AI Code Assistant

cmux

cmux is a native macOS terminal for coding agents, with tabs, panes, notifications, automation, and browser integration.

What is cmux?

cmux is a macOS terminal app designed to help developers organize many terminal-based workflows, especially coding agents, with vertical tabs, split panes, notifications, browser integration, and automation.

cmux vs Similar AI Tools

Pricing ModelFreeFree, FreemiumFreeFree
Free Credits
Key Features
  • Vertical tabs with sidebar context for branch, directory, ports, and notifications
  • Notification rings, unread badges, popovers, and macOS desktop notifications
  • In-app browser that can be split alongside the terminal
  • Voice-controlled AI coding sessions
  • Multi-model support (Codex, Claude, Cursor, Gemini)
  • Approval workflows for sensitive actions
  • Zero-config auto-discovery of services by analyzing codebases (Go, Node, Python, Rust, Java, Docker, K8s, Helm, Terraform, OpenAPI, GraphQL, Proto)
  • Interactive 2D dependency graph for visualizing software architecture and relationships
  • Automated compliance scorecards for services based on documentation, ownership, containerization, and API specs
  • Autocompletion with descriptions on `/` and `$`
  • Go to definition and find references
  • F2 rename with editor undo (folder, frontmatter, and references update as one edit)
Pros
  • Built specifically for coding agents and multitasking
  • Native macOS app with GPU-accelerated rendering
  • Enables coding from mobile devices
  • Voice control reduces context switching
  • Extremely lightweight (<30MB RAM) single binary with no external dependencies
  • Zero configuration required for basic functionality; auto-discovery works out of the box
  • Eliminates silent errors from stale skill references
  • Provides IDE-grade refactoring for agent skills
Cons
  • macOS only
  • Not a tmux replacement for every workflow
  • Requires reliable voice recognition
  • Limited to supported AI models
  • Requires Go build to compile from source; no pre-built binaries readily available
  • Auto-discovery may not fully capture complex enterprise service architectures
  • Only supports markdown files in specific directories
  • Requires manual editor configuration
Best For
  • Mac developers
  • AI coding agent users
  • Developers who frequently code away from their desk
  • Teams wanting to review code changes on mobile
  • Platform engineering teams looking for a lightweight service catalog
  • Developers wanting to visualize microservice dependencies
  • Developers managing AI agent skill libraries
  • Teams using Claude, Codex, or similar agent systems

How to use cmux?

  1. 1Download the macOS app from the latest release.
  2. 2Install and open cmux on your Mac.
  3. 3Create tabs and split panes to separate workflows.
  4. 4Use the sidebar, notifications, and browser panel to track agent activity.
  5. 5Connect automation through the CLI or socket API when needed.
  6. 6Customize keyboard shortcuts and terminal behavior for your workflow.

cmux Key Features

  • Vertical tabs with sidebar context for branch, directory, ports, and notifications
  • Notification rings, unread badges, popovers, and macOS desktop notifications
  • In-app browser that can be split alongside the terminal
  • Horizontal and vertical split panes within tabs
  • Scriptable automation through a CLI and socket API
  • GPU-accelerated rendering powered by libghostty
  • Native Swift + AppKit macOS app
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts and cmux-specific shortcuts

cmux Use Cases

  • Managing multiple coding agents in one organized workspace
  • Monitoring long-running terminal jobs that need attention
  • Splitting terminal and browser views for research or debugging
  • Automating agent workflows with CLI or socket commands
  • Keeping development tabs organized by branch, project, and port

cmux Pricing & Free Credits

cmux currently operates on a Free model.

This tool is completely free to use

Free

$0

Free to use and source-available on GitHub.

cmux Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Built specifically for coding agents and multitasking
  • Native macOS app with GPU-accelerated rendering
  • Useful notifications and visual attention cues
  • Browser integration and terminal splits in one app
  • Automation support via CLI and socket API

Cons

  • macOS only
  • Not a tmux replacement for every workflow
  • Requires a Mac and terminal-based tools to get the most value

What is cmux best for?

  • Mac developers
  • AI coding agent users
  • Developers running many terminal workflows
  • Users who want a native alternative to tmux-style organization
  • Teams that need visual alerts for terminal tasks

cmux FAQ

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