Devtoolwatch BoardOrca review
Orca is a desktop agent development environment for running Claude Code, Codex, and other CLI coding agents in parallel, each in its own git worktree.
TL;DR
Orca is a free, open source desktop app for running many CLI coding agents side by side, each in an isolated git worktree. Orca is for developers who work with several agents at once and want terminals, diffs, a browser, GitHub and Linear in one place. A mobile companion lets you monitor and steer agents from your phone.
- 111.7kGitHub stars
- +7knew stars, week of Oct 25
- #3in Coding agents this week
Orca at a glance
- Category
- Coding agents
- Maintained by
- Stably (organization, @stablyai on GitHub)
- License
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript, JavaScript, Swift
- Repository
- github.com/stablyai/orca
- Website
- orca.dev
- Latest release
- v1.4.245 on GitHub, Oct 30, 2026
- First published
- Mar 17, 2026
What Orca does
- Orca fans one prompt across several agents, each in its own isolated git worktree, so you can compare results and merge the best one.
- Orca runs any CLI agent, including Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Pi, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and Goose.
- Orca lets you comment on AI diff lines and send the comments back to the agent, then review, edit, and commit in the app.
- Orca's Design Mode sends a clicked UI element's HTML, CSS, and a cropped screenshot from a Chromium window into the agent prompt.
- Orca shows GitHub PRs, issues, and Linear project boards in the app, and can open a worktree from any task.
- Orca runs agents on remote machines over SSH with file editing, git, terminals, auto-reconnect, and port forwarding.
- Orca tracks Claude and Codex usage and rate-limit resets, and switches accounts without logging in again.
How it works
Orca is a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It hosts any terminal-based coding agent in its own git worktree, using your own agent subscription. It connects to GitHub, Linear, and SSH hosts. An Orca CLI lets you script workflows. A mobile app pairs with the desktop host through a relay so you can follow agents from your phone.
How to install and start using Orca
macOS with Homebrew
brew install --cask stablyai/orca/orcaArch Linux (AUR)
yay -S stably-orca-binRequirements
- macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel), Windows, or Linux for the desktop app.
- Your own subscription or account for each coding agent you run.
- A git repository, since agents run in git worktrees.
First steps
- Download the Orca desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux from onorca.dev or GitHub releases.
- Start a CLI agent such as Claude Code or Codex inside Orca, each in its own worktree.
- Optionally pair the iOS or Android companion app with your desktop app to get notified when agents finish.
Who Orca is for
- Developers running several coding agents in parallel on the same codebase.
- Teams comparing output from different agents before merging one result.
- Developers running agents on remote machines over SSH.
- Developers who want to check on agents from a phone.
Limitations to know
- Orca does not include its own model; it runs CLI agents that you must pay for or sign into separately.
- The Homebrew cask needs the full name; bare `orca` installs an unrelated Plotly cask.
- Orca collects anonymous usage data by default; the privacy docs explain how to opt out.
- Chrome extensions in Orca's browser are experimental, and Android mobile builds are marked pre-release.
Is Orca growing? Usage data
In the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, Orca ranked #9 on the Devtoolwatch Board and #3 in Coding agents, with a momentum score of 95 out of 100.
Show the weekly numbers
| Week of | New stars |
|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | 5.8k |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 5.2k |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 5.5k |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 5.5k |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 5.1k |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 5.6k |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 6.2k |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 5.6k |
| Oct 4, 2026 | 4.9k |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 6.5k |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 9.6k |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 7k |
On Hacker News
- Show HN: Open Source 'Conductor + Ghostty', 21 points and 10 comments (Mar 27, 2026)
The Board ranks tools by four signals each week: new stars, new stars for the repo's size, added downloads and download growth beyond the market. How the ranking works.
Orca alternatives
Other AI coding agents on the Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum:
| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | CindyCindy is an open-source AI agent app for desktop and mobile that combines Claude Code, Codex and Pi across your connected devices. | 8.8k | – |
| #2 | OpenMausBotOpenMausBot is an open-source desktop chat app where each contact is a local Claude, Codex, or Grok CLI agent with its own computer. | 9.6k | – |
| #4 | OpenBotOpenBot is an open-source, self-hosted template for AI coworkers that each get their own browser, files and granted tools, with every… | 9.1k | – |
| #5 | Agent ReachAgent Reach is a Python CLI that lets AI agents search and read platforms such as Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, GitHub, Bilibili and… | 107.2k | – |
| #6 | Skill RecorderSkill Recorder is a desktop app that records your on-screen work session and turns it into a reusable agent Skill or Automation. | 5.6k | – |
| #7 | ARTEMISARTEMIS is an open-source Google tool that turns natural-language instructions into Android automation for testing and everyday tasks on… | 15.9k | – |
Recent Orca releases
- mobile-android-v0.0.61 (pre-release), Oct 30, 2026
- v1.4.245, Oct 30, 2026
- v1.4.244, Oct 29, 2026
- mobile-android-v0.0.60 (pre-release), Oct 29, 2026
- v1.4.243, Oct 28, 2026
Orca FAQ
Is Orca free and open source?
Yes. Orca's source code is on GitHub (stablyai/orca) under the MIT license, so you can use it for free.
How do I install Orca?
Run brew install --cask stablyai/orca/orca. The install section above has the other options from the project's README.
Is Orca still maintained?
Yes. The stablyai/orca repository was last updated on Nov 1, 2026, and the latest release, v1.4.245 on GitHub, came out on Oct 30, 2026.
How popular is Orca?
Orca has 111.7k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 7k new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 6k a week. That made it #3 among AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board.
Orca vs herdr: how do they compare?
Orca and herdr are both tracked by Devtoolwatch as AI coding agents. Orca has 111.7k GitHub stars and herdr has 47.1k. herdr is an open source terminal runtime for coding agents that keeps their sessions running in a background server and shows each agent's status. herdr review.
Orca vs cmux: how do they compare?
Orca and cmux are both tracked by Devtoolwatch as AI coding agents. Orca has 111.7k GitHub stars and cmux has 28.6k. cmux review.
What are the best alternatives to Orca?
Other AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum: Cindy (#1), OpenMausBot (#2), OpenBot (#4), Agent Reach (#5), Skill Recorder (#6). The alternatives table above has their numbers.
What is Orca for developers?
Orca is an agent development environment (ADE) from Stably. It runs Claude Code, Codex, and other CLI coding agents in parallel, each in an isolated git worktree, with terminals, diffs, a browser, and a CLI in one app.
Which coding agents does Orca support?
Orca works with any CLI agent that runs in a terminal. Listed agents include Claude Code, Codex, Grok, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode, Pi, Amp, Cline, Goose, Kiro, and Qwen Code.
How do I use Orca on my phone?
Orca has a mobile companion for iOS and Android. Pair it with the desktop app to monitor agents, get notified when one finishes, and send follow-ups.
Can Orca run agents on a remote server?
Yes. Orca's SSH Worktrees run agents on a remote machine with full file editing, git, and terminals, plus auto-reconnect and port forwarding.
Can I script Orca?
Yes. The Orca CLI lets agents and scripts drive Orca with commands such as orca worktree create, snapshot, click, and fill.
Sources
Orca README badge
Maintainers can show the tool's weekly Board rank in their README:
[](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/stablyai-orca/)How this page is made: Devtoolwatch writes each review from the project's README, releases, package metadata and website, with an AI model, then checks every claim against the source it cites and drops what the sources don't support. The numbers come from Devtoolwatch's daily GitHub snapshots, GitHub's stargazer history, and the npm and PyPI download APIs. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].