Orca
Open-source agent development environment that runs many CLI coding agents in parallel git worktrees.
Orca is a free, open-source agent development environment for coding with AI agents. Orca runs Claude Code, Codex and other command-line agents in parallel, giving each task an isolated git worktree, and adds terminals, an editor, a browser and diff review in one desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Best for Developers who already use command-line coding agents and want to run several at once on the same repository with proper review.
- Platforms
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Pricing model
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Made by
- Stably AI
- Added
Last verified: . Information taken from onorca.dev.
What is Orca?
Orca is an agent development environment, a desktop application designed for supervising several AI coding agents at once. Each task is given its own git worktree, so agents such as Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor CLI or OpenCode can work on one repository simultaneously without touching each other's changes. You bring the agents and subscriptions you already have; Orca supplies the surroundings: a GPU-rendered terminal with splits, an editor based on the one in VS Code, a Chromium browser per worktree with a design mode that sends a clicked element to the agent, and a diff view where line comments are batched and returned to the agent. GitHub and Linear are built in for pull requests, issues and tasks, and worktrees can run on a remote machine over SSH. A companion app for iOS and Android shows agent status away from the desk. Orca is MIT-licensed, free, and published by Stably AI.
Key Features
Parallel Worktrees
Puts every task in a separate git worktree so that one prompt can be sent to several agents and the results compared.
Bring Your Own Agent
Works with any CLI agent, with many preconfigured, using the subscriptions you already pay for.
Diff Annotation
Lets you leave markdown comments on diff lines, group them and send them back to the agent, then open a pull request in-app.
Design Mode Browser
Opens a Chromium window per worktree; clicking a UI element passes its HTML, CSS and a cropped screenshot to the agent.
SSH Worktrees
Runs agents on a remote server with file editing, git, terminals, port forwarding and automatic reconnection.
Mobile Companion
Shows live agent status and usage on iOS or Android and keeps terminal sessions moving from a phone.
Screenshots
Use Cases
- Comparing Agent Solutions
- Give the same bug to several agents and merge the result you prefer.
- Working on Many Tickets
- Open a worktree from each GitHub or Linear task and let agents progress them side by side.
- Reviewing AI-Written Code
- Read diffs, inspect CI and send line-level feedback before anything is merged.
- Front-End Fixes
- Point at a broken element in the embedded browser and hand its markup to the agent.
- Remote Development
- Keep agents running on a home server or VPS and check on them from a laptop or phone.
Things to know
- Agents are not included
- Orca is the environment; the coding agents run on the accounts and subscriptions you connect.
- Open source
- The project is released under the MIT license with its code on GitHub.
- Enterprise page
- The site links to a separate Enterprise offering alongside the free download.
FAQs
What is Orca?
Orca is an agent development environment: a desktop app for running and reviewing multiple AI coding agents in parallel, each in its own git worktree.
What is Orca used for?
Orca is used by developers to split work across several coding agents, review their diffs, and manage pull requests and tasks from one application.
Is Orca free?
Yes. Orca is described as free and open source under the MIT license. The agents you run in it use your own subscriptions.
Which agents does Orca support?
Orca supports Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor CLI, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode and other CLI agents; its comparison table counts 27 supported agents.
Does Orca run on Windows and Linux?
Yes. Orca is available for macOS, Windows and Linux, with companion apps for iOS and Android.
Can Orca run agents on a remote machine?
Yes. Orca's SSH worktrees run agents on a remote computer with editing, git and terminal access.
Who makes Orca?
Orca is published by Stably AI, which the site says is backed by Y Combinator and based in San Francisco.
Who it's for
- Software engineers
- Engineering teams
- Open-source maintainers
- Indie developers
- Startup founders
Comments
No comments yet. If you have used Orca, tell other readers how it went.
Alternatives to Orca
| Tool | Free plan | Starting price | API |
|---|---|---|---|
 OpenCodeOpen source AI coding agent for the terminal, desktop and IDE that works with models from many providers. |
Yes | — | — |
 skills.shDirectory and leaderboard of installable skills for AI coding agents, added with one CLI command. |
— | — | Yes |
 Claude CodeAnthropic's AI coding agent that plans, edits code, runs tests and opens pull requests from your terminal or IDE. |
— | — | — |
 JetBrains AIJetBrains' AI tooling for developers, led by Air, a system for running and reviewing coding agents. |
— | — | — |
 CursorAI coding agent and editor that plans, writes and reviews code on the desktop, in the terminal and in the cloud. |
Yes | — | — |
Listed in the same categories as Orca. A starting price appears only where we checked it on the maker’s pricing page; a dash means not checked or not published. All AI Code Assistant tools