Sidecar CLI
A terminal shell for working with coding agents: embedded terminals, diffs, files, td tasks and worktrees side by side
- 1,092 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- Runs agents in embedded terminals with full access to the project and can commit, push and create pull requests
- `sidecar agent` commands let an agent start other agents and send them prompts
- The Jira and GitHub integrations read work items and links to them
Install
- Works in
Manual install
brew install marcus/tap/sidecarThe recommended route on macOS: Homebrew builds the program from source.
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- Runs agents in embedded terminals with full access to the project and can commit, push and create pull requests
- `sidecar agent` commands let an agent start other agents and send them prompts
- The Jira and GitHub integrations read work items and links to them
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Sidecar puts a developer's workspace into one terminal window. An agent (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, OpenCode or Pi) runs in an embedded interactive terminal in the Workspaces screen. Split panes beside it open a file, a git diff, a task from the td system, and Jira and GitHub resources. The Sessions screen lists agent sessions across all projects and sorts them by status: needs attention, working, live, idle. A session has a live preview of its output and diffs. The Git screen shows changed files and commit history, stages files and shows diffs in one or two columns. A built-in merge flow runs commit, push and pull request creation, then cleans up the worktree. Both a person and an agent can drive the shell with commands. `sidecar open` opens a file with a line number, a task or a diff in a pane, `sidecar layout` reads and applies pane layouts, and `sidecar notify post` shows a notification that links to a file or a task. `sidecar agent` starts a second agent, such as a reviewer, and sends it a prompt.
Who it is for. For developers who keep several Claude Code, Codex and other agent sessions in a terminal and want them, the diffs and the tasks in one window.
Good fit when
- You run agents across several projects and want one page that shows which of them waits for your answer
- Each task lives in its own git worktree: `sidecar create worktree fix-auth --base main --agent claude` creates it with a branch and an agent
- An agent needs to show you a file or a diff: it calls `sidecar open internal/cli/cli.go:88` or `sidecar open --diff`
- One agent writes code and another reviews it: `sidecar agent start reviewer --kind codex` and `sidecar agent prompt reviewer "Review current diff" --wait`
- You track agent work in the td system and want its monitor next to the terminal
Not a fit when
- You work on Windows without WSL: macOS, Linux and WSL are supported
- You want a graphical editor with completion: Sidecar shows files and diffs but does not replace an IDE
- You start an agent once a day in a plain terminal, and a separate shell with panes would be overhead
Example request
Open internal/cli/cli.go at line 88 in Sidecar and show the current diff in the next paneLimitations
- The embedded terminals need a suitable tmux version, and the `sidecar setup` screen checks it along with truecolor support.
- Building from source needs Go 1.26 or newer. The Homebrew install builds the program on your machine, and prebuilt binaries are on the releases page.
- The Jira and GitHub integrations are configured separately on the integrations page of the settings.
- The task monitor works with the external td project, which is installed separately.
How to disable. Sidecar does not embed itself in agent settings, so quitting and removing it is enough, `brew uninstall sidecar` for Homebrew. Its configuration is in `~/.config/sidecar/config.json` and can be deleted by hand. Git worktrees the program created stay in the repository and are removed with `git worktree remove`.
FAQ
How do I install Sidecar?
On macOS run `brew install marcus/tap/sidecar`: Homebrew builds the program from source, so Gatekeeper raises no warning. On Linux and other systems the author offers the install script `curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/marcus/sidecar/main/scripts/setup.sh | bash`. Start the program with `sidecar` from the project folder.
Which agents does Sidecar work with?
Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, OpenCode and Pi launch from the interface. Any other agent can run in a plain shell inside the embedded terminal. The Sessions screen tracks sessions of the supported agents.
How is Sidecar different from tmux?
tmux remains the base of the embedded terminals, and Sidecar adds panes for files, git, td tasks and an overview of sessions across all projects. `sidecar layout` commands control the pane layout, so an agent can arrange it too.
What does the `sidecar agents` command do?
It tells an agent whether it runs inside Sidecar and lists the commands available in that case. The author advises agents to call it first, and `sidecar setup` checks that an `AGENTS.md` file carries such instructions.
How do I add a second project?
Add it to `~/.config/sidecar/config.json` or on the Projects page of the configuration screen, which opens with the `,` key or `sidecar setup`. The `@` key switches projects without a restart.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
Related
CLI toolsOne desktop window for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI and OpenCode: terminals, pull requests, diffs and approvals
A desktop and browser workspace for parallel Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions in separate git worktrees
Session monitor for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and six more agents in a terminal, window or HTTP API, with chat cleanup and search
A Python terminal coding agent in the manner of Claude Code: reads the repository, edits files, runs commands, with memory, sub-agents and MCP
agentplay turns local Claude Code, Codex and Cursor sessions into a file map and a replayable step timeline.
A terminal grid of up to 100 panes: Codex, Claude Code, Gemini and other CLI agents run in parallel, each in its own worktree.
Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidecar (this card) | no | 1,092 | |
| Agent Deck | no | 1,216 | an agent session manager with statuses, git worktrees and phone control; its description lists no panes for files, git and td tasks like Sidecar's |
| Claude Squad | no | 8,738 | runs several agents in parallel in tmux sessions and git worktrees, where Sidecar adds panes for files, git and tasks |
| tmux-ide | yes | 563 | shows which agents in tmux sessions are working, waiting for a decision or done, and promises nothing more in its description |
README in short
The repository page starts with install through Homebrew or a script, then lists launch commands and ways an agent works beside the terminal. Each part of the program (workspaces, sessions, Git, the td monitor, the file browser) gets its own section with a feature list and a screenshot. It ends with configuration, project switching and links to the documentation.