Name: Pane
Author: Dcouple Inc

Question 1

What is Pane?

Accepted Answer

Pane is a keyboard-first desktop app for managing AI coding agents. It lets you run Claude Code, Codex, Aider, Goose, or any CLI agent in parallel — each in its own isolated git worktree. Download it at runpane.com.

Question 2

What agents does Pane support?

Accepted Answer

Any CLI tool that runs in a terminal. Claude Code, Codex, Aider, Goose — and any future agent. Pane is agent-agnostic by design.

Question 3

Does Pane work on Windows?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Pane runs natively on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Windows is a first-class citizen, not an afterthought. Most AI coding tools are Mac-only or require tmux.

Question 4

Is Pane free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Pane is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. Download it from GitHub or visit runpane.com.

Question 5

How is Pane different from Cursor or Windsurf?

Accepted Answer

Cursor and Windsurf are IDEs with built-in agents. Pane is an agent manager — it doesn't replace your editor or lock you into a specific agent. You pick the agent, Pane handles the workflow.

Question 6

How is Pane different from Claude Squad?

Accepted Answer

Claude Squad is a terminal UI that requires tmux, which doesn't exist on Windows. Pane is a real desktop app that works on all platforms with a keyboard-first interface, built-in git workflow, and diff viewer.

Question 7

What are git worktrees and why do they matter?

Accepted Answer

Git worktrees let you check out multiple branches at once in separate directories. Each AI agent can work on its own branch without conflicts. Pane manages worktrees automatically.

Question 8

Can I run multiple agents at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Create multiple panes, each running different agents on different tasks, each in its own worktree. Switch between them instantly with keyboard shortcuts.

Question 9

Who builds Pane?

Accepted Answer

Pane is built by Dcouple Inc. It's open source on GitHub. Join the Discord or reach out at hello@dcouple.ai.

Question 10

Why did you build Pane?

Accepted Answer

Because we were tired of juggling twelve terminal windows, forgetting which agent is on which branch, and alt-tabbing until our fingers hurt. We built Pane because we needed it. Then we realized everyone else did too.

Question 11

Why does everyone hate Windows developers?

Accepted Answer

70% of developers use Windows and yet almost every AI coding tool is Mac-only, requires tmux, or treats Windows as a 'coming soon' footnote. Conductor is Mac only. Claude Squad needs tmux. We built Pane to work on Windows from day one — as a first-class citizen.

Question 12

Do I really need an agent manager?

Accepted Answer

If you run more than one AI agent, have two terminal windows open with different agents, alt-tab between a diff viewer and a terminal, or manually type git worktree commands — yes, you need Pane.

Question 13

Isn't this just tmux with extra steps?

Accepted Answer

tmux is a terminal multiplexer from 2007. Pane is a desktop app purpose-built for AI agent workflows with a diff viewer, git workflow, command palette, pane management, notifications, and it works on Windows. It's the thing you wish tmux was.

Question 14

Can I trust Pane's terminal? Is it reliable?

Accepted Answer

Pane uses xterm.js — the same terminal engine that powers VS Code's integrated terminal. VS Code is an Electron app. Pane is an Electron app. Same rendering, same reliability, same battle-tested terminal with 50,000 lines of scrollback.

Question 15

What does 'Superhuman for AI coding agents' mean?

Accepted Answer

Superhuman is an email client that doesn't send emails for you but makes you absurdly fast at managing them. Pane is the same idea for AI coding agents. We don't write code for you. We make you absurdly fast at managing the agents that do.

Question 16

Who is Pane NOT for?

Accepted Answer

Developers who want an AI to do everything for them. Pane isn't an agent — it's the cockpit you fly them from. If you want to orchestrate multiple agents, review their work, and ship with confidence — that's Pane.

Question 17

What is an agent manager?

Accepted Answer

A new category for a new workflow. AI agents write code. You need something to run them, watch them, switch between them, and manage their git output. Pane is the first agent manager that's a real desktop app, works on every OS, and doesn't lock you into a single agent.

Question 18

Is developing on Windows hard?

Accepted Answer

Skill issue. Windows has WSL which gives you a full Linux kernel running natively. Install it with one command: wsl --install. The 'you can't dev on Windows' narrative comes from people who've never tried WSL. 70% of the world's developers ship production code on Windows just fine. Pane works on all of it.

Question 19

What if a new AI agent comes out tomorrow?

Accepted Answer

You just run it. Pane doesn't bundle agents or lock you in. If it runs in a terminal, it runs in Pane. No waiting for support, no plugin marketplace, no SDK integration. Just run it.

Question 20

Why is it called Pane?

Accepted Answer

Because you look through a pane to see what's happening. Each pane is a window into an agent's work. Also, it's short, easy to type, and runpane.com was available.

Question 21

Is Pane actually keyboard-first?

Accepted Answer

Every single action has a keyboard shortcut. New pane, switch pane, send prompt, toggle sidebar, open settings, view diff, commit, push, rebase, squash, merge — all from the keyboard. The command palette (Cmd+K) puts everything one keystroke away. We didn't add shortcuts to a GUI app. We built a keyboard app that happens to have a GUI.

Question 22

How do I install Pane?

Accepted Answer

Mac/Linux: curl -fsSL https://runpane.com/install.sh | sh. Windows PowerShell: irm https://runpane.com/install.ps1 | iex. Or download directly from https://github.com/Dcouple-Inc/Pane/releases/latest.

Question 23

How is Pane different from Conductor?

Accepted Answer

Conductor is Mac-only (Apple Silicon only), closed source, and only supports Claude Code and Codex. Pane is cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux), open source (AGPL-3.0), supports any CLI agent, and has a keyboard-first interface with built-in git workflow. Full comparison at https://runpane.com/compare/conductor

Question 24

How is Pane different from Superset?

Accepted Answer

Both Pane and Superset are agent-agnostic and open source. The key difference is platform support: Pane has first-class Windows, Mac, and Linux support. Superset is macOS-tested only with unofficial Windows/Linux support. Pane requires only git. Superset requires Bun, GitHub CLI, and Caddy. Pane is keyboard-first with every action having a shortcut. Full comparison at https://runpane.com/compare/superset

Question 25

How is Pane different from Crystal?

Accepted Answer

Crystal was deprecated on February 26, 2026. It never supported Windows and only supported Claude Code and Codex. Pane is actively maintained, supports Windows, Mac, and Linux, and works with any CLI agent. Crystal's successor is Nimbalyst, a different product. Full comparison at https://runpane.com/compare/crystal

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