splash

SplashCompareHumanLayer

Splash and HumanLayer, compared.

Splash and HumanLayer both run several coding agents at once and can give each piece of work its own git worktree. HumanLayer, which succeeds the open-source CodeLayer IDE, is a closed-source team workspace whose daemons run Claude Code and Codex and sync through its cloud. Splash is a free, open-source desktop app that drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol.

Checked 10 October 202649 sourcesNot affiliated with HumanLayer

Splash

Helge Sverre

A desktop app for running several coding agents at once, each session in its project folder or its own git worktree. It drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol.12

splash.computer

HumanLayer

HumanLayer

A closed-source team workspace that runs Claude Code and Codex sessions in git worktrees on daemons on your Mac or other hosts, synced through HumanLayer’s cloud to desktop, web and phone.3456

humanlayer.com

Side by side

SplashHumanLayer
The basics
What it is Desktop app, plus a headless server you open in a browser17 Desktop app with a local daemon, plus remote daemons, a web app and a CLI, synced through HumanLayer’s cloud358
Release status v0.2.1, early development19 0.182.0 (9 October 2026), with releases every few days; many features arrive as alpha, experimental or early access1011
License Open source (MIT)12 Closed source; the RPI skills, AgentLayer and Fold are MIT. The earlier open-source CodeLayer code is Apache 2.0 and deprecated4131415161718
Price Free19 Starter: free for up to 3 members and 200 sessions a month. Pro: $100 per user a month. Enterprise: custom20
Platforms macOS 14+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 11 x64, Ubuntu 24.04 x6421 Apple silicon Mac app; CLI daemon for macOS, Linux and Windows. Release notes mention a Linux app with no documented download221110823
Agents
Agents Ships launch commands for 20 agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Goose, OpenCode2425 The docs cover Claude Code and Codex; the FAQ also lists Copilot and Fireworks. An experimental Fold agent runs Grok models22262710
How it runs agents Agent Client Protocol over stdio, natively or through a pinned adapter for the vendor’s CLI242 A daemon runs Claude Code through the Claude Agent SDK and Codex through HumanLayer’s own CodeLayer harness51028
Agent sign-in Who pays for the model You install and sign in to each agent’s CLI yourself; Splash runs it with that login25 Your Claude Code login, a Codex sign-in through the HumanLayer CLI, or Bedrock, Azure or OpenAI keys; no per-token HumanLayer bill22262930
Account required Splash has no accounts; splash-server asks for a token it keeps in its data folder317 Yes; the app opens a browser sign-in at first launch, and remote daemons use humanlayer login or a launch token22235
Permission requests When an agent asks before it acts Yes: Shown in the transcript and answered with the 1–9 keys; pending ones wait in Needs attention32 Yes: Sessions can wait on tool approvals, which teammates may answer in shared sessions; automation runs skip the prompts51033
MCP servers Partly: Read-only list of MCP servers from Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Pool and Glue config files3234 Yes: Sessions connect MCP servers, OAuth ones included, and install plugins before the agent starts, from the launch directory’s config1035
Working in parallel
Isolation per session Yes: The project folder, or a git worktree on its own branch per session32 Yes: A git worktree per task, one per repo in multi-repo workspaces, or the current checkout; no sandbox is documented635365
Setup scripts and dev servers No: A worktree is a plain git checkout; Splash runs no setup scripts or dev servers3237 Yes: A setupCommand runs in each new worktree after listed files such as .env are copied; dev servers and ports aren’t documented36
What needs you Yes: One queue for permission requests, connection failures and finished turns, kept across restarts3238 Yes: A notification bell keeps sessions that need you until you act; session tables show states such as idle or usage limit10
Team collaboration Several people on the same work No: splash-server is a personal, single-user service, not a multi-user deployment7 Yes: Tasks are shared with your organization; admins can let teammates prompt, interrupt and answer approvals in a running session10
Agents handing off work One agent launching or messaging another No: Each session is one agent in one folder; sessions don’t hand work to each other132 Yes: /hl:orchestrate lets an agent create tasks in separate worktrees and start sessions; a session can move between Claude Code and Codex10
Scheduled tasks Agents that start without a prompt from you No: No scheduler; an agent starts when you create, continue or prompt a session39 Partly: Through the CLI: humanlayer automation run starts one session on a short-lived daemon when a CI job, cron entry or script calls it33
Review and shipping
Review changes Yes: Latest response, failed tools and every changed file as a diff, with a box to send feedback32 Yes: Comment threads on diffs and on research, design and plan documents go back to the agent; files can be marked reviewed103
Create pull requests No: Shows the PR for a session’s branch and starts worktrees from PR heads; does not create PRs3240 Yes: The /rpi:describe-pr skill opens or updates the PR, watches its checks and fixes failures it caused4110
GitHub Yes: Issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories, through the gh CLI3240 Yes: Tasks from GitHub issues; an experimental tab shows PR status and checks, merges PRs and sends failing checks to the agent4210
Issue trackers Partly: GitHub (github.com), through the gh CLI; no Linear or Jira3240 Yes: Creates tasks from Linear, Jira Cloud and GitHub issues, and syncs Linear status with the workflow; GitLab isn’t documented434442
Where it runs
Cloud execution No: Agents run as child processes on your computer, or on your own server with splash-server17 No: No HumanLayer-hosted sessions are documented; daemons run on machines you provide, like cloud VMs, and Enterprise lists on-prem or private VPC520
Remote access Yes: splash-server runs on the machine with your code; you use it in a browser over an SSH tunnel. Single user.7 Yes: Remote daemons run sessions on a cloud VM, workstation or private machine, driven from app.humanlayer.com on a computer or phone523
Mobile app No: No mobile app; builds cover macOS, Windows, Ubuntu and a headless server21 Partly: No native app is documented; the web app works on a phone, and its mobile UI started as an early-access preview510
History and search
Existing agent history Conversations started outside the app Yes: Browse, preview and import conversations agents list over ACP, including ones started outside Splash3238 Partly: Alpha plugins mirror pi and OpenCode sessions from their first linked prompt; importing Claude Code or Codex sessions isn’t documented454610
Search transcripts Yes: Search titles, folders and saved transcript text, archived sessions included32 Not documented: Not documented; the ⌘K launcher jumps to sessions and lists the three most recently active103

