claude-esp CLI
Streams Claude Code hidden thinking, tool calls and subagents to a separate terminal with a live session tree
- 158 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Minimal access
Why this level
- The program reads Claude Code session files including hidden thinking and tool output
- The output may contain secrets from commands and files, so do not show the window during screen sharing
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/claude-espDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewMinimal accessThe tool runs nothing and makes no network calls.
- The program reads Claude Code session files including hidden thinking and tool output
- The output may contain secrets from commands and files, so do not show the window during screen sharing
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
claude-esp is a Go TUI that reads Claude Code session files and shows, in a separate terminal window, what interactive mode collapses and reveals only through `Ctrl+O`. Your main session stays untouched while a stream runs alongside: model thinking, tool calls and their results, subagent launches. The program watches all active sessions at once and builds a hierarchical tree with Main and Agent nodes. Subagents are labelled with types (Explore, code-reviewer and others) from `.meta.json`. The header keeps a cumulative token counter, every row shows the percentage of the model context window in use and every tool call shows its duration. Background tasks carry markers, and session events (context compaction, hook errors, prompt-cache misses, mode transitions, model refusals, cron fires) appear in the stream. Filters toggle thinking, tools and output per session and agent. The flags `-s` (a specific session), `-n` (live only), `-l` and `-a` (session lists), `-w` and `-c` tune the activity window and collapsing.
Who it is for. Developers who work with Claude Code a lot and want to see thinking and tool calls in a neighboring terminal without interrupting the main session.
Good fit when
- The agent is looping and you need to see which tools it calls and what the results are
- A subagent runs long and you want to know what it itself is doing, not only the main agent
- You need to watch the context: what percentage of the window is used by the main session and each subagent
- You want an activity stream of several Claude Code sessions on a second monitor
Not a fit when
- You need a web interface or database storage: this is a terminal program with no storage
- You need to view other agents such as Codex or Cursor: the tool reads only Claude Code files
- You need a Rust build: the author links a separate port, claude-esp-rs
Example request
Run claude-esp with the -l flag, show the list of recent sessions and open the newest oneLimitations
The program reads local Claude Code session files, so the format depends on the Claude Code version: when it changes, output may lag. The context percentage denominator is the model maximum window, not the auto-compact threshold, and values for new models have to be updated in code.
The tool only displays data and does not control the agent. Hidden thinking appears in full in the terminal window, which matters when you share your screen. Installation needs Go or a prebuilt binary from the repository.
How to disable. Delete the `claude-esp` binary from `$GOPATH/bin` or the directory where you put it. The program does not modify Claude Code session files.
FAQ
How do I install claude-esp?
Run `go install github.com/phiat/claude-esp@latest` or clone the repository and build from source.
How do I see only new events?
Run `claude-esp -n`: the program skips history and shows only what is happening now.
What does the percentage next to an agent show?
The share of the model context window used by the agent session, for example `Main 18%` or `Explore 9%`.
Can I filter the output?
Yes, thinking, tools and outputs toggle separately per session and agent, and old sessions collapse with the `-c` flag.
Is there a Rust version?
The author links a separate port, claude-esp-rs, in a neighboring repository.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The repository describes a terminal monitor for Claude Code: multi-session support, an agent tree, session events, tokens, tool durations and filters. The code has tests for the core logic and the interface. The author published a write-up on why the tool exists.