Stackbite

A local workspace for shells and agent CLIs, organized into Rooms and Seats. The app uses a Rust-native launcher, Room service, terminal owners and TUI.

Install

Install Node.js 20 or later, then open a new terminal and run:

npm install --global stackbite@latest
stackbite setup
stackbite

The npm package is a small launcher. setup downloads and verifies its pinned native bundle without opening the app; first launch also prepares it if needed. Later launches reuse the verified cache. npx --yes stackbite@latest also works. Install and sign in to your chosen provider CLI separately. You can also download and extract a native bundle and run its installer; that route needs no Node.js, Python or WSL. Keep the entire extracted archive together when using its installer.

Native bundles in 0.5.123: Windows x64, Linux x86_64 with GLIBC 2.28+, and Apple Silicon and Intel macOS 13+. Linux ARM and musl/Alpine bundles are not provided. This core release omits the optional Phone runtime. See release notes for changes and validation scope. Download and extract the entire archive from latest release.

Use

The sidebar manages Rooms and Seats. Menu opens actions and settings; Rooms and Files switch sidebar content. Files provides browsing and read-only Preview. Closing the window leaves daemon-owned work running. Room and Seat definitions and saved records persist; conversation resume depends on the provider and the recorded conversation identity.

Update and maintenance

stackbite --version
stackbite --status
stackbite update --check
stackbite update --apply
stackbite restart
stackbite stop --apply

update --apply installs the released runtime and coordinates engine transition. Live CLIs remain running by default; explicit Stop and Resume can move them to a new engine. Active Seats and older owners can finish transition separately; a client version alone does not prove every running engine has changed. restart recovers the local Room service while retaining definitions and records; it does not guarantee that every interrupted CLI resumes its prior conversation.

stackbite --help and stackbite agent --help describe the available commands. stackbite uninstall --preview shows removal scope before an explicit uninstall.

Distribution

This repository distributes installers, signed native release artifacts and the npm launcher. StackBite 0.5.122 and later are licensed under the StackBite License (see LICENSE); the first-party source is private. Releases 0.5.121 and earlier keep their MIT License. Bundled dependencies retain their own licenses and notices. See release notes for the actual platform validation and known limitations of each version. Published release: 0.5.123.

Keyboard shortcuts

Press Ctrl+B, then ? for Help. Use w for a new Room, c for a new Seat, f to focus the list, and q to close the window while keeping Seats running. These letters follow Ctrl+B. Change direct bindings in Settings → Keyboard shortcuts.