splash

SplashComparenodeterm

Splash and nodeterm, compared.

Splash and nodeterm both run several coding agents at once and use git worktrees to keep their work apart. nodeterm is an Electron app that places each agent’s CLI in a terminal node, usually under tmux, on a pan-and-zoom canvas; Splash is a Rust app that drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol and shows each session as a transcript.

Checked 10 October 202652 sourcesNot affiliated with Enes Kirca

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

nodeterm

Enes Kirca

A desktop app that places terminals and coding-agent CLIs as nodes on a pan-and-zoom canvas, usually in tmux sessions that outlive the app, with a browser Server Edition and an iOS companion.34567

nodeterm.dev

Side by side

Splashnodeterm
The basics
What it is Desktop app, plus a headless server you open in a browser18 Electron app placing terminals and agents as nodes on a zoomable canvas, plus a browser Server Edition and an iOS companion3467
Release status v0.2.1, early development19 v0.4.3 (9 October 2026), labelled early access; v0.4.0 through v0.4.3 came out within ten days10311
License Open source (MIT)12 BUSL-1.1, not an open source license: it bars competing hosted or commercial offerings, and each release turns MIT after four years131415
Price Free16 Free core app; Pro is $10/month on desktop (shown in the app), and $9.99/month, $79.99/year or $299 lifetime on iOS141718
Platforms macOS 14+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 11 x64, Ubuntu 24.04 x6419 macOS 12+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Linux x64 (AppImage, .deb, .rpm) and Windows x64 in beta; the FAQ still calls Windows unsupported31142015
Agents
Agents Ships launch commands for 20 agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Goose, OpenCode2122 Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity, Gemini, opencode, Grok and GitHub Copilot built in (the docs list four), plus custom CLI agents23424
How it runs agents Agent Client Protocol over stdio, natively or through a pinned adapter for the vendor’s CLI212 Starts each agent’s CLI in a terminal, usually inside tmux; built-in agents report status through hooks it installs, not by output parsing24525
Agent sign-in Who pays for the model You install and sign in to each agent’s CLI yourself; Splash runs it with that login22 CLIs you’ve installed and signed in to, on your own plans or API keys; managed accounts keep several Claude and Codex logins152620
Account required Splash has no accounts; splash-server asks for a token it keeps in its data folder278 No nodeterm account; desktop Pro is a license key bound to the installation, and Team Access knows teammates by device28142930
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 attention31 Yes: Each CLI’s own prompt, answered inside its node; Claude Code also has a permission-mode setting for terminal agent nodes332
Working in parallel
Isolation per session Yes: The project folder, or a git worktree on its own branch per session31 Yes: A git worktree attached to a canvas group frame; every node made inside works in its folder. SSH projects don’t support worktrees3334
Setup scripts and dev servers No: A worktree is a plain git checkout; Splash runs no setup scripts or dev servers3135 Yes: Per-project setup and archive scripts for worktrees, with paths like .env linked in; dev-server ports are listed for SSH forwarding3620
Terminal Yes: A terminal in the session folder31 Yes: Terminal nodes (xterm over tmux) survive app restarts; after a reboot, scrollback returns and agents relaunch from their saved sessions45
What needs you Yes: One queue for permission requests, connection failures and finished turns, kept across restarts3137 Yes: RUNNING and NEEDS YOU badges on nodes, unread markers, and a sidebar Status view that puts sessions needing attention first253820
Notifications Yes: Notifies when a background session needs permission or finishes a turn; can be turned off3940 Yes: Opt-in OS notifications that bring the node into view when clicked; on a MacBook, the notch also flags a blocked agent2534
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 other131 Yes: Through the canvas-control CLI, agents open nodes, start teams and check each other’s work; context links share transcripts between agents441
Built-in browser No: No built-in browser; the workbench holds git changes, a file tree, diff and file tabs, and a terminal31 Yes: Web, video and browser nodes sit on the canvas beside terminals, with page zoom since v0.3.134320
Review and shipping
Review changes Yes: Latest response, failed tools and every changed file as a diff, with a box to send feedback31 Yes: Read-only Monaco diff nodes for staged or unstaged changes; line comments and review feedback to the agent aren’t documented42
Files and diffs Partly: File tree, git changes and diff tabs; files open read-only, with no editor3143 Yes: Monaco editor nodes that save with ⌘S, read-only diff nodes, an Explorer file tree and a Source Control panel424445
Create pull requests No: Shows the PR for a session’s branch and starts worktrees from PR heads; does not create PRs3146 No: No PR action is documented: Source Control stages, commits and pushes, with agent-drafted commit messages; agents run gh pr create44547
GitHub Yes: Issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories, through the gh CLI3146 Yes: Signs in through gh; opt-in GitHub Issues on the kanban board sync both ways, and PR cards carry CI and merge status45420
Issue trackers Partly: GitHub (github.com), through the gh CLI; no Linear or Jira3146 Partly: GitHub Issues on the kanban board; a card dropped in a dispatch column starts an agent run. No built-in Linear or Jira42048
Where it runs
Remote access Yes: splash-server runs on the machine with your code; you use it in a browser over an SSH tunnel. Single user.8 Yes: SSH projects run terminals and agents on a remote host; the Server Edition serves the canvas to a browser behind one password346
Team collaboration No: splash-server is a personal, single-user service, not a multi-user deployment8 Yes: Pro: Team Access shares a Mac’s canvas with teammates at $5 a seat monthly; live links stream one terminal to a browser3020
Mobile app No: No mobile app; builds cover macOS, Windows, Ubuntu and a headless server19 Yes: iOS 17+ app paired by QR code, with an encrypted relay; 5 free connections a month, unlimited with Pro. No Android yet71820
Auto-update No: Download new versions from GitHub Releases; the app does not update itself1949 Partly: Self-updating on macOS and as a Linux AppImage; the .deb, .rpm and Windows builds are updated by downloading them again114
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 Splash3137 Yes: Open recent lists Claude, Codex, Gemini, Grok and Copilot conversations already on disk and resumes one; not opencode or Antigravity5020
Fork a conversation Partly: Experimental: fork the current conversation when the agent supports it, not from an earlier message3137 Partly: Claude Code nodes can branch: the session runs /branch and a second node carries on from the split; other agents can’t514
Search transcripts Yes: Search titles, folders and saved transcript text, archived sessions included31 Partly: The ⌘K palette searches every terminal’s visible output and finds nodes by title or tag; past transcript search isn’t documented44

