Herdr

Overview

Herdr is a runtime for coding agents. It runs terminals inside a background server, keeps multiple agents and projects organized, and lets you detach without stopping work. It supports local and SSH-connected machines and marks agents as working, blocked, or idle so waiting agents are visible.

Key Features

• Detach without stopping work: terminals continue in a background server when the client closes or an SSH connection drops.
• Several machines, one window: local work and saved SSH machines appear together with a combined agent list and independent reconnects.
• Agent status tracking: panes are marked working, blocked, or idle, and Herdr flags an agent that stops and needs an answer.
• Agent-native control: agents can drive Herdr through the CLI and socket API to split panes, prompt each other, and wait until another agent is blocked.
• Works with existing agent CLIs: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, opencode, Grok, and others run in Herdr-owned terminals rather than being wrapped or replaced.
• Keyboard and mouse first-class: tmux-style prefix keys plus click, drag, and split interactions; plugins extend panes and workflows.

Use Cases

• Running several coding agents across projects without keeping a terminal client open.
• Returning to the same agent workspaces from another machine and reattaching to running terminals.
• Monitoring a group of agents to find one that is blocked and needs input.
• Automating agent-to-agent workflows through the CLI and socket API.

Getting Started

• Install with the curl install script, Homebrew via brew install herdr, mise via mise use -g herdr, the Windows PowerShell install script, or published binaries.
• Start Herdr with the herdr command where the work lives, run agents and split panes, then use ctrl+b q to detach and herdr to reattach.

Deployment & Requirements

• Supported operating systems are macOS, Linux, and Windows.
• Herdr runs as a single Rust binary and does not use Electron; it runs in the terminal you already use.
• A background Herdr server owns the terminals, allowing clients to detach and reconnect.
• Windows has an endpoint-protected install option, and installation is also available through Homebrew, mise, install scripts, and released binaries.

Before You Adopt

• License: Apache-2.0. Review its terms before using, modifying, or distributing the project.
• After a server or machine restart, Herdr restores the saved layout and can resume supported agent sessions, but the original processes do not survive.
• Connecting additional machines currently relies on SSH.