alternatives

Sidecar alternatives

TL;DR

Sidecar (from Haplab) is a free, MIT-licensed terminal app that runs Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and other agents in tmux sessions, each task in its own worktree, with git, files, notes, td tasks and an all-agents Sessions view in one keyboard-driven screen. People look elsewhere because it requires tmux 3.4, has no native Windows build (WSL support is labelled experimental), shows at most two live terminals at once, and many features are off by default behind flags. Pane is the closest alternative that doesn't need tmux: each agent in its real terminal and worktree, with a Changes panel, git shortcuts and an orchestrator, native on Windows x64 and ARM64 and inside WSL. Herdr is the pick if you want to stay in a terminal.

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the alternatives

Every tool here runs several coding agents at once. The chips show where each one runs: green is native, amber has a catch, red is no.

  1. 1.Pane

    Best for the same worktree-per-agent workflow, no tmux, on Windows too.

    Each agent runs in its own terminal UI and worktree, with split tab groups, a Changes panel, commit, push and merge on shortcuts, and an orchestrator chat. Keyboard-driven, with about 45 shortcuts. Free, AGPL-3.0, no account.

    WindowsWSLmacOSLinux

  2. 2.Herdr

    Best for a terminal multiplexer for agents that doesn't need tmux.

    Apache-2.0, agent-aware, with sessions that survive disconnects and restore after a restart, plus SSH fleet views. Runs on Windows, WSL, macOS and Linux.

    WindowsWSLmacOSLinux

  3. 3.Claude Squad

    Best for a minimal list of agents in tmux and worktrees.

    AGPL-3.0 terminal app: each agent in a tmux session and worktree, with a simple review step. No native Windows.

    WindowsWSLmacOSLinux

  4. 4.Orca

    Best for a desktop all-in-one with SSH hosts.

    MIT, 40 agents in real terminals, worktrees, a browser, issue trackers, remote servers and a phone app. Runs agents inside WSL. Heavy at about 1 GB installed.

    WindowsWSLmacOSLinux

  5. 5.Emdash

    Best for a desktop app with SSH remotes and issue intake.

    Apache-2.0, 37 agents in worktrees, tasks from 13 trackers and SSH projects. No WSL mode.

    WindowsWSLmacOSLinux

which one should you pick?

stay with sidecar if

  • → you live in the terminal on macOS or Linux and already use tmux
  • → you want git, files, notes and td tasks in the same screen as your agents
  • → you run agents across SSH machines
  • → you want a fully keyboard-driven, vim-style tool

pick pane if

  • → you're on Windows, natively or with WSL
  • → you don't want to install or learn tmux
  • → you want to watch more than two agents at once
  • → you want a mouse-friendly diff view as well as shortcuts

pane vs sidecar at a glance

yespartly, or with a catchno

pane10 yes · 0 partly · 0 nosidecar6 yes · 3 partly · 1 no
basics
what it isa desktop appa terminal UI over tmux
platforms
native Windowsyes (x64 and ARM64)no
repos inside WSLyes, from the Windows apprun it inside WSL (experimental)
macOSyesyes
Linuxyes (AppImage, .deb)yes (static binaries)
needs tmuxnoyes, 3.4 or newer
agents
agentsany CLI22 presets plus custom
everyday work
worktree per taskyesyes
live terminals on screenseveral, in split tabsup to 2
safety and setup
licenseAGPL-3.0, open sourceMIT, open source
account needednono

basics

what it is

pane

a desktop app

sidecar

a terminal UI over tmux

platforms

native Windows

pane

yes (x64 and ARM64)

sidecar

no

repos inside WSL

pane

yes, from the Windows app

sidecar

run it inside WSL (experimental)

macOS

pane

yes

sidecar

yes

Linux

pane

yes (AppImage, .deb)

sidecar

yes (static binaries)

needs tmux

pane

no

sidecar

yes, 3.4 or newer

agents

agents

pane

any CLI

sidecar

22 presets plus custom

everyday work

worktree per task

pane

yes

sidecar

yes

live terminals on screen

pane

several, in split tabs

sidecar

up to 2

safety and setup

license

pane

AGPL-3.0, open source

sidecar

MIT, open source

account needed

pane

no

sidecar

no

Facts checked on October 3 and 4, 2026 (Sidecar v1.15.1 and Pane v2.4.157). Rechecked on November 5, 2026 against Sidecar v1.17.1.

why people look for a sidecar alternative

tmux required, no native Windows, two live terminals.

Sidecar needs tmux 3.4 or newer, and much of it assumes you're comfortable with tmux. It builds only for macOS and Linux; on Windows you run it inside WSL, where its own installer says support is experimental, and PowerShell support is an open request. In our test the recommended installer failed twice on a machine without Go before a manual install worked, and it idled at 11 to 16% of a core.

It shows at most two live terminal panes at once. Agent control, remote hosts, conversations and tasks are off by default behind feature flags, the docs lag the product (Gemini CLI was replaced by Antigravity in August 2026), and the first screen asks you to install its companion td tool. It's essentially one developer's project.

moving from sidecar to pane

Same shape, a worktree and agent per task. No tmux, and native on Windows.

Sidecar and Pane both give each task its own worktree and run the agent's real CLI, with your existing logins. Open your repository in Pane and create a pane per task, or up to five at once. Start Claude Code, Codex or Cursor with a click, or OpenCode, Copilot, Amp, Pi, Antigravity or any other CLI as a custom command.

Split tabs to watch several agents at once; the sidebar shows which are working, done or waiting on you. Review in the Changes panel, where each file opens as a diff tab, and commit, push and merge with shortcuts; the command palette is on Ctrl+Shift+P. If your repo lives in WSL, Pane runs the agents, terminals and git inside the distro from the Windows app.

our verdict

Sidecar is a well-made terminal cockpit if you already live in tmux on macOS or Linux. If you're on Windows, don't want tmux, or want to see more agents at once, Pane is the most direct alternative. To stay in a terminal without tmux, Herdr.

how we checked

On October 3, 2026 we ran Sidecar 1.15.1 inside WSL2 (Ubuntu 24.04) on Windows 11, its documented Windows path, with two Claude Code agents and one Codex agent, and went through review, commit and the merge flow. Pane, Herdr, Claude Squad (inside WSL), Orca and Emdash ran on the same PC.

Facts about each product come from its own docs, release notes, issue tracker and source code, checked on October 3 and 4, 2026.

What we ran
  • → Pane 2.4.155 on Windows 11, native and WSL2 (Ubuntu 24.04) repos
  • → Sidecar 1.15.1 inside WSL2 on the same PC with Claude Code and Codex, October 3, 2026
Who wrote this
We make Pane, so we have a stake in this. We tried to be fair: Sidecar's strengths are listed as plainly as Pane's, every claim was checked against the product itself or its docs and source, and the screenshots are unedited captures from our own runs.
Corrections
If anything here is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it and update the date at the top. Open an issue on GitHub
Sources

frequently asked questions

more comparisons

Pane vs Claude SquadPane vs HerdrPane vs Terminal Multiplexers
See also: tmux agent managers · terminal multiplexers
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Download*
Windows SmartScreen warningDirect downloads can show a SmartScreen warning while Pane is unsigned. Pane is fully open source, so you can audit the code and build from source yourself.1. Click More info2. Click Run anyway3. Continue the installerThe PowerShell install downloads the official release directly and avoids most browser download friction.npm global install
Paste that in PowerShell.Linux

By Parsa Khazaeepoul, co-founder of Pane. .