Hive

Open source alternative to Conductor

474 stars
MIT
Active this week
Last commit 3 days ago

Last verified Nov 5, 2026

Orchestrate Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode sessions across isolated git worktrees from a unified desktop workspace.

Visit website GitHub474

Read the full breakdownWho it is for, how it works, trade-offs, the quick start and the FAQ

who it's for

Who Hive is for#

Solo developers running multiple AI coding sessions in parallel

If you regularly run two or more Claude Code or Codex sessions on separate features or branches, Hive replaces the terminal tab juggling with a single window. You create a task, assign it to an agent, and check back when the worktree branch is ready to review.

Skip if:

If you run only one agent session at a time, the worktree management overhead in Hive adds more than it removes. A single terminal window with the agent CLI is simpler for single-threaded workflows.

Full-stack engineers working across frontend and backend repos

Hive's cross-repo context feature links multiple repositories so a single agent session sees your full stack. For engineers maintaining a frontend and backend that change together, this avoids constant context-switching between separate windows or repositories.

Skip if:

If your frontend and backend are in a monorepo, the multi-repo linking feature does not apply. Hive still provides worktree isolation, but cross-repo context is unnecessary in that setup.

Teams migrating from a commercial AI agent orchestrator

Hive covers kanban task tracking, per-agent branch isolation, and session management, the core workflow commercial AI orchestrators already provide. The MIT license and self-hosted model mean there is no subscription to maintain and no service outage risk.

Skip if:

If your team relies on collaboration or sharing features not yet in Hive, check the roadmap and open issues before switching. The plugin system and team collaboration features are listed as upcoming, not yet released.

the problem

The problem it solves#

Running multiple AI coding agents across a codebase quickly turns into a coordination problem. With six or more terminal tabs open, it becomes hard to track which agent is working on which feature, and the risk of two sessions writing conflicting changes to the same branch is constant. The standard workaround is manually creating git worktrees and switching context between terminal windows, but nothing ties these sessions together or tracks their progress.

The overhead multiplies as the number of agents grows: creating a worktree for each task, remembering which branch belongs to which agent, cleaning up branches after merging, and maintaining context across a frontend and backend repo in separate windows. These are real problems, but they consume time that should go toward reviewing and shipping the agents' output.

how Hive solves it

How it solves it#

Kanban Board for Agent Tasks

Create tasks on a board and send them directly to agent sessions. Each task moves through Todo, In Progress, and Done columns, so you can see the state of every running agent at a glance without opening a terminal. Tasks are assigned to worktree sessions rather than a chat history.

Per-Agent Git Worktree Isolation

Every agent session runs on its own git worktree branch. Two agents working on the same repository never touch the same working tree, which eliminates merge conflicts during parallel work. Hive creates, names, and manages the worktrees; you merge only when you are satisfied with the result.

Claude Code, OpenCode, and Codex Sessions

Start AI coding sessions for any of the three supported agents directly inside Hive. Responses stream in real time, tool calls are visible as they execute, and permission approvals appear in the session view. Full undo/redo support keeps you in control of what the agent commits.

Worktree Connections

Link two worktrees together so an agent in one branch can see files and changes from another. The README documents this for frontend/backend coordination, where the agent on the API layer needs context from the UI repo. Connected worktrees update in real time as changes land in either branch.

Cross-Repo AI Context

Link multiple repositories into a single session so one agent has visibility across your entire stack: frontend, backend, and shared types. The README shows this pattern with three linked repos so the agent never needs to guess at inter-repo boundaries or miss a type contract change.

Integrated File Explorer with Monaco Editor

Browse the working tree with live git status indicators showing modified and staged files. Open diffs inline, view file history, and edit files in the integrated Monaco editor without leaving Hive. Common git operations (commit, push, pull, and branch management) are available through the UI.

strengths · trade-offs

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

MIT License with No Usage RestrictionsHive is MIT licensed, so you can run it, fork it, and modify it for commercial or internal use without restrictions. There is no seat count, no usage cap, and no licensing fee. The source is on GitHub and contributions are accepted via pull requests.
macOS, Windows, and Linux SupportHive ships installers for all three platforms. macOS gets a Homebrew cask for one-command setup. Windows and Linux users download signed installers (.exe, .AppImage, .deb) from GitHub Releases. The same feature set is available across all three platforms.
Local-First with No Cloud DependencyAll orchestration runs on your machine. No session data is sent to a remote service, no account is required to run the app, and your code stays on your infrastructure. This matters for teams with strict data policies or environments that cannot reach external services.
Actively MaintainedThe repo received its last commit on 2026-11-02, only 2 open issues remain against the project as of that date, and version 1.2.50 is the current stable release. The README documents a roadmap with upcoming features including a plugin system and cloud sync.

