Does T3 Code work with WSL?

Yes. In v0.1.7 (November 4, 2026), you pick a distro in Settings → Sharing & access, and T3 Code runs a second server inside it. Agents, git and terminals then run in Linux.

Where is the WSL setting in T3 Code?

Settings → Sharing & access. T3 Code's docs called it Settings → Connections in early October 2026.

Why is T3 Code stuck on "Connecting to WSL"?

Two open issues match: #14393, when the WSL backend keeps crashing in WSL-only mode, and #13738, when Windows can't reach the distro's NAT IP. Also check that your agent CLIs and a current Node are installed inside the distro: an old Node from nvm caused the same hang in #3611.

Do I install Claude Code or Codex in WSL or on Windows?

Inside the distro, for both T3 Code and Pane. T3 Code installs its own server there, but not your agent CLIs.

What's the best T3 Code alternative for WSL?

Pane, if you want a native Windows app that runs each agent in its own terminal inside your distro. Orca, if you want to choose Windows or WSL per project in an all-in-one app.

alternatives

T3 Code on WSL

TL;DR

Yes, T3 Code runs projects inside WSL. In T3 Code v0.1.7 (November 4, 2026), you pick a distro in Settings → Sharing & access, and the Windows app starts a second T3 server inside that distro. Agents, git, terminals and project paths then run in Linux. You install your agent CLIs, like claude and codex, inside the distro. T3 Code installs its own server there.

WSL is still T3 Code's busiest bug area. Two older bugs are open: #14393, where WSL-only mode sticks on "Connecting to WSL..." while the backend keeps crashing, and #13738, where the backend hangs when Windows can't reach the distro's network address. About 20 newer open issues cover startup, paths that don't translate between Windows and Linux, and git sign-in inside WSL. Most were reported against nightly builds, and many have fixes waiting in open pull requests.

If you want another way in, Pane opens WSL repos from its native Windows app and runs each agent, terminal and git command inside the distro. Orca lets you run each project on Windows or in WSL.

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the alternatives

Both tools here run coding agents on repos inside WSL from a Windows app. The chips show where each one runs: green is native, amber has a catch, red is no.

1.Pane
Best for WSL repos from a native Windows app, each agent in its own terminal.
Add a repo by its \\wsl$\ path and every terminal, agent and git command runs in that distro, with worktrees on the Linux filesystem. Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode are built in, and any other CLI runs as a custom command. Native on Windows x64 and ARM64, macOS and Linux. Free, AGPL-3.0, no account.
WindowsWSLmacOSLinux
2.Orca
Best for choosing Windows or WSL for each project in an all-in-one app.
A free, MIT desktop app with worktrees, terminals, review and phone apps. Each project runs on Windows or in WSL, and agents are found and started in that runtime. Its own open WSL issues include dead tabs when you resume a WSL session (#24408).
WindowsWSLmacOSLinux

which one should you pick?

stay with t3 code if

→ you like a chat view better than a terminal
→ you want native phone apps
→ the open WSL issues below don't touch your setup, or you can stay on stable builds

pick pane if

→ your repos live in WSL and you want agents, terminals and git to run there from a native Windows app
→ you use an agent T3 Code doesn't list, or want each agent's own terminal UI
→ you want a worktree per task, on by default

pane vs t3 code on wsl

yespartly, or with a catchno

	pane7 yes · 0 partly · 0 no	t3 code4 yes · 3 partly · 0 no
basics
what it is	a desktop app with a terminal per agent	a desktop, web and phone app with a chat view per agent
platforms
Windows	yes, native (x64 and ARM64)	yes (x64 and ARM64)
repos inside WSL	yes: agents, terminals and git run in the distro	yes: a second T3 server runs in the distro
WSL setup	add the repo by its \\wsl$\ path	pick a distro in Settings → Sharing & access
open WSL bugs	#822, for Pane's remote daemon inside WSL: an out-of-memory kill can stop every agent	#14393, #13738 and about 20 filed since October
macOS	yes	yes
Linux	yes (AppImage, .deb)	yes (AppImage, .deb, AUR, Nix)
agents
agents	any CLI; Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode built in	a fixed list plus ACP Registry agents
agent CLIs for WSL repos	installed in the distro	installed in the distro
everyday work
worktree per task	yes, on by default	yes, off by default
safety and setup
license	AGPL-3.0	MIT
version checked	v2.4.215	v0.1.7

basics

what it is

pane

a desktop app with a terminal per agent

t3 code

a desktop, web and phone app with a chat view per agent

platforms

Windows

pane

yes, native (x64 and ARM64)

t3 code

yes (x64 and ARM64)

repos inside WSL

pane

yes: agents, terminals and git run in the distro

t3 code

yes: a second T3 server runs in the distro

WSL setup

pane

add the repo by its \\wsl$\ path

t3 code

pick a distro in Settings → Sharing & access

open WSL bugs

pane

#822, for Pane's remote daemon inside WSL: an out-of-memory kill can stop every agent

t3 code

#14393, #13738 and about 20 filed since October

macOS

pane

yes

t3 code

yes

Linux

pane

yes (AppImage, .deb)

t3 code

yes (AppImage, .deb, AUR, Nix)

agents

pane

any CLI; Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode built in

t3 code

a fixed list plus ACP Registry agents

agent CLIs for WSL repos

pane

installed in the distro

t3 code

installed in the distro

everyday work

worktree per task

pane

yes, on by default

t3 code

yes, off by default

safety and setup

license

pane

AGPL-3.0

t3 code

MIT

version checked

pane

v2.4.215

t3 code

v0.1.7

T3 Code facts checked on November 6, 2026 (v0.1.7); Pane facts from Pane v2.4.215.

how to run t3 code on wsl

Pick a distro in Settings → Sharing & access, install your agents in it, then open the project by its WSL path.

