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Orca

A desktop app for running several coding agents side by side, each in its own git worktree.

Stars
113k
Forks
7.2k
Licence
MIT
Language
TypeScript
Last update
4 days ago
Type
App

What it is

Orca is a desktop application (with a mobile companion) where you run coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode or Pi at the same time. Each agent gets its own isolated git worktree, and everything is tracked in one place. You can compare results from several agents and keep the one you want.

  • Send one prompt to several agents, each working in a separate worktree, then compare and merge the best result
  • Monitor agents from your phone and get notified when one finishes
  • Run agents on a remote server over SSH with file editing, git and terminals
  • Click a UI element in an embedded Chromium browser and send its HTML, CSS and screenshot into an agent prompt

Great for

  • Developers who already use CLI coding agents and want to run several at once
  • People who want to compare outputs from different agents on the same prompt
  • Developers who work on remote machines and want agents running there over SSH
  • Teams that review AI-generated diffs and want to annotate them before committing

Not ideal for

  • People who do not use coding agents, since the core value depends on running them
  • Users who need a fully browser-based tool, because the README describes a desktop app with a separate mobile companion
  • Anyone who needs a clearly documented, stable feature list, since the README says the changelog is the real feature list and changes often
Step-by-step guide: how to use OrcaInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

How to get it

  1. 1

    Download the app

    Download the desktop app from the releases page (macOS, Windows, Linux builds are listed)

    git clone https://github.com/stablyai/orca
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Download the installer for your platform from the Orca download page or the GitHub releases page
    • Install and open Orca
    • Sign in to or configure the coding agent you want to use, such as Claude Code or Codex
    • Create a worktree for a task and start an agent in it
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Use Parallel Worktrees to send one prompt to several agents and compare results
    • Install the mobile companion to get notified when an agent finishes and send follow-ups
    • Use Design Mode to send UI element HTML, CSS and screenshots into an agent prompt
    • Use the Orca CLI (orca worktree create, snapshot, click, fill) to script workflows
    • Use SSH Worktrees to run agents on a more powerful remote machine

Downloads

Strengths

  • Runs agents in isolated git worktrees, so parallel work does not collide
  • Works with any CLI agent that runs in a terminal, according to the README
  • Released under the MIT license and the source is public

Trade-offs

  • The README is truncated and short on setup detail, so the full requirements are unclear from it
  • Feature list is described as perpetually behind, so the documentation may not match the current app
  • Requires you to bring your own agent subscriptions or accounts

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
orca (this)113kAppintermediate4 days agoDevelopers who already use CLI coding agents and want to run several at once
claudian15.9kAppintermediate4 days agoObsidian users who already use Claude Code or Codex and want that agent inside their notes
cc-switch151kAppbeginner4 days agoDevelopers who use several AI coding agents and switch between API providers often
OmniRoute83.8kAppintermediate4 days agoDevelopers who use several AI coding tools and want one place to configure providers
happy24.4kAppintermediate4 days agoDevelopers who already pay for Claude, Codex or Grok subscriptions and want one interface for them
hermes-agent260kAI model / agentintermediate4 days agoDevelopers who want a personal agent they can host on their own server or machine

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.