition
├── server-providers.yml # Optional YAML provider config
├── .env.example # Environment variable template
└── docker-compose.yml # Docker deployment config