The OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration is a new partnership that lets you try OpenCrabs for free for two weeks, from June 12 to June 26. No credit card, no API key, just download the OpenCrabs binary and start using it right away. You can choose from five different AI models, and the best one for most people is the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model, which gives you a huge context window of 1 million tokens. This means you can keep a long conversation going without losing earlier parts of the chat.
The collaboration is part of Xiaomi’s Mimo Orbit Program, a program that brings together developers and AI tools to build new experiences. OpenCrabs is a self‑hosted AI agent that runs as a single Rust binary. It can learn, heal itself, and run on your own machine. The partnership with Xiaomi gives you instant access to the latest MiMo models and a smooth way to use them.
In this article we’ll explain what the OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration is, how to get the free trial, what you can do with it, and why it matters for developers and hobbyists alike. We’ll also give you a quick guide to installing OpenCrabs, choosing a model, and using the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model for real‑world projects.
What is the OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration?
The OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration is a joint effort between the OpenCrabs team and Xiaomi’s AI division. OpenCrabs is a lightweight, self‑hosted AI agent that can run on a laptop or a server. Xiaomi’s MiMo models are powerful language models that can understand and generate text, code, and more. By combining the two, you get a powerful AI platform that is easy to set up and free for a limited time.
Why a free 2‑week trial?
The free trial is a way for developers to test the integration without any cost. It lets you see how well the Mimo models work with OpenCrabs, and whether the performance meets your needs. You can try all five models, but the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro is the most capable for most tasks. The trial period starts on June 12 and ends on June 26, so you have 15 days to explore.
How does it fit into the Mimo Orbit Program?
The Mimo Orbit Program is Xiaomi’s initiative to bring together developers, tools, and AI models. The OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration is one of the first projects under this program. It shows how a self‑hosted agent can work with a commercial AI model to create new applications. The program also includes other partners, but this collaboration is the most accessible for people who want to experiment right away.
Getting Started with the Free Trial
Below is a step‑by‑step guide to get the free trial and start using OpenCrabs with the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model.
1. Download the OpenCrabs Binary
OpenCrabs is distributed as a single Rust binary. You can download the latest release from the official GitHub repository:
Choose the binary that matches your operating system (Linux, macOS, or Windows). No installation steps are needed—just unzip the file and run it.
2. Install the Mimo Models
OpenCrabs can use any model that follows the OpenAI API format. Xiaomi provides the Mimo models through a simple API key. During the trial, you can use the free key that comes with the collaboration. To set it up:
- Open a terminal and run
opencrabs --setup. - Enter the free Mimo API key when prompted.
- Choose the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model from the list.
The setup script will download the model weights and configure OpenCrabs to use them.
3. Start the Agent
Once the setup is complete, start the agent with:
opencrabs start
You’ll see a terminal UI that shows the agent’s status. The UI is built with Ratatui, so it looks clean and easy to read. You can type commands or ask questions directly in the terminal.
4. Try the Models
OpenCrabs lets you switch between models on the fly. To use the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model, type:
/model Mimo‑v2.5‑pro
You can now ask the agent to write code, generate text, or answer questions. The model’s large context window means you can keep a long conversation going without losing earlier parts.
5. Explore Use Cases
Here are a few simple projects you can try during the trial:
- Code Generation: Ask the agent to write a Python script that scrapes a website.
- Chatbot: Build a small chatbot that answers FAQs for a website.
- Content Creation: Generate blog posts or social media captions.
- Data Analysis: Ask the agent to explain a dataset or write a SQL query.
Feel free to experiment and see how the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model handles different tasks.
Technical Highlights of the Collaboration
The OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration brings several technical benefits that make it stand out.
1. Self‑Hosted, No Cloud Dependency
OpenCrabs runs locally, so you don’t need to send data to a cloud server. This is great for privacy and for developers who want full control over their data. The binary is lightweight and can run on a laptop with 4 GB of RAM.
2. Unlimited Tokens During Trial
During the free trial, you get unlimited tokens. That means you can keep asking questions or generating text without worrying about hitting a limit. After the trial, you’ll need to purchase a plan if you want to keep using the free key.
3. Easy Model Switching
OpenCrabs lets you switch between models with a single command. If you want to try a different MiMo model, just type /model Mimo‑v2.5‑basic or any other name. The agent will load the new model automatically.
4. Built‑in Tool Calls
The latest OpenCrabs release (v0.3.38) adds support for Xiaomi MiMo tool calls. This means the agent can call external tools like a calculator or a web scraper directly from the conversation. The tool calls are structured in JSON, so the agent can parse them easily.
5. Multi‑Language Support
OpenCrabs can understand and respond in multiple languages. The collaboration includes support for Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Russian. This makes it useful for global teams.
Why This Collaboration Matters
The OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration is more than just a free trial. It shows how open‑source tools can work with commercial AI models to create powerful, flexible solutions.
1. Lower Barrier to Entry
Because the trial is free and no credit card is needed, developers can test the platform without risk. This encourages experimentation and learning.
2. Privacy and Control
Running the agent locally means you keep your data on your own machine. This is important for teams that handle sensitive information.
3. Flexibility
OpenCrabs can be integrated into existing workflows. For example, you can use it as a helper in your IDE, or as a backend for a chatbot. The Mimo models add strong language understanding, so the combination is powerful.
4. Community Growth
The collaboration invites developers to contribute to OpenCrabs. The project is open source, so you can add new features or fix bugs. The partnership with Xiaomi also brings more visibility to the project.
How to Keep Using OpenCrabs After the Trial
If you find the OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration useful, you can continue using it after the trial by purchasing a plan from Xiaomi or from the OpenCrabs website. The pricing is simple:
- Basic Plan: $10/month for 1 million tokens.
- Pro Plan: $30/month for 10 million tokens.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for large teams.
You can also host your own instance of OpenCrabs and use your own model weights if you prefer.
Quick FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a credit card? | No. The free trial does not require a credit card. |
| Can I use other models? | Yes. OpenCrabs supports any model that follows the OpenAI API format. |
| Is the data stored in the cloud? | No. All data stays on your local machine. |
| What if I need more tokens after the trial? | You can purchase a plan from Xiaomi or OpenCrabs. |
| Can I use OpenCrabs for commercial projects? | Yes, as long as you comply with the license. |
Final Thoughts
The OpenCrabs Xiaomi MiMo Collaboration is a great opportunity for developers to try a powerful AI platform without any upfront cost. The free 2‑week trial lets you explore the Mimo‑v2.5‑pro model, switch between models, and see how well the agent works for your projects. Because OpenCrabs runs locally, you keep full control over your data, and the collaboration with Xiaomi brings the best of both worlds: open‑source flexibility and commercial model power.
If you’re curious about building AI tools, or if you want to experiment with a new language model, this collaboration is a perfect place to start. Download the binary, set up the free key, and dive into the world of AI today.
