ptrcode

A cross-platform AI agent terminal workspace. Built with Tauri v2, React, and xterm.js. Inspired by cmux (macOS).

Why I built this

My first idea was to just add Linux support for cmux directly, but after reading the PRs from their repo, I realized that if they really want to add support, they will eventually.

And that's where this project comes to life! I wanted to create something inspired by cmux that runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. I know Linux has tmux which is actually great, however the UI/UX from cmux has me fallen in love.

This project is open source. I have plans and more features for the future — especially multi-agent coordination workflows.

ptrcode is built to bring a fast, keyboard-first terminal workspace experience to all platforms with a native desktop app feel. The goal is to make multi-pane, multi-workspace development smooth without forcing users into a browser-only workflow or heavy IDE.

Project direction

• Near term: stable cross-platform releases with easy install paths
• Product quality: stronger polish in interaction, performance, and accessibility
• Power features: multi-agent swarm coordination (ptrcode's key differentiator)
• Distribution: broader packaging options after core release flow is stable

Features

• Workspaces: Organize terminals into separate workspaces with quick switching
• Flexible Pane Layouts: Split panes horizontally and vertically with resizable dividers
• Position-Based Navigation: Navigate between panes using arrow keys based on actual screen position
• Command Palette: Quick access to all commands via fuzzy search
• Customizable Keybindings: Remap any shortcut to your preference
• Persistent State: Workspaces and layouts are saved across sessions
• Cross-platform: Linux, macOS, and Windows

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

Download artifacts from the latest release:

https://github.com/cai0baa/ptrcode/releases/latest

AppImage (Linux, works on most distros)

gh release download --repo cai0baa/ptrcode --pattern "*.AppImage"
chmod +x ./*.AppImage
./*.AppImage

Debian/Ubuntu (.deb)

gh release download --repo cai0baa/ptrcode --pattern "*.deb"
sudo apt install ./*.deb

macOS (.dmg)

gh release download --repo cai0baa/ptrcode --pattern "*.dmg"

Open the .dmg and drag ptrcode to Applications.

macOS Security Warning: Because ptrcode is not yet notarized with Apple, macOS will show an "unverified developer" warning on first open. To bypass: right-click the app → Open → Open. Or from Terminal: xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/ptrcode.app

Windows (.zip portable or NSIS installer)

gh release download --repo cai0baa/ptrcode --pattern "*.zip"

Extract and run ptrcode.exe.

Windows Security Warning: Because ptrcode is not yet code-signed with an Authenticode certificate, Windows SmartScreen will warn "Windows protected your PC". Click More info → Run anyway to proceed.

Build from Source

Prerequisites

• Rust (latest stable)

• Node.js (v18+)

• System dependencies:

  # Debian/Ubuntu
  sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential curl wget file libssl-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev
  
  # Fedora
  sudo dnf install webkit2gtk4.1-devel openssl-devel curl wget file libappindicator-gtk3-devel librsvg2-devel
  
  # Arch
  sudo pacman -S webkit2gtk-4.1 base-devel curl wget file openssl appmenu-gtk-module libappindicator-gtk3 librsvg
  
  # macOS — install Xcode Command Line Tools
  xcode-select --install
  
  # Windows — install Visual Studio Build Tools with C++ workload

git clone https://github.com/cai0baa/ptrcode.git
cd ptrcode
npm install
npm run tauri dev       # development
npm run tauri build     # production build

Keyboard Shortcuts

All shortcuts use Ctrl-based modifiers.

Global

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+B	Toggle sidebar
Ctrl+Shift+P	Open command palette
Ctrl+,	Open keyboard shortcuts

Workspace

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Shift+N	New workspace
Ctrl+Tab	Next workspace
Ctrl+Shift+Tab	Previous workspace
Ctrl+Shift+W	Close workspace
Ctrl+1 - Ctrl+8	Jump to workspace 1-8
Ctrl+9	Jump to last workspace

Pane

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Alt+D	Split pane right
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D	Split pane down
Ctrl+Alt+W	Close active pane
Ctrl+Alt+Arrow	Focus pane in direction
Ctrl+Shift+Enter	Toggle pane zoom
Ctrl+Shift+H	Flash focused pane

Terminal

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Shift+F	Find in terminal

Architecture

• Frontend: React 19 + TypeScript + Vite
• Backend: Tauri v2 (Rust)
• Terminal: xterm.js with WebGL renderer
• State Management: Zustand with Immer
• Layout: Allotment (split panes)

License

GPL v3 - See LICENSE for details.

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by cmux from ManaFlow
• Built with Tauri, xterm.js, and React