Trade-offs

-High Memory Usage as an Electron Desktop AppHive is built on Electron 41, which carries the overhead of a full browser engine and Node.js runtime. On machines with limited RAM, running Hive alongside several active agent sessions will consume significantly more memory than a lightweight terminal-based approach.
-Desktop Only with No Headless or CI ModeHive is a desktop GUI application with no documented headless mode. It is designed for interactive use, not for integration into CI pipelines or remote servers. Teams that need to trigger agent sessions from automation scripts will need a different tool for that path.
-Windows and Linux Require Manual Installer DownloadHomebrew cask install is available on macOS only. Windows and Linux users need to download the .exe or .AppImage/.deb file from GitHub Releases and handle installation manually. There is no package manager integration for Windows or Linux documented in the README.

versus alternatives

Hive vs alternatives#

Hive vs Conductor

Hive and Conductor both manage AI coding agent sessions across git worktrees from a single interface.

Conductor is shutting down on 2026-11-20.

Feature	Hive	Conductor
License	MIT	Proprietary
Pricing	Free, open source	Paid commercial product
AI agents	Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex	Commercial offering

Hive covers the core orchestration workflow Conductor users already follow: kanban task boards, per-agent worktree isolation, and multi-agent session management. All orchestration runs locally on your machine, with no service dependency or subscription required. The task-per-worktree model and kanban board in Hive map directly to the workflow pattern Conductor teams are accustomed to, making it a natural migration target.

install · quick start

Quick start#

bash

Install Hive on macOS with Homebrew, or download the signed installer for Windows or Linux from GitHub Releases: https://github.com/morapelker/hive/releases/latest

```bash
brew install --cask hive-app
```

tech stack · detected from GitHub

What it's built on#

Languages: TypeScript
Frameworks: ElectronReact
Databases: MongoDBMySQLPostgreSQL

frequently asked

FAQ#

Is Hive free to use?

Yes. Hive is MIT licensed and free for personal, commercial, and internal use. There is no paid tier, seat count, or usage cap. Download it from GitHub Releases or install on macOS via Homebrew with 'brew install --cask hive-app'.

Which AI agents does Hive support?

Hive supports Claude Code, OpenCode, and Codex. All three run as integrated sessions within the app, with real-time response streaming and permission approval prompts. The product website also mentions support for local LLMs.

How does worktree isolation prevent conflicts between agents?

Each agent session in Hive runs against its own git worktree, which is a separate working directory linked to the same repository. Two agents on different worktrees cannot write to the same files simultaneously because they are on separate branches. You merge a worktree's branch only when you approve the result.

Does Hive work on Windows and Linux?

Yes. Hive supports macOS, Windows, and Linux. macOS users install via Homebrew with 'brew install --cask hive-app'. Windows users download the .exe installer from GitHub Releases. Linux users download the .AppImage or .deb package from the same location.

What are the system requirements for running Hive?

Hive is an Electron 41 desktop app. The minimum requirement for end users is a 64-bit operating system on macOS, Windows, or Linux. For contributors building from source, Node.js 20 or later and pnpm 9 or later are required per the README. No server or cloud service setup is needed.

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Who Hive is for#

Solo developers running multiple AI coding sessions in parallel

Skip if:

Full-stack engineers working across frontend and backend repos

Skip if:

Teams migrating from a commercial AI agent orchestrator

Skip if:

The problem it solves#

How it solves it#

Kanban Board for Agent Tasks

Per-Agent Git Worktree Isolation

Claude Code, OpenCode, and Codex Sessions

Worktree Connections

Cross-Repo AI Context

Integrated File Explorer with Monaco Editor

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Trade-offs

Hive vs alternatives#

Hive vs Conductor

Quick start#

What it's built on#

FAQ#

Other ways to replace Conductor#

Open source tools in these categories#

Developer Tools

AI & Machine Learning

LLMOps & AI Tooling

Find open source alternatives to paid software

Who Hive is for#

Solo developers running multiple AI coding sessions in parallel

Skip if:

Full-stack engineers working across frontend and backend repos

Skip if:

Teams migrating from a commercial AI agent orchestrator

Skip if:

The problem it solves#

How it solves it#

Kanban Board for Agent Tasks

Per-Agent Git Worktree Isolation

Claude Code, OpenCode, and Codex Sessions

Worktree Connections

Cross-Repo AI Context

Integrated File Explorer with Monaco Editor

Strengths and trade-offs#

Strengths

Trade-offs

Hive vs alternatives#

Hive vs Conductor

Quick start#

What it's built on#

FAQ#

Other ways to replace Conductor#

Open source tools in these categories#

Developer Tools

AI & Machine Learning

LLMOps & AI Tooling

Find open source alternatives to paid software