Summary

Pane is an open-source, terminal-first AI agent manager designed for any CLI agent and any operating system (macOS, Windows, Linux). It simplifies multi-agent orchestration by abstracting the complexities of git worktrees and providing a unified interface for running and managing AI coding agents, aiming to improve developer workflow speed and reduce cognitive load.

How It Works

Pane operates on two core primitives: panes and tabs. Each pane represents an isolated workspace, typically backed by a git worktree, ensuring agents do not interfere with each other. Within a pane, multiple tabs can host agents, diff viewers, file explorers, or other CLI tools. The system is agent-agnostic, meaning any tool that runs in a terminal is compatible without requiring specific integrations, plugins, or SDKs. Pane also exposes an agent-operable CLI (runpane) that allows agents to programmatically manage the workspace, create new panes, and register repositories, enabling agents to orchestrate their own environment.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Primary install / run command: curl -fsSL https://runpane.com/install.sh | sh (Mac/Linux) or irm https://runpane.com/install.ps1 | iex (Windows PowerShell). One-shot commands like npx --yes runpane@latest are also available.
• Non-default prerequisites: Git installed and available in PATH. At least one AI coding agent CLI installed (e.g., @anthropic-ai/claude-code, @openai/codex, aider-chat).
• Links: Discord: https://discord.gg/BdMyubeAZn.

Highlighted Details

• Cross-Platform First: Explicitly designed for Windows, macOS, and Linux as first-class citizens, addressing common issues with AI tools on Windows.
• Agent Agnostic: Seamlessly integrates any CLI agent without plugins or SDKs, treating the terminal as the universal integration layer.
• Remote Pane: Enables self-hosting of agents and workspaces on remote machines (VMs, servers) while controlling them from a local Pane client or web app.
• Pane Chat: A global orchestrator terminal for coordinating multiple agents across repositories, panes, and review loops, distilling human discussion into actionable briefs.
• Git Worktree Abstraction: Automatically manages git worktrees for isolated agent workspaces, eliminating manual git worktree commands.
• Built-in Diff Viewer: Provides syntax-highlighted diff viewing directly within the application.
• Resource Monitoring: Includes CPU and memory monitoring per pane and process.

Maintenance & Community

• Developed by Dcouple Inc.
• Community support via Discord: https://discord.gg/BdMyubeAZn.

Licensing & Compatibility

• License Type: AGPL-3.0.
• Restrictions: Requires that any modified version deployed, including as a service, must also be open-sourced under the AGPL-3.0 license (copyleft). This may restrict commercial use in closed-source environments if modifications are made.

Limitations & Caveats

Pane functions as a management layer for AI agents, not as an editor or an agent itself. The AGPL-3.0 license's strong copyleft provisions necessitate that derived works must be open-sourced, which could be a significant consideration for commercial adoption or integration into proprietary systems.