Auto-detect free port and add one-click launcher

start.ps1/start.sh now fall back to the next free port instead of
crashing when the configured port is already taken (e.g. by another
local app), and auto-open the dashboard in the browser once it's up.
install.ps1 also creates a desktop shortcut (Launch-Dashboard.bat) so
the dashboard can be started without typing any commands.

Launch-Dashboard.bat

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+@echo off
+cd /d "%~dp0"
+powershell -NoLogo -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "%~dp0start.ps1"
+pause

install.ps1

@@ -75,10 +75,24 @@ if (-not (Test-Path .git)) {
     }
 }
 
+$launcher = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "Launch-Dashboard.bat"
+$desktop = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("Desktop")
+if ((Test-Path $launcher) -and (Test-Path $desktop)) {
+    $shortcutPath = Join-Path $desktop "Agentic OS Dashboard.lnk"
+    $shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
+    $shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)
+    $shortcut.TargetPath = $launcher
+    $shortcut.WorkingDirectory = $PSScriptRoot
+    $shortcut.Description = "Launch the Agentic OS dashboard"
+    $shortcut.Save()
+    Write-Host "Desktop shortcut created: $shortcutPath"
+}
+
 Write-Host ""
 Write-Host "=== Installation complete! ==="
 Write-Host ""
 Write-Host "Next steps:"
 Write-Host "  1. Edit data/settings.json with your API keys"
-Write-Host "  2. Run .\start.ps1 to launch the dashboard"
-Write-Host "  3. Open http://127.0.0.1:8080 in your browser"
+Write-Host "  2. Double-click the 'Agentic OS Dashboard' shortcut on your Desktop"
+Write-Host "     (or run .\start.ps1 / .\Launch-Dashboard.bat manually)"
+Write-Host "  3. Your browser will open automatically once the server is ready"

start.ps1

@@ -36,11 +36,36 @@ $pythonArgs = @($python.Args)
 
 & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs -m pip install -r requirements.txt --quiet
 
-$port = & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.load(f); print(d.get('dashboard',{}).get('port',8080)); f.close()" 2>$null
-if (-not $port) { $port = "8080" }
+$configuredPort = & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.load(f); print(d.get('dashboard',{}).get('port',8080)); f.close()" 2>$null
+if (-not $configuredPort) { $configuredPort = "8080" }
+$configuredPort = [int]$configuredPort
+
+function Find-FreePort {
+    param([int]$StartPort, [int]$MaxAttempts = 20)
+    for ($p = $StartPort; $p -lt $StartPort + $MaxAttempts; $p++) {
+        $listener = $null
+        try {
+            $listener = [System.Net.Sockets.TcpListener]::new([System.Net.IPAddress]::Parse("127.0.0.1"), $p)
+            $listener.Start()
+            return $p
+        } catch {
+            continue
+        } finally {
+            if ($listener) { $listener.Stop() }
+        }
+    }
+    throw "No free port found between $StartPort and $($StartPort + $MaxAttempts - 1). Close some other application or free a port and retry."
+}
+
+$port = Find-FreePort -StartPort $configuredPort
+if ($port -ne $configuredPort) {
+    Write-Warning "Port $configuredPort is already in use (another app, or a leftover Agentic OS process) - using $port instead."
+}
 
 Write-Host "Dashboard: http://127.0.0.1:$port"
 Write-Host "Press Ctrl+C to stop"
 Write-Host ""
 
+Start-Job -ScriptBlock { Start-Sleep -Seconds 2; Start-Process "http://127.0.0.1:$using:port" } | Out-Null
+
 & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs server.py --port $port

start.sh

@@ -24,11 +24,32 @@ fi
 $PYTHON -m pip install -r requirements.txt --quiet 2>/dev/null
 
 # Get port from settings or default
-PORT=$($PYTHON -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.load(f); print(d.get('dashboard',{}).get('port',8080)); f.close()" 2>/dev/null || echo "8080")
+CONFIGURED_PORT=$($PYTHON -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.load(f); print(d.get('dashboard',{}).get('port',8080)); f.close()" 2>/dev/null || echo "8080")
+
+# Find a free port starting at CONFIGURED_PORT (in case it's already taken by another app)
+PORT="$CONFIGURED_PORT"
+for _ in $(seq 1 20); do
+    if ! (exec 3<>"/dev/tcp/127.0.0.1/${PORT}") 2>/dev/null; then
+        break
+    fi
+    exec 3>&- 2>/dev/null || true
+    PORT=$((PORT + 1))
+done
+
+if [ "$PORT" != "$CONFIGURED_PORT" ]; then
+    echo "WARNING: Port ${CONFIGURED_PORT} is already in use - using ${PORT} instead."
+fi
 
 echo "Dashboard: http://127.0.0.1:${PORT}"
 echo "Press Ctrl+C to stop"
 echo ""
 
+# Best-effort auto-open browser once the server is up
+( sleep 2
+  if command -v xdg-open &>/dev/null; then xdg-open "http://127.0.0.1:${PORT}" &>/dev/null
+  elif command -v open &>/dev/null; then open "http://127.0.0.1:${PORT}" &>/dev/null
+  fi
+) &
+
 # Start server
 $PYTHON server.py --port "${PORT}"