Where they differ

How agents connect

nodeterm runs each agent’s CLI in a terminal node, usually under tmux, and reads status from hooks it installs; its docs don’t mention the Agent Client Protocol. A ⌘M chat view shows some agents’ sessions as threads. Splash speaks ACP with every agent, natively or via an adapter, and renders each session as a transcript.2452021231

A canvas of terminals

nodeterm places terminals and agents as nodes on a pan-and-zoom canvas, with worktrees bound to group frames. Agents open nodes through canvas-control, read each other’s transcripts over context links, and can delay a launch until a PR’s checks pass. Splash keeps one agent per session, in a folder or worktree, with a Needs attention queue and a review screen.33344120131

Where it runs

nodeterm runs on macOS 12+, Linux x64 and Windows x64 (beta). SSH projects run its terminals on a remote host, and the Server Edition serves the canvas to a browser from a Linux server or Docker image. An iOS app pairs by QR code and connects from other networks through an encrypted relay. Splash runs on macOS, Windows and Ubuntu, or as splash-server over an SSH tunnel.311203467198

Across restarts

With tmux, each nodeterm terminal lives in a session that outlives the app. After a reboot, nodeterm restores scrollback and relaunches agents with their saved session IDs, though running processes end. Under splash-server, agents keep running when the browser or SSH tunnel drops; restarting the backend stops them, and saved transcripts remain for continuing the conversation.58

Price, license and accounts

nodeterm’s source is under BUSL-1.1, which permits production use but not competing hosted or commercial offerings; each release becomes MIT after four years, and the apps carry a separate license in the Terms. The core is free; Pro lifts the relay cap and adds Team Access. Neither product needs an account. Splash is free and MIT-licensed.13145228121627

Which one fits

Splash may suit you if

  • You want every agent driven over the Agent Client Protocol, with messages, tool calls and diffs in one transcript.
  • You want a free, MIT-licensed app with builds for macOS, Windows and Ubuntu.
  • You want to review every changed file and send feedback to the agent from one screen.
  • You want to search saved transcripts and import conversations agents started outside the app.

nodeterm may suit you if

  • You want terminals and agents laid out on a canvas, in tmux sessions that outlive the app.
  • You want agents that open nodes, read each other’s transcripts and wait on pull request checks.
  • You want an iOS companion, SSH projects or a browser Server Edition to follow agents from elsewhere.
  • You want a kanban board that turns GitHub issues into agent runs, optionally in their own worktrees.

Sources

Facts about nodeterm come from its public website, documentation and repositories as they read on 10 October 2026; we haven't confirmed each one by running nodeterm. 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 nodeterm — run your coding agents on a canvas Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  4. 4 README.md eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  5. 5 Terminal persistence Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  6. 6 Server Edition Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  7. 7 Mobile companion Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  8. 8 Splash README: Run as a web app over SSH Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  9. 9 Splash releases Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  10. 10 Releases eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  11. 11 Installation Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  12. 12 LICENSE Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  13. 13 LICENSE eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  14. 14 Terms of Use Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  15. 15 FAQ Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  16. 16 Download Splash splash.computer · splash.computer · checked 2026-10-09
  17. 17 src/renderer/components/settings/sections/LicenseSection.tsx eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  18. 18 Nodeterm Apple App Store · apps.apple.com · checked 2026-10-10
  19. 19 Splash README: Download the app Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  20. 20 Releases Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  21. 21 src/agents/registry.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  22. 22 Splash README: Agents Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  23. 23 src/shared/agents/config.ts eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  24. 24 Agents overview Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  25. 25 Agent status & notifications Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  26. 26 Claude accounts Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  27. 27 Splash README: Build from source Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  28. 28 Privacy Policy Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  29. 29 Settings reference Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  30. 30 Team access & presence Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  31. 31 Splash README: Features Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  32. 32 Permission modes Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  33. 33 Git worktrees Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  34. 34 SSH projects Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  35. 35 src/worktree.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  36. 36 src/renderer/components/settings/ProjectSettingsFamilies.tsx eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  37. 37 Splash README: Existing sessions and review Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  38. 38 Release v0.3.2 eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  39. 39 app/src/components/settings/General.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  40. 40 app/src/lib/system.ts Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  41. 42 Editor & diff nodes Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  42. 43 app/src/components/FileTab.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  43. 44 Explorer & command palette Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  44. 45 Source control Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  45. 46 Splash README: GitHub view Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  46. 47 src/renderer/state/githubIssues.ts eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  47. 48 src/core/canvas-control-core.ts eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  48. 49 app/src/components/settings/About.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  49. 50 src/shared/recent-conversations.ts eneskirca/nodeterm on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  50. 51 Branch conversations Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10
  51. 52 Relay quota & Pro Enes Kirca · nodeterm.dev · checked 2026-10-10