> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getgranite.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Platform Overview

> What Granite does and why you'd use it

## What is Granite?

Granite is a **desktop automation platform** that lets you automate tasks on Windows machines with AI agents. Unlike traditional RPA tools, Granite gives you:

* **Real-time visibility** - Watch your automations execute live
* **Human oversight** - Approve or modify actions before they happen
* **AI-powered flexibility** - Describe tasks in plain English
* **API accessibility** - Trigger automations from anywhere

## Who Uses Granite?

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Operations Teams" icon="users-gear">
    Automate data entry, report generation, and repetitive workflows
  </Card>

  <Card title="Developers" icon="code">
    Build API-triggered automations for backend processes
  </Card>

  <Card title="IT Teams" icon="server">
    Manage Windows machines and run maintenance tasks
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Core Capabilities

### Desktop Automation

Granite can control any Windows application:

* **Click** buttons, menus, and UI elements
* **Type** text into fields and documents
* **Read** data from screens and applications
* **Navigate** through multi-step workflows
* **Handle** popups, dialogs, and errors

### AI Agent Execution

Instead of writing detailed scripts, you can describe tasks in plain English:

```
Open Excel, navigate to the Sales Report template,
update cell B2 with today's date, and save the file
```

The AI agent figures out the steps and executes them on a Windows machine.

### Human-in-the-Loop (HITL)

You don't have to trust the AI blindly:

* Watch execution in **real-time** via live video
* **Approve** actions before they happen
* **Modify** actions if the AI gets it wrong
* **Cancel** execution at any point

### Public API Endpoints

Turn any automation into an API endpoint:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST "https://api.getgranite.ai/api/your-org/run-report" \
  -H "X-Granite-API-Key: your-key" \
  -d '{"date": "2024-01-15"}'
```

## Platform Components

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Dashboard">
    The web interface where you:

    * Create and manage processes
    * Run and monitor automations
    * View analytics and logs
    * Manage team members and API keys
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Backend API">
    The server that:

    * Handles authentication
    * Manages job queues
    * Stores execution data
    * Provides 110+ REST endpoints
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Driver">
    The Windows agent that:

    * Receives jobs from the backend
    * Executes desktop automation
    * Streams video back
    * Reports results
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="TypeScript SDK">
    The official client library that:

    * Wraps all API endpoints
    * Provides TypeScript types
    * Simplifies integration
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Key Concepts

| Concept       | What It Means                        |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **Process**   | A reusable automation definition     |
| **Agent Run** | A single execution of a process      |
| **HITL**      | Human approval during execution      |
| **Driver**    | Windows machine running automations  |
| **Endpoint**  | Public API trigger for an automation |

## Comparison to Other Tools

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="vs. Traditional RPA (UiPath, Blue Prism)">
    **Granite is simpler**:

    * No desktop studio required
    * AI-powered task description
    * Real-time human oversight
    * API-first architecture
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="vs. Browser Automation (Puppeteer, Playwright)">
    **Granite does more**:

    * Works with any Windows app, not just browsers
    * Desktop-level automation
    * Built-in video streaming
    * HITL approval workflow
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="vs. AI Assistants (ChatGPT, Claude)">
    **Granite executes**:

    * Actually performs tasks, not just suggests
    * Controls real Windows machines
    * Handles multi-step workflows
    * Provides execution history
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Sign Up" icon="user-plus" href="/getting-started/sign-up">
    Create your free account
  </Card>

  <Card title="First Automation" icon="play" href="/getting-started/your-first-automation">
    Build something in 5 minutes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>