Gvmux

Gvmux is a native macOS terminal built on libghostty, featuring vertical tabs, split panes, and Claude Code session tracking.

gvmux is a native macOS terminal application that wraps libghostty, providing a vertical tab sidebar, split panes, and live tracking for Claude Code sessions. It uses Ghostty's engine for GPU rendering, fonts, true color, kitty protocols, and reads your existing configuration files. The app supports split panes with directional focus, session restoration after a crash, and a drop-down terminal accessed via a global hotkey. It is designed for macOS users who want a sidebar-based tab layout with session management, clipboard security checks, and desktop notifications. Unique features include Claude Code session tracking with status dots, session export and import as JSON, and shell-based tab renaming.

Gvmux at a glance

Best for: Software engineer
Runs on: macOS
Pricing: Free
Released: October 2026
Category: AI coding tool
Website: gvmux-384478.gitlab.io

Key features

Vertical tab sidebar with custom colors and renaming
Split panes with draggable dividers and directional focus
Live Claude Code session tracking and status indicators
Session restore on relaunch and JSON session export
Ghostty configuration support with live updates
Drop-down terminal with global hotkey placement
Clipboard security checks and desktop notifications

Use it for

Managing multiple terminal tabs in a sidebar layout
Tracking active Claude Code sessions across tabs and panes
Restoring previous terminal sessions and directories after relaunch
Configuring drop-down terminal access via a global hotkey

Companions

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

Claude Code — Built to work with Claude Code.
Context7 — Provides up-to-date documentation for AI agents and code editors.
Playwright MCP — Enables LLMs to interact with web pages using structured accessibility snapshots.
GitHub MCP Server — Reads pull requests, issues and code search on GitHub.
Superpowers — Brainstorm, plan and execute skills for bigger tasks.
gstack — Skill bundle for planning, review and shipping.

Alternatives to Gvmux

cmux — It features vertical tabs, notification rings, and split panes for AI coding.
agterm — It organizes sessions into named workspaces and includes a local control API.
Tamio — It runs local Ghostty terminals, manages servers, and securely connects AI agents via MCP.
Harp — Manages multiple coding agents side by side with status tracking and limit rings.
Gtree — Runs multiple AI coding agents together and flags file overlaps.
Motty — It runs natively without Electron, providing fast startup and low idle resource use.
Pebrel — It brings local shells, remote hosts, and AI command-line tools into one workspace.
jevgrep — Reduces coding agent costs by providing targeted, relevant repository context.
claudecode.nvim — Adds native AI coding assistant functionality to Neovim.
tty7 — Background server architecture keeps sessions and builds running after quitting the app.
VTCode — It runs locally or hosted with sandboxed tools and resumable sessions.
Perch — Manages multiple Claude Code sessions and tracks pull request states in one place.

All Gvmux alternatives