# Zuse Alpha
A chat-first desktop app for developers who work with AI coding agents. Wraps Claude Code, Codex, Grok, Gemini, Cursor, and OpenCode in a persistent, project-aware interface — structured chat history, rich composer, file viewer, integrated terminal, git worktrees, and session management, all stored locally.
> Supports macOS and x64 Linux, with Windows x64 available as a test candidate. Requires at least one supported agent CLI installed.
---
## Install on Windows
Download the `windows-candidate-*` artifact from a successful
[Windows compatibility run](https://github.com/swarajbachu/zuse/actions/workflows/windows-tests.yml),
extract the ZIP, and run `Zuse-*-windows-x64-setup.exe`. These unsigned test
installers are not yet public releases; artifacts expire after seven days. The per-user installer does not require administrator access
and creates Start menu and desktop shortcuts.
Before starting an agent session, install and authenticate at least one of the
[supported agent CLIs](#supported-agents). Zuse discovers `.exe`, `.cmd`, and
`.bat` provider commands from `PATH` and uses Windows Credential Manager for
stored credentials.
---
## Install on Linux
Zuse currently ships x64 builds for Debian/Ubuntu and other Linux distributions
that can run AppImages.
### Debian and Ubuntu
Install the latest `.deb` release directly from a terminal:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/swarajbachu/zuse/main/scripts/install-linux.sh | sh
```
The installer downloads the `.deb` attached to the latest GitHub release,
verifies its GitHub-published SHA-256 digest, and uses `apt`, which installs
Zuse's Secret Service and Avahi runtime dependencies. You may be prompted for
your `sudo` password.
### Other distributions
Download the latest x64 `.AppImage` from
[GitHub Releases](https://github.com/swarajbachu/zuse/releases/latest), then run:
```bash
chmod +x Zuse-*-linux-x86_64.AppImage
./Zuse-*-linux-x86_64.AppImage
```
AppImage users must provide a Secret Service implementation, such as GNOME
Keyring or KWallet. Install `avahi-publish-service` if you want nearby-device
discovery.
Before starting an agent session, install and authenticate at least one of the
[supported agent CLIs](#supported-agents). If a CLI installed through a version
manager is not detected, set its absolute binary path in Zuse's provider
settings.
---
## Supported agents
| Provider | CLI |
|---|---|
| Claude | `claude` |
| Codex | `codex` |
| Grok | `grok` |
| Gemini | `gemini` |
| Cursor | `cursor` |
| OpenCode | `opencode` |
| Pi | `pi` |
---
Pi: install with `npm install -g --ignore-scripts @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent`, then run `pi` and `/login`. See the [Pi provider guide](apps/docs/content/docs/providers/pi.mdx) for binary settings and native permissions.
## What's shipped
### Agent sessions
- Start and stop sessions for any supported provider, in a project or a standalone thread
- Choose **No project** or press `Cmd/Ctrl+Alt+N` to start a thread in its own `~/.zuse/threads/<date>-<short-id>` folder on the selected computer; deleting the thread keeps its files
- Full streaming chat timeline — tool calls, thinking blocks, diffs, error bubbles
- Turn summaries and loader states
- Rate-limit error bubble with reset time
- Answered `AskUserQuestion` cards rendered inline in the timeline
### Composer
- Slash commands: `/clear`, `/new`, `/model`, `/mode`, `/help`
- `@`-mention file picker — fuzzy search any project file, inserts as an inline chip
- Image and PDF attachments (drag-drop, paste, or button)
- Plan mode with `AskUserQuestion` card and `Shift+Tab` flow
- Mid-turn message queue
### Permission system
- Smart permission policy with always-allow and per-session overrides
- Redesigned permission prompt as a composer-slot card
- Permission inspector
### Sub-agents
- Cost-saving delegation — Opus 4.7 can spawn Haiku or Sonnet for sub-tasks
- Collapsible wrapper rows in the chat timeline
- Per-agent token accounting
### Git worktrees
- Per-chat git worktrees — each session gets an isolated working tree
- Per-repo settings
- Scoped `@`-mentions within a worktree
### Cloud workspaces
- Run invited coding-agent sessions in hosted E2B workspaces that continue when the desktop app closes
- Send text messages while compute sleeps; Zuse accepts them into an encrypted durable mailbox, wakes the workspace, and shows delivery progress without duplicate provider sends
- Open a workspace through its managed `ssh zuse-<workspace>` alias without exposing a public SSH listener
- Keep a one-way, remote-authoritative Mac mirror under `~/.zuse/cloud/` that pauses on disconnect and resumes with fresh access
- Open dev servers privately on Mac `localhost`; public E2B preview URLs remain an explicit copy action
### PR & Changes pane
- PR tab with markdown rendering
- Changes tab with diff view
- Commit composer
- Checks tab with CI status glyphs
### File viewer & editor
- File tree with Material Icon Theme file-type icons
- Click-to-open any file in the main pane
- CodeMirror 6 editor — TS/TSX, JS, JSON, Markdown, HTML, CSS, Python, Rust, Go