1. Install T3 Code for Windows. It has x64 and ARM64 installers, and you can also use winget or Scoop.

2. Open Settings → Sharing & access and choose your WSL distro. Older guides call this Settings → Connections. T3 Code unpacks its server into ~/.t3/wsl-runtime in the distro, so the first start after an update can take longer.

3. Install the agent CLIs you use, like claude and codex, inside the distro. If T3 Code can't find one, check your version manager: an old Node picked up through nvm caused the same "Connecting to WSL" hang in a closed issue (#3611).

4. Open your project by its \\wsl$\<distro>\... or \\wsl.localhost\<distro>\... path. T3 Code sends it to the matching WSL server as a Linux path.

If you only work in WSL, WSL-only mode stops the app from running a Windows backend at all. You can also run t3 yourself inside WSL and open it in a Windows browser, but pairing that way currently fails with an invalid-credential error (#27865). On Windows machines managed by policy, the desktop app doesn't run a WSL environment.

known t3 code wsl issues

Startup, paths and git sign-in break most often. Check the tracker before you update a nightly.

Still open from October: #14393, WSL-only mode stuck on "Connecting to WSL..." while the backend crash-loops (fix in open PR #26063), and #13738, the backend stuck when Windows can't reach the distro's NAT IP (fix in open PR #13745). T3 Code connects to the distro's IP rather than localhost, which is why some WSL network setups hit #13738.

Startup and connection: #26200 (a readiness timeout, then port 3773 already in use after a relaunch), #22951 (the backend goes offline after a restart), #16826 (an invalid_credential error on first launch), #26830 (a nightly fails on database migrations) and #22186 (the WSL environment never starts on Windows ARM64).

Paths and git: #30010 (pasting a C:\ or /mnt/c path into the composer is rejected), #16365 (Windows-style file links don't open), #25427 (Open in editor is hidden for WSL threads), #30892 (moving a project fails GitHub sign-in inside WSL, though git works by hand) and #23603 (each gh lookup leaves a dbus-daemon process running).

Fixed since October: a cold distro now gets 30 seconds to boot instead of 10 (v0.1.1), turning off a WSL backend stops it, and v0.1.7 keeps WSL servers off ports Windows already uses. Six of the eight WSL bugs that were open on October 3 are closed.

running your wsl repos in pane

Add the repo by its WSL path. Each agent, terminal and git command runs in the distro, with no second server to set up.

Pane is a native Windows app. Add a repo by its \\wsl$\ or \\wsl.localhost\ path, and Pane reads the distro and the Linux path from it. Each terminal tab runs in that distro through wsl.exe, and git and worktree commands run there too, so worktrees stay on the Linux filesystem. On first run, Pane scans your default distro for repos you can tick to add.

Install your agent CLIs inside the distro, as you would for T3 Code. Start Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or OpenCode with a click, or any other CLI as a custom command, and it runs in its own terminal UI. Cursor's agent is offered only for WSL repos on Windows, since it doesn't run natively there.

Pane has WSL limits of its own. It expects Windows drives at /mnt/c, its WSL terminals start bash, Usage & Limits doesn't count agents running in WSL, and when Pane's remote daemon runs inside WSL, an open issue (#822) says an out-of-memory kill in one terminal can take down the daemon and every agent. On Windows, closing Pane's window quits it and stops your agents.

our verdict

T3 Code's WSL support is real and documented, and it gets fixes every week. It's also where most of its open bugs are, so expect some friction on nightly builds. If you want WSL repos handled by a native Windows app, with each agent in its own terminal and no second server in the distro, Pane is the most direct alternative. If you want to choose Windows or WSL per project in an all-in-one app, Orca.

how we checked

This page is desk research. On November 6, 2026 we read T3 Code's install, FAQ, remote-access and managed-policy docs, its WSL source code on main (commit 6577c6b), its release notes through v0.1.7, and the issues and pull requests with "wsl" in the title. We didn't run T3 Code for this page.

Facts about Orca come from its docs, source and issue tracker, researched on October 3, 2026. Facts about Pane come from its source and docs at v2.4.215.

What we ran

→ Desk research: T3 Code's docs, WSL source code, release notes and WSL issues and PRs, checked November 6, 2026 (T3 Code v0.1.7)
→ Pane facts from its source and docs at v2.4.215

Who wrote this

We make Pane, so we have a stake in this. We checked every claim about T3 Code against its own site, docs, releases and issues on the dates above.

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

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By Parsa Khazaeepoul, co-founder of Pane. Last reviewed November 6, 2026.