Where they differ

How agents connect

HumanLayer’s daemon runs Claude Code through the Claude Agent SDK and Codex through its own CodeLayer harness. The homepage speaks of bringing your own agent harness, but the docs describe no way to add another CLI or ACP agent. Splash talks to every agent over the Agent Client Protocol, natively or through an adapter.10283242

Where sessions run

HumanLayer’s desktop daemon and remote daemons both receive work and send session events through HumanLayer’s API, and a remote daemon needs outbound HTTPS to its API and sync hosts. The cloud also stores Codex conversations and the task files agents read or write; no offline mode is documented. Model calls go straight to the provider. Splash runs agents as child processes on your computer or under splash-server on your server.53474817

Teams and structured workflows

HumanLayer is built for teams: tasks are shared across the organization, admins can let teammates prompt running sessions, and people and agents comment on research, design and plan documents between workflow phases. Splash centers on one person’s sessions: splash-server serves a single user, and work is checked in a review screen and a Needs attention queue.1036732

Around the session

HumanLayer connects tasks to Linear, Jira and GitHub issues, opens and follows pull requests through its /rpi:describe-pr skill, posts updates to Slack and runs sessions from CI jobs through its CLI. Splash’s tools center on the conversations: importing sessions agents started elsewhere, full-text transcript search, and a GitHub view of issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories.434442414933323840

Price, license and platforms

HumanLayer is closed source, needs an account and charges per seat: Starter is free for up to three people and 200 sessions a month, Pro is $100 per user a month. Its documented desktop download is for Apple silicon Macs, and a CLI daemon covers Linux and Windows. Splash is free, MIT-licensed and account-free, with builds for macOS, Windows and Ubuntu.42220812193121

Which one fits

Splash may suit you if

  • You want a free, MIT-licensed app that needs no account or hosted service.
  • You want the desktop app on Windows, Ubuntu or an Intel Mac as well as Apple silicon.
  • You want to start Gemini, OpenCode, Goose and other agents beside Claude Code and Codex, all over ACP.
  • You want to import conversations your agents started elsewhere and search every transcript.