- Inline previews for PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, and AVIF images
- `Cmd+S` to save, mtime-based optimistic concurrency
### Layout & UI
- Three-pane layout: sidebar / chat / files+terminal
- `Cmd+K` opens a compact, scrollable palette with five recent chats, quick actions, settings destinations, and workspace/navigation commands; search together, or type `>` for commands only
- `Cmd+P` searches files in the current project or worktree, also available from quick actions and the file-tree header
- Resizable panes
- Top bar with active session info
- PTY terminal (Ghostty VT + node-pty)
- macOS Keep Mac awake modes: Auto while an agent or authenticated remote
client is active, Always, or Off, with live status in General settings
### Persistence & distribution
- SQLite stores projects, sessions, messages, tool calls across restarts
- Keychain-backed API keys (no plaintext storage)
- Signed + notarized macOS universal `.dmg` (Apple Silicon + Intel)
- Linux x64 `.AppImage` and Debian/Ubuntu `.deb`
- Windows x64 NSIS test installer (public release and update qualification pending)
- In-app auto-update via GitHub Releases
---
## Tech stack
| | |
|---|---|
| Shell | Electron 42 |
| Renderer | React 19 + TypeScript + Vite |
| Styling | Tailwind CSS v4 + shadcn/ui (zinc dark) |
| State | Zustand (ephemeral) + SQLite (persistent) |
| IPC | @effect/rpc with Electron IPC transport |
| Runtime | Effect.ts (Layer, Stream, Schema) |
| Terminal | Ghostty VT (WebAssembly/native) + node-pty |
| Editor | CodeMirror 6 |
| Monorepo | Bun workspaces + Turbo |
---
## Monorepo layout
```
apps/
desktop/ Electron shell
renderer/ React UI (Vite)
server/ All backend logic — Effect Layers
web/ Next.js marketing site
packages/
contracts/ @zuse/contracts — typed RPC contracts + branded IDs
ui/ Shared React components
specs/
0.01-MVP/ Foundation
0.02-MVP/ File viewer & editor
0.03-MVP/ Composer 2.0
0.04-MVP/ Code index (spec complete, not yet built)
sub-agents/ Sub-agent delegation
```
## Documentation
- [Public documentation](apps/docs/content/docs): published customer-facing content
- [Repository cloud guides](internal-docs/cloud/README.md): workspace usage, public API,
Slack automations, and operations
### Internal and contributor references
- [Internal documentation map](internal-docs/README.md) — engineering and operator references
- [Desktop design system](DESIGN.md) — visual foundations, component patterns,
accessibility, and responsive behavior
- [Realtime runtime](internal-docs/architecture/realtime-runtime.md) — the durable
session and ClientBus path shared by local, SSH, and cloud environments
- [Unified computers](internal-docs/specs/unified-computers.md) — environment and sandbox
domain model
- [Context map](CONTEXT-MAP.md) — domain contexts and their ownership relationships
---
## Dev setup
```bash
# Install
bun install
# Dev (renderer + Electron)
bun dev
# Build
turbo build
# Package macOS DMG (signed)
bun run dist:mac
# Package macOS DMG (unsigned, local testing)
bun run dist:mac:unsigned
# Package Linux AppImage and deb
bun run dist:linux
# Package Linux without publishing
bun run dist:linux:unsigned
# Package Windows installer without publishing (PowerShell)
bun run dist:win:unsigned
```
Use Bun 1.3.10 and Node.js 24 for Windows builds. Run these commands from
PowerShell with Python and Visual Studio C++ build tools installed: native
`node-pty` and `keytar` bindings are rebuilt for Electron. See the
[Windows qualification guide](internal-docs/desktop/windows-qualification.md).
Changes to the macOS awake controller require the
[physical MacBook release check](internal-docs/testing/mac-computer-awake.md), including
assertion and best-effort closed-lid verification.
The default install uses the public icon set and does not require registry
credentials. Contributors can clone the repository and run the commands above
without any additional setup.
Licensed developers can opt into the paid icon styles by exporting
`HUGEICONS_TOKEN` before `bun install`. The install hook downloads the licensed
packages into an isolated local directory; they are never added to the public
workspace dependency graph. If lifecycle scripts were disabled, run
`bun run icons:install-paid`, then confirm the active set with
`bun run icons:status --expect=paid`.
The packaging commands build artifacts into `dist/`. End-user installation
instructions are in [Install on Windows](#install-on-windows) and
[Install on Linux](#install-on-linux).
---
## License and acknowledgements
Except where third-party terms apply, Zuse's source code is licensed under the
[GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 only](LICENSE) (`AGPL-3.0-only`).
Small areas with close correspondence to MIT-licensed upstream software retain
the applicable copyright and permission notice. Reference-driven pull requests,
library foundations, and the code-level inventory are documented in
[Attribution and provenance](THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md).
Zuse also builds on ideas and foundations from the wider open-source community.
We are grateful to the contributors whose work made this project possible.
