[Feature]: Option to use agent CLIs directly instead of chat GUI #1321
Description
Before submitting
- I searched existing issues and did not find a duplicate.
- I am describing a concrete problem or use case, not just a vague idea.
Area
apps/desktop
Problem or use case
I thought about this because the current chat GUI is missing some Claude CLI stuff like voice mode for example, and adding every feature of every CLI is probably not possible.
Proposed solution
An option to have the Codex/Claude CLI instead of the chat GUI, or directly the terminal, just like it is available with quick actions.
The terminal panel already exists for shell commands, this instead of the chat GUI would be perfect.
Why this matters
- Probably easier to implement than adapting each agent-specific features to the app
- We get all the features from our CLIs without leaving the app
- More flexibility depending on the work we're doing
- Future proof against new agent CLIs and features
- We can use any CLI
Smallest useful scope
A toggle in the settings to switch to terminal mode, that either opens the project in terminal, or opens a CLI. Even without syncing the terminal session back to the chat history, this would already solve the core problem.
Alternatives considered
- Maximizing the existing terminal panel (feat: Allow Maximize terminal panel #449) and running the agent CLI there manually
- Using a separate terminal alongside T3 Code
Risks or tradeoffs
- Thread history via terminal will probably use each CLIs own way of keeping conversations
- This might seem counter to T3 Code's GUI-first approach, but it would make the app more accessible and cover more use cases
Examples or references
Cursor lacks multi-project management, but has integrated terminals
Contribution
- I would be open to helping implement this.