Vigil for MAC
Free, open-source native terminal that runs trees of coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode, with summaries rolling up to a manager.
Vigil Overview
Vigil is a free, open-source native Mac terminal for running coding agents as a team. Instead of copying messages between several agent windows yourself, you give a task to a root manager agent, which can start worker agents and sub-managers of its own. Detail flows down the tree and results roll back up to the manager as summaries, which keeps the manager's context lean. A live node tree shows the whole team at once, and every node keeps the agent's own terminal interface, so you can open any of them and take over directly.
Vigil works with the command-line agents Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode, and you can mix them in one tree. It does not include an agent itself: at least one of those tools must already be installed and on your PATH, and their own accounts or plans apply. Finished sessions stay in the sidebar and can be replayed read-only or resumed. Settings are plain JSON files under ~/.config/vigil/ rather than a settings window. Vigil is built with Swift and SwiftUI, uses libghostty for GPU-accelerated terminal rendering and is released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license by its developer, butterlatte-zhang. It is still at an early 0.1 version, needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple Silicon Mac and is signed and notarized by Apple. Version 0.1.7 makes sending the first task to a Codex worker more reliable.
Key Features
Vigil turns several coding agents into one managed tree in a single window.
- Manager-led tree: a root agent starts workers and sub-managers for each task.
- Rolled-up summaries: worker results come back to the manager in short form.
- Mixed agents: Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode can work in the same tree.
- Native agent screens: every node keeps its own terminal interface you can take over.
- Complete history: replay any node's transcript read-only or resume a session.
- Flexible isolation: share a project with file ownership or use git worktrees.
- Settings as files: all configuration lives in JSON under ~/.config/vigil/.
- Keyboard navigation: Command shortcuts move between sessions, nodes and notifications.
What’s New in Version 0.1.7
Vigil 0.1.7 makes starting Codex workers more reliable.
- A new Codex worker's first task no longer stays unsent in its input box; Vigil now confirms the Enter key took effect and retries carefully
- Resumed Codex nodes no longer stop at the Update available box
- The result of sending the first task is now written to the session's log
Vigil FAQ
Is Vigil free?
Yes. Vigil is free and open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later license. Organisations that cannot follow the GPL can ask the developer for a separate commercial license.
What does Vigil do?
It runs coding agents as a tree: a manager agent hands tasks to worker agents and sub-managers, and their results roll back up as summaries, so you do not have to pass messages between agent windows yourself.
Which coding agents does Vigil support?
Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode. You can mix them in one tree, for example a Claude Code manager with a Codex sub-manager.
Do I need anything else to use Vigil?
Yes. Vigil does not include an agent. At least one of Claude Code, Codex or OpenCode must be installed and on your PATH, and their own accounts or plans apply. If none is found, Vigil shows a warning instead of starting.
Can I take over an agent myself?
Yes. Every node keeps the agent tool’s own terminal interface, so you can open any node and work in it directly.
Does Vigil keep a history of sessions?
Yes. Finished sessions stay in the sidebar. Opening one rebuilds the tree as it ran, lets you read any node’s transcript read-only and lets you resume it.
How do I change Vigil’s settings?
All configuration is stored as JSON files under ~/.config/vigil/. There is no settings window.
Which Macs and macOS versions does Vigil need?
Vigil needs macOS 14 or later and an Apple Silicon Mac. There is no Intel build.
Is Vigil finished software?
It is still at an early 0.1 version and changes often. Release builds are signed and notarized by Apple.
Where does the Vigil download on vigil.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official Vigil release page on GitHub at https://github.com/butterlatte-zhang/vigil/releases/latest. vigil.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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