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Quick Start

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One Command

That’s it. npx @overdeck/core starts Command Deck and opens the dashboard in your browser. No global install step required. Missing tools (tmux, gh, mkcert, etc.) are prompted and installed inline the first time you use a feature that needs them.

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Requirements

  • Node.js 22+ and Claude Code (signed in) are required.
  • git is required.
  • Herdr — the default terminal backend — is installed by pan install.
  • tmux is needed only for plain terminals in the dashboard (and for agents when terminal.backend: tmux).
  • Docker, gh, and ast-grep are optional; pan install warns instead of failing when they are missing.
The dashboard’s Home page shows a Get set up card with what is still missing and the command to fix it.

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What Happens Next

  1. The dashboard opens on Home, in Simple mode — no project required to start
  2. Type what you want and press Enter to ask an agent, or Ctrl+Enter to run it in a terminal — still no project needed
  3. Add a project — from the composer’s project chip, or the Projects sidebar’s +, when you want an agent working in a repo
  4. Pick an issue and start work — select an open issue from the kanban board and Overdeck creates an isolated workspace for the agent
  5. Stay in control — watch diffs land as the agent works, send messages to steer it, swap models if the task shifts, fork the conversation to explore alternatives
The board is the usual place to pick an issue: each card carries a cost badge, a live agent status dot, and workspace controls, so you can spawn or check in on an agent without leaving the column it lives in. Work at whatever level of involvement you want. Pair-program hands-on with a single agent in the conversation view above, or let the specialist pipeline take issues from plan to merged PR while you focus elsewhere — Command Deck is built to manage both the agents and the workflow they move through.

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Headless / CI

For terminals, scripts, and CI where you don’t need the GUI:
pan is a built-in short alias for overdeck — every overdeck <verb> also works as pan <verb> (same binary). Use whichever you like; pan is handy for headless, CI, and existing muscle memory.

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Power-User Path: Install Everything Up Front

If you prefer to set up all tools at once (useful for shared dev machines or CI images):

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Direct Desktop Downloads

Prefer a standalone app? Download the latest release for your platform:
  • Linux — .AppImage from GitHub Releases
  • macOS — .dmg (universal, arm64 + x64)
  • Windows — .exe (NSIS installer)

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Architecture at a Glance

Overdeck started as a CLI and grew into Command Deck, a desktop-class development environment. The CLI, the GUI, and any script that can make an HTTP request all drive the same REST surface — spawn an agent from a kanban card, a terminal, or a webhook without switching tools. Under the hood: an Effect.js + TypeScript server, a React frontend over typed WebSocket RPC, SQLite for state, and Electron as the shell. Launch with npx @overdeck/core or the overdeck command (pan is its short alias); use @overdeck/desktop for the packaged desktop app.