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bb

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bb is a local-first, open-source IDE for running coding agents in parallel, organizing their work in threads, and extending the workspace with plugins. It is designed for developers and teams that want to coordinate provider-based agents and customize their software workflow.

What is bb?

bb is a local-first IDE for working with coding agents. It brings agents such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Pi, OpenCode, Grok, omp, and Hermes into a shared workspace where each task can run in its own thread. The interface is built around active work, including agent status, tool activity, worktrees, diffs, terminals, and queued or running tasks.

The product is intended for developers who want to run several agent-led tasks, review their progress, and shape the surrounding workbench to match their process. It can be extended through plugins, and its CLI can be called by scripts, scheduled jobs, and external bots to start work that appears as a thread in the workspace.

bb is MIT-licensed and runs locally on the user’s machines while using the subscriptions of configured AI providers. The site documents downloads for macOS Apple Silicon and Linux, along with an npx path for Windows through WSL, Intel Macs, and remote machines.

What can bb do?

Multi-agent threads

Run agents including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Pi, OpenCode, Grok, omp, and Hermes in separate threads, so different tasks can be assigned to the provider or agent that fits them.

Worktree and change visibility

Follow agent activity alongside worktrees, terminals, diffs, edited files, test runs, and working-tree status while a task is in progress.

Plugin-based customization

Extend the workspace with plugins that can add sidebar panels, CLI commands, skills, agent memory, scheduled jobs, remote access, provider connections, and other tools. The built-in task-management example adds a panel, a bb tasks command, and an agent skill.

CLI and external automation

Use the same CLI from shell scripts, cron jobs, or external agents such as Hermes Agent and OpenClaw bots in Telegram, Signal, or Slack. These callers can spawn threads for later review.

Community plugin marketplace

Browse plugins across categories including thread management, agents and providers, code and reviews, memory and context, security, cloud and remote, and tasks and workflows.

Open-source deployment model

Fork the MIT-licensed project, customize agents, tools, and UI, and deploy a modified build. Agent usage runs on the configured provider subscriptions rather than a bb-billed plan.

Use Cases

“Parallel software maintenance”

Split work such as investigating an error, editing affected files, and running tests into separate agent threads, then review each thread’s changes and working-tree state from one workspace.

“Team-specific workbench”

Build a tailored internal setup by adding a task tracker, custom sidebar panels, skills, provider connections, or other plugins instead of adopting the default interface unchanged.

“Scheduled and asynchronous work”

Have a cron job, shell script, or external bot start a thread for work such as a nightly changelog or a CI investigation, then return to the waiting thread when review is convenient.

“Provider and agent selection”

Give different tasks to configured agents such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Pi, or OpenCode, and allow one agent to spawn or manage another in its own thread.

“Forked organizational deployment”

Use the MIT-licensed source as a starting point for a customized build with organization-specific agents, tools, and interface changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is bb?

bb is a local-first IDE for coordinating coding agents. It provides threads for agent work and exposes related activity such as tools, diffs, terminals, worktrees, and task status.

Which agents can be used in bb?

The homepage shows Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Pi, OpenCode, Grok, omp, and Hermes. The available marketplace also includes plugins for additional agents, providers, and routing, subject to their configuration requirements.

Can bb be customized?

Yes. bb supports plugins that can add panels, commands, skills, memory, scheduled jobs, remote access, provider connections, themes, and workflow tools. The project is also MIT-licensed, so its source can be forked and modified.

Can other programs start work in bb?

Yes. The site says the bb CLI can be called by shell scripts, cron jobs, or external agents such as Hermes Agent and OpenClaw bots in Telegram, Signal, or Slack. These callers can spawn a thread that appears in the sidebar.

How is agent usage billed?

The homepage states that agents run on the user’s existing provider subscriptions and are billed by those providers, not by bb. The site’s pricing page does not provide verified bb plan or usage-pricing details.

Quick Facts

Product type
Local-first IDE for coding agents
License
MIT-licensed and open source
Platforms
macOS Apple Silicon and Linux; Windows via WSL, Intel Macs, and remote machines are mentioned
Installation
Download or install with npx bb-app@latest
Workflow model
Multiple agent threads with CLI and external automation support
Extension model
Plugin marketplace with community plugins

bb Traffic Analysis

Traffic data is for reference only.

Domain Rating
44

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