Tintpad

What is Tintpad?

Tintpad is a macOS launcher for AI coding agents. You press a hotkey, a panel drops out of the notch (or hangs below the menu bar on Macs without one), you pick a repository and press Return. Your terminal then opens at that folder with Claude Code, Codex or whichever agent you chose already running. It works with Ghostty, iTerm2, kitty, WezTerm, Alacritty, Terminal and Warp, and it opens your own terminal instead of replacing it. Two chips show exactly what Return will run, and skipping permissions turns red first so it cannot happen by accident. Repositories you use most rise to the top with the agent and mode you used last, and a single keystroke can create a fresh git worktree branch with an agent inside it. Tintpad is free and MIT licensed, has no account or Pro version, and keeps everything on your Mac. It needs macOS 14 or later, and some terminals require Accessibility or Automation permission.

Use cases

• Launch Claude Code in a chosen repository
• Open Codex in a terminal at a project folder
• Start an agent in a fresh git worktree
• Repeat your last repo and agent combination
• Switch between coding agents per project
• Open a repo in your preferred terminal

Who it's for

• Software developers
• AI coding agent users
• macOS power users

Why use Tintpad

• One hotkey replaces cd-ing into a repo and typing the agent command each time.
• It uses the terminal you already have, so your existing setup stays intact.
• Visible chips and a red warning make clear what will run before you press Return.
• Frecency ranking surfaces the projects you actually work on.
• It is free and open source, with no account, and nothing leaves your Mac.

Tintpad features

• Global hotkey panel that drops from the notch or menu bar
• Repository picker ranked by frecency
• Opens Ghostty, iTerm2, kitty, WezTerm, Alacritty, Terminal or Warp
• Chips showing the exact command Return will run
• Red warning before skipping agent permissions
• One-keystroke git worktree with an agent inside
• Remembers the last agent and mode per repository
• Repeat the previous launch with a shortcut

Tintpad integrations

• Claude Code
• Codex
• Ghostty
• iTerm2
• kitty
• WezTerm
• Alacritty
• Warp

How to get started with Tintpad

1. Install Tintpad on a Mac running a supported macOS version.
2. Press the global hotkey to drop the panel from the notch or below the menu bar.
3. Choose a repository and check the agent and mode chips.
4. Press Return to open your terminal at that folder with the agent running.
5. Use the worktree shortcut to start the agent on a fresh branch checkout.

Tintpad limitations

• Runs on macOS only, and the listing notes macOS 14 or later
• Ghostty needs Accessibility permission and Terminal and iTerm2 need Automation permission
• Warp offers no command API, so Tintpad opens it at the repo and leaves the command on your clipboard

Tintpad pricing

Tintpad is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Tintpad alternatives

The main Tintpad alternatives listed on Debuly are Raycast