aTerm
A modern terminal workspace designed for agentic coding workflows. Run AI coding assistants (Claude Code, Aider, OpenCode) alongside your shell, dev server, and git panel in a unified, project-based interface.
Why aTerm?
When working with AI coding agents, you need multiple terminals running simultaneously:
- AI Assistant - Claude Code, Aider, or OpenCode doing the heavy lifting
- Shell - Running commands, checking outputs
- Dev Server - Watching your app in real-time
- Tests - Running test suites
aTerm gives you predefined layouts optimized for these workflows, with instant project switching and persistent terminals that stay alive in the background.
Features
- Agentic Layouts - Pre-configured for AI-assisted development (AI + Shell, AI + Dev + Shell, AI + Git)
- Project Workspaces - Switch between projects instantly with Cmd+1-9, terminals persist in background
- Task Worktrees - Create tasks backed by git worktrees to work on multiple features in parallel
- Built-in Code Editor - Monaco-powered editor with file explorer, syntax highlighting, and Cmd+P file search
- Built-in Git Panel - Stage, commit, push, view diffs, and edit files inline with a Diff/Edit toggle
- Multi-Agent Support - Claude Code, Aider, OpenCode, Cursor, and custom commands
- Split Panes - Right-click to split with any profile, drag borders to resize
- Pane Renaming - Double-click or right-click to rename panes
- Scratch Notes - Per-project markdown scratchpad for quick notes (Shift+Cmd+N)
- Transient Terminals - Quick standalone terminals with Cmd+N, not tied to any project
- Maximize Mode - Shift+Cmd+Enter to focus on a single pane
- Per-Pane Font Size - Cmd+Plus/Minus to adjust individual pane fonts
- Themes - Midnight, Dracula, Nord, Tokyo Night, Gruvbox
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd+1-9 | Switch to project 1-9 |
| Cmd+B | Toggle sidebar |
| Cmd+N | New transient terminal |
| Cmd+P | File search |
| Shift+Cmd+G | Toggle git panel |
| Shift+Cmd+E | Toggle editor pane |
| Shift+Cmd+N | Scratch notes |
| Shift+Cmd+Enter | Maximize/restore focused pane |
| Shift+Cmd+[ / ] | Previous/next pane |
| Shift+Cmd+M | Minimize pane |
| Cmd+D | Split pane with shell |
| Cmd+W | Close focused pane |
| Cmd++ | Increase font size |
| Cmd+- | Decrease font size |
| Cmd+K | Clear terminal |
Default Layouts
| Layout | Panes |
|---|---|
| AI + Shell | Claude Code (2/3) + Shell (1/3) |
| AI + Dev + Shell | Claude Code + Dev Server (top), Shell (bottom) |
| AI + Git | Claude Code (2/3) + Git Panel (1/3) |
| Focused AI | Single Claude Code pane |
| Quad | 4 panes in 2x2 grid |
Installation
macOS (Apple Silicon)
Download the latest .dmg from Releases - signed and notarized.
Build from Source
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Development
npm run tauri dev
# Production build
npm run tauri build
Stack
- Frontend: React 18 + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui
- Terminal: xterm.js with fit addon
- Editor: Monaco (VS Code engine) with language detection
- Backend: Tauri 2 (Rust) with portable-pty
- Drag & Drop: @dnd-kit for pane reordering
Configuration
Config stored in ~/Library/Application Support/aterm/config.json:
- Projects - Name, path, git remote, AI provider, layout
- Profiles - Terminal presets (command, accent color)
- Layouts - Custom pane arrangements
Related Projects
- AgentOS - A mobile-first web UI for managing AI coding sessions (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) from any device. While aTerm is a native desktop terminal workspace, AgentOS provides browser-based access with xterm.js terminals, git worktree support, and a conductor/worker session orchestration pattern. Choose aTerm for a native multi-pane desktop experience, or AgentOS for mobile and remote access.
- LumifyHub - Team collaboration platform with real-time chat and structured documentation. Useful alongside aTerm for coordinating multi-agent work across a team — share session context, document architectural decisions from coding sessions, and track progress across parallel agent workflows.
License
MIT