Coucou

Coucou is a coding assistant companion app monitors AI coding agent sessions, manages permissions, and displays live updates from the screen notch or top edge.

Coucou is a desktop companion featuring an interactive character that monitors AI coding agent sessions like Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, and Antigravity. It runs in the Mac's notch or at the top of the screen on Windows and Linux. Users can approve agent permissions, view live file edits, chat with various AI models including local models via Ollama and LM Studio, and track plan usage. The application supports drag-and-drop file interactions and integrates with services such as GitHub, Stripe, Vercel, and Notion. Built natively with Swift and SwiftUI on macOS and Tauri on Windows and Linux, it stores keys securely using the system keychain or credential manager.

Coucou at a glance

Best for: Software engineer
Runs on: macOS, Windows, Linux, Web, API
Pricing: Free and open source
Released: September 2026
Category: AI coding tool
Website: github.com/Louis-CFM/coucou

Key features

Monitor live AI coding agent sessions step by step
Approve or deny agent permission requests directly from the screen edge
Chat with Claude, Gemini, OpenAI, or local models
Track plan usage limits for Claude
Drag and drop files onto the character interface
Attach windows as context for AI sessions
Control Apple Music playback and view service integrations

Use it for

Approving AI agent permission requests without switching windows
Monitoring live file edits and diffs during coding sessions
Chatting with local or cloud-based AI models from the menu bar
Tracking GitHub PRs, CI status, and deployment updates

Companions

Tools that articles about Coucou recommend using with it, each with its job.

Context7 — Provides up-to-date documentation for AI agents and code editors.
Ollama — Run local models at zero marginal cost, with code kept on your machine.
OpenRouter — Access over 500 models and 80 providers through one unified API.
Daytona — Runs sessions in isolated sandboxes synced to git branches.
Oh My OpenCode Slim — Lightweight multi-agent orchestration and background tasks.

Alternatives to Coucou

Kolo — Teams share one browser session to watch, type, and control AI agents together.
Cognicore — Persists agent context across tools, sessions, and terminals.
cmux — It features vertical tabs, notification rings, and split panes for AI coding.
OpenCode — Works with 75+ model providers, local models, and existing subscriptions
jevgrep — Reduces coding agent costs by providing targeted, relevant repository context.
Alcubi — Run multiple coding agents concurrently without managing live sessions.
Composio — Equips AI agents with tools, managed user auth, and sandboxes across 1,500+ apps
CopilotKit — Connects your application to AI agents with generative UI and human approvals.
GitHub Copilot — Built into GitHub, with Claude and Codex agents on the same plan
opcode — Turns terminal Claude Code workflows into an intuitive visual interface.
Agent Pets — Approve agent permission prompts and send replies directly from any browser tab
AgentDock — Manages multiple coding agents from one screen-edge inbox without switching tabs.

All Coucou alternatives