Herdr Terminal Agent Runtime
A terminal multiplexer for running, observing, and coordinating coding agents in persistent panes.
- Source repo
- herdrdev/herdr
- Stars
- ★ 48k
- Last updated
- 3d ago
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Primary language
- Rust
- FA score
- 49/100 · Major gaps
At a glance
- How it runs
- Works with
- Universal · cross-platform
- Cost
- Free, no paid service needed
- Setup effort
- Low · running in minutes
- You'll need
- Typical use
- A developer coordinating several parallel coding tasks can split a terminal into panes and inspect each agent's live status and terminal view.
- Not a fit if
- Teams that need a graphical IDE workflow
- Teams needing stable Windows support (Windows is beta)
- Users who want a GUI instead of a terminal multiplexer
- Source review
- 49/100 · Major gaps
What does this agent do, and when should you use it?
Herdr is a terminal-based multiplexer and runtime for coding agents, delivered as one Rust binary without Electron. It presents real terminal views for multiple agent panes and surfaces their blocked, working, and done states. Users can split panes, detach while agents continue running, and reattach from another terminal or over SSH; sessions are described as surviving restarts. A pure socket API lets agents create panes, read output, and wait for one another. The project is Apache-2.0 licensed and includes plugins for extending panes and workflows.
Running herdr starts a terminal session in the directory where work lives, with panes in which users run coding agents. It shows live terminal content rather than a wrapped interpretation and accepts both tmux-style prefix keys and mouse actions such as clicking, dragging, and splitting. ctrl+b q detaches without stopping agents in the panes, while running herdr again reattaches. Its socket API allows agents to spawn panes, read output, and wait on other agents.
- A developer coordinating several parallel coding tasks can split a terminal into panes and inspect each agent's live status and terminal view.
- An engineer leaving a long-running task can detach with
ctrl+b qand later reattach from another terminal or over SSH. - A team building coordinated coding-agent workflows can use the socket API so agents spawn panes, read output, and wait for each other.
- A terminal-focused developer who also wants pointer interactions can combine prefix-key controls with mouse-based clicking, dragging, and splitting.
- A team that needs custom pane behavior or workflows can extend Herdr through its plugin system and marketplace.
How do you install or deploy this agent?
A terminal is required. Install with curl -fsSL https://herdr.dev/install.sh | sh. Alternatives are brew install herdr and mise use -g herdr; the documented Windows beta command is powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -c "irm https://herdr.dev/install.ps1 | iex". The supplied installation and local-start instructions do not specify credentials.
How do you use this agent?
Change to the directory where the work lives and run herdr. Start coding agents in panes and split panes as needed. Press ctrl+b q to detach while agents keep running, then run herdr again to reattach. The supplied material also states that reattachment can occur over SSH. The session shows real terminal content and agent state in its panes.
What are this agent's strengths and limitations?
- Shows real terminal views of agents instead of a wrapped or interpreted output layer.
- Agents continue after detachment and sessions are described as surviving restarts, supporting long-running work.
- Combines tmux-style prefix keys with first-class mouse actions for clicking, dragging, and splitting.
- The pure socket API enables agents to spawn panes, read output, and wait on other agents programmatically.
- Its core interaction boundary is the terminal, so it best fits command-line and pane-oriented workflows rather than a graphical IDE workflow.
- Windows support is explicitly labeled beta.
- The supplied material does not enumerate supported coding agents, so teams need to verify compatibility with their intended agent.
- Socket API details, authentication behavior, and plugin-development specifics are not included in the supplied material.
How does this agent compare with similar options?
Key facts side by side with the most closely related agents.
| Agent | Source review | Form / cost | Stars | Updated | Language | Full support on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herdr Terminal Agent Runtime This agent | 49 · Major gaps | CLIFree | ★ 48k | 3d ago | Rust | — |
| AGF Local Coding Session Finder | 96 · Excellent | CLIFree | ★ 162 | 1mo ago | Rust | Codex · Claude Code |
| OpenCrabs Terminal Agent | 53 · Major gaps | CLIFree + model costs | ★ 1k | today | Rust | ChatGPT · Codex · OpenAI API · Claude API |
| Clausona Account Manager | 74 · Some gaps | CLI | ★ 57 | 2d ago | TypeScript | Codex · Claude Code |
How does FollowAgents rate this agent?
Why each dimension lost points
Evidence shows a terminal workspace manager with CLI and socket API, but no explicit permission model, user confirmation, or data flow. Dependencies are pinned but no security audit. External effects include background server and command execution, but not detailed. Rollback and source attribution not clear. Deductions: lack of explicit least privilege, user confirmation, data flow transparency, sensitive data handling, dependency security, external effects control, rollback, and source attribution documentation or implementation evidence.
Project has CI config and tests, but no test results or failure message details. Dependencies pinned but no availability guarantee. Deductions: failure messages not documented, dependency availability not explicit.
README describes multiple use cases and features, but capability boundaries and trigger precision not explicit. Environment fit includes Linux, macOS, Windows, but not detailed. Deductions: trigger precision and some environment fit details insufficient.
README provides install and usage instructions, but lacks FAQ and known limitations. License is Apache-2.0, but version changelog not provided. Maintenance responsibility not clear. Deductions: missing FAQ, known limitations, version changelog, and maintenance responsibility.
Output usability shown via CLI and socket API, but no concrete examples. Marginal value described but not quantified. Cost-benefit not stated. Deductions: lack of concrete examples and cost-benefit analysis.
Claims in README lack specific evidence like test results or performance data. Cross-source verification insufficient. Facts and inferences not clearly separated. Deductions: lack of traceable claims and cross-source verification.
- Unverified publisher identity, proceed with caution.
- Install script via curl pipe, supply chain risk.
- Dependencies pinned but no security audit, verify yourself.
- Documentation lacks explicit permission model and data flow, assess before use.
Recent releases
Latest entries from the project's GitHub Releases. Notes are quoted from upstream as written, not rewritten or tested by FollowAgents.
-
Release notes excerpt
This is a hotfix release for v0.9.4. See the v0.9.4 notes for the full feature release: https://github.com/herdrdev/herdr/releases/tag/v0.9.4 Fixed - Prefix shortcuts work again when the terminal sends the next key as plain text. This affected Tern, Chinese, Japanese and Korean input methods on macOS, and Ghostty text: keybinds that send the prefix and a key together. Workspace navigation had the same problem. (#5255) …View on GitHub ↗ -
Release notes excerpt
Added - herdr plugin update updates plugins installed from GitHub, all at once or by name. Running plugin panes keep working on their old files, and new runs pick up the update without a config reload. Locally linked plugins are left alone. (#4245, thanks @JJLiebig) - Windows notifications stay in Notification Center. Clicking one jumps to its pane and brings the terminal window forward. (#4773, #4803, thanks @JJLiebig) Changed …View on GitHub ↗ -
Release notes excerpt
This is a hotfix release for v0.9.2. See the v0.9.2 notes for the full feature release: https://github.com/herdrdev/herdr/releases/tag/v0.9.2 Fixed - Terminal shortcuts that send Escape followed by a key work again in panes. On macOS, Option+Left/Right and Option+Backspace from Ghostty's defaults or iTerm2's Natural Text Editing preset move and delete by word again, instead of typing b and f or deleting one character. Escape-based Shift+Enter bindings insert a newline in Claude Code instead of submitting. Clicking a pane still doesn't send a stray Escape. (#4751) …View on GitHub ↗
FAQ
Does Herdr write code on its own?
What happens when I detach?
ctrl+b q detaches the session while agents keep running, and the session is described as surviving restarts.