Summary

Better Agent Terminal is a cross-platform Electron application designed to consolidate development workflows. It addresses the need for managing multiple project terminals, integrating AI assistance (specifically Claude Code), and providing essential development tools like a file browser and Git viewer within a single interface. This tool benefits developers seeking a unified environment to enhance productivity and streamline complex project management tasks.

How It Works

Built with Electron, React, and TypeScript, the application utilizes xterm.js and node-pty for robust terminal emulation and @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk for direct Claude Code integration. Its architecture separates main and renderer processes, enabling features like multi-workspace management, detachable windows, and a permission-based AI tool execution system. This approach allows for persistent terminals alongside AI agents, offering a cohesive development experience without context switching.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Installation: Options include Homebrew (macOS), Chocolatey (Windows, pending review), direct download (Windows, macOS, Linux AppImage), a quick install script (curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tony1223/better-agent-terminal/main/install.sh | bash), or building from source.
• Prerequisites: Node.js 18+ and the Claude Code CLI (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code) are required. macOS builds necessitate Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install).
• Links: Download Latest Release

Highlighted Details

• Integrated Claude Code AI with permission controls, status line, and streaming output.
• Comprehensive Workspace Management: multi-workspace support, drag-and-drop, groups, profiles (local/remote), and detachable windows.
• Built-in File Browser with syntax highlighting and Git Viewer for commit history and diffs.
• Snippet Manager backed by SQLite for saving and organizing code snippets.
• Experimental Remote Access via WebSocket server, supporting BAT-to-BAT connections or mobile access via QR code; Tailscale is recommended for cross-network connections.
• Detailed Claude API usage monitoring, including token counts, cost, and rate limits.

Maintenance & Community

The project is authored by TonyQ (@tony1223) with contributions from several individuals including lmanchu, bluewings1211, Henry Hu, craze429, Owen, MikeThai, and Luke Chang. No specific community channels (e.g., Discord, Slack) are listed in the README.

Licensing & Compatibility

The project is released under the MIT License, which permits commercial use and integration into closed-source projects.

Limitations & Caveats

The Remote Access feature is explicitly labeled as experimental. The Chocolatey package is currently pending review. Building from source on macOS requires Xcode Command Line Tools.