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Herdr has released a native desktop app for managing terminal work and coding agents, according to the project’s GitHub documentation. The app organizes work into spaces, tabs and panes, and can keep terminals running after its window closes; it supports Linux, macOS and Windows, with platform-specific requirements.
Herdr has released a native desktop app for organizing terminal sessions and coding agents, according to the project’s GitHub documentation. The app is aimed at people coordinating work across terminals and agents, with features for grouping tasks, viewing agent status and keeping terminal processes running after the app window closes.
The app arranges work into spaces, tabs and panes. A space typically holds work on one machine, often for one repository; tabs can be split into panes to show terminals or panels side by side. Herdr’s agents sidebar gathers agents from a user’s spaces into one list. When an agent reports its status, it can appear as working, blocked, done or idle. Selecting an agent opens its activity, and a worker without its own pane can be viewed in a temporary peek.
A central design distinction is that the window arranges terminals while Herdr’s core runs them. Closing the window leaves terminals running, while closing a pane or tab ends the terminals attached to it. The project says that after a reboot or core crash, kept panes reopen with fresh shells in their previous folders; they do not resume the programs that were running before the interruption.
Herdr documents installation for Linux, macOS and Windows. Linux builds are listed for x86-64 and ARM64 and require a desktop session and a working Vulkan driver. The macOS release is for Apple Silicon; Intel Mac users can build from source. The Windows instructions specify x64 Windows 10 version 1803 or newer, with curl and tar installed. The project also notes that its installers download and run code, and advises users who prefer to inspect installation scripts to read them before running them.
Keeping Terminal Work Running
For developers and people using coding agents, Herdr’s main practical distinction is the separation between the desktop window and the processes running in its core. Closing the interface does not, by itself, stop open terminals. That can help users leave a session running while closing the app or, for remote work, while a laptop sleeps, provided the remote machine and its core remain available.
The app also brings agent status and terminal organization into one interface. A status list can help users spot agents waiting for input or finished while their attention was elsewhere. These are product capabilities described by the project, not independent evidence that the app improves productivity or prevents lost work. Its recovery behavior has a clear limit: after a reboot or core crash, the panes receive fresh shells, not the previous running programs.
Remote-machine support may matter to users who divide work between a laptop and a server. Herdr says users can add a machine through SSH settings, and that spaces on it run on that machine. The remote core must remain up for terminals to continue running. This makes the project’s distinction between local interface and machine-side processes relevant to how users plan for disconnections and outages.
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How Herdr Organizes Work
The release is presented as a desktop app for terminals and coding agents, rather than as a standalone agent model or a replacement for the command-line tools a user runs. The documentation says the app works with a separate component called herdr-core, which runs terminals. Installers add the core if it is missing, and the app can help install or update a core it cannot use.
Users can add SSH machines from Settings or the sidebar. According to the project, spaces, tabs, splits and live terminals on a machine are held in that machine’s core. Connected screens share that structure and the live terminals, but keep separate focus and zoom states. The project also describes layouts and “mods,” small JavaScript programs that draw panels, menus and dialogs. It warns that mods are trusted code, not sandboxed extensions, and recommends reading its security and privacy guidance before installing another person’s mod.
Herdr’s documentation lists installers and source-build instructions but does not provide a release date, pricing information, adoption figures or an independent evaluation. It says release builds check for updates in the background and download a new app alongside the running one; the update takes over after the user quits and reopens the app, or chooses an update action. Usage telemetry is on by default in release builds, with an option to turn it off in Settings under Privacy.
“The window arranges terminals. The core runs them.”
— Herdr project documentation on GitHub
Release Details Still Unspecified
The project’s supplied documentation confirms the app’s features and installation paths, but it does not state when the release became available, whether it is a stable or preview release, or whether the software is free or paid. It also provides no user numbers, performance comparisons or independent testing. Those details cannot be established from the project material provided.
Some platform conditions may affect whether a user can install or run the app. Linux requires a desktop session and a working Vulkan driver; macOS binaries are listed for Apple Silicon, while Intel Mac users are directed to source builds. Herdr does not specify in this documentation which Linux distributions or desktop environments have been tested. Its Windows instructions list minimum operating-system and tool requirements, but do not describe a broader compatibility test matrix.
The documentation says telemetry is enabled by default in release builds and can be disabled in Settings, but the supplied material does not detail what data is collected or how long it is retained. It also warns that installer commands download and run code, without providing an independent security review. Users should consult the project’s installer, privacy and security materials before deciding whether those arrangements suit their needs.
Installation and Project Updates
Users can follow the installation instructions on Herdr’s GitHub project page. The documentation provides a shell installer for Linux and macOS, a PowerShell installer for Windows, and a disk-image option for Apple Silicon Macs. Because these installers download and run code, Herdr advises users who want to inspect them to read the relevant script first. The project says the installer can also add herdr-core if it is not already present.
After installation, users can explore the command palette, settings, layouts and agent sidebar. Herdr documents background update checks for installed releases: an update downloads beside the running app and takes effect after reopening or selecting the update action. Users can check Settings for available updates. The project has not announced a dated next milestone in the supplied material, so further release timing and planned features remain unknown.
The repository also invites bug reports, mod API requests and code contributions, and includes instructions for building and testing from source. Its documentation names Rust and Zig versions used in continuous integration and lists build recipes for contributors. Any later changes to supported platforms, privacy settings or release status will need to be confirmed through updated project documentation or announcements.
Key Questions
What is Herdr’s new app?
Herdr is a desktop app for arranging terminal sessions and viewing coding-agent activity. Its interface groups work into spaces, tabs and panes, while a separate core runs the terminals.
Which operating systems does Herdr support?
The project lists Linux, macOS and Windows installation options. Linux builds are for x86-64 and ARM64 and need a desktop session and working Vulkan driver. The macOS release is for Apple Silicon; Windows instructions cover x64 Windows 10 version 1803 or newer.
Do terminals stop when the Herdr window closes?
Closing the window leaves terminals running, according to Herdr’s documentation. Closing a pane or tab ends its terminals. Remote sessions also depend on the remote machine and its core staying up.
Does Herdr restore programs after a crash or reboot?
Not according to the supplied documentation. After a reboot or core crash, kept panes reopen with fresh shells in their previous folders, rather than resuming the programs that had been running.
What should users know about installers and telemetry?
Herdr says its installers download and run code and advises users to read the scripts first if they prefer. Usage telemetry is on by default in release builds, with an option to disable it in Settings; the supplied material does not detail what data is collected.
Source: github.com