HumanLayer may suit you if

  • You work in a team that shares tasks, comments on plans together and steps into each other’s sessions.
  • You want research, design and plan stages with review points before an agent changes code.
  • You want tasks created from Linear, Jira or GitHub issues, and pull requests opened and followed for you.
  • You want sessions on remote daemons that you follow and prompt from a browser or a phone.

Sources

Facts about HumanLayer come from its public website, documentation and repositories as they read on 10 October 2026; we haven't confirmed each one by running HumanLayer. Facts about Splash link to its source. Products change, so check the linked pages before deciding. Something wrong or out of date? Open an issue.

  1. 1 Splash README Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  2. 2 Agent Client Protocol agentclientprotocol.com · agentclientprotocol.com · checked 2026-10-09
  3. 3 The multiplayer control plane for your software factory HumanLayer · humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  4. 4 FAQ: Is HumanLayer open source? HumanLayer · humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  5. 5 How Remote Daemons Work HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  6. 6 Run a workflow in HumanLayer HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  7. 7 Splash README: Run as a web app over SSH Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  8. 8 @humanlayer/cli package metadata npm · registry.npmjs.org · checked 2026-10-10
  9. 9 Splash releases Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  10. 10 Release Notes HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  11. 11 Casks/humanlayer.rb humanlayer/homebrew-humanlayer on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  12. 12 LICENSE Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  13. 13 LICENSE humanlayer/skills on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  14. 14 LICENSE humanlayer/agentlayer on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  15. 15 LICENSE humanlayer/fold on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  16. 16 README.md (September 2025 revision) humanlayer/humanlayer on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  17. 17 README.md humanlayer/humanlayer on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  18. 18 LICENSE humanlayer/humanlayer on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  19. 19 Download Splash splash.computer · splash.computer · checked 2026-10-09
  20. 20 Pricing HumanLayer · humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  21. 21 Splash README: Download the app Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  22. 22 Quickstart: Running a HumanLayer Task HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  23. 23 Run a Task on a Remote Daemon HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  24. 24 src/agents/registry.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  25. 25 Splash README: Agents Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  26. 26 Set Up Codex CLI HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  27. 27 FAQ: Which agents and models are supported? HumanLayer · humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  28. 28 Sub-agent models and effort HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  29. 29 Claude on AWS Bedrock HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  30. 30 FAQ: Do I bring my own AI subscription, or pay for tokens? HumanLayer · humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  31. 31 Splash README: Build from source Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  32. 32 Splash README: Features Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  33. 33 Run HumanLayer Sessions in Automations HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  34. 34 src/agents/customize.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  35. 35 How workspace configuration works HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  36. 36 Workspace config reference HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  37. 37 src/worktree.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  38. 38 Splash README: Existing sessions and review Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  39. 39 Splash README: How it works Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  40. 40 Splash README: GitHub view Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  41. 41 Skills and workflows reference HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  42. 42 Connect GitHub and Create Tasks from Issues HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  43. 43 Connect Linear and Run Ticket Workflows HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  44. 44 Connect Jira and Create Tasks from Tickets HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  45. 45 pi-humanlayer README humanlayer/humanlayer-pi on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  46. 46 opencode-humanlayer README humanlayer/humanlayer-opencode on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  47. 47 How HumanLayer tasks keep related work together HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  48. 48 Route Models Through an LLM Gateway HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10
  49. 49 Send HumanLayer Updates to Slack HumanLayer · docs.humanlayer.com · checked 2026-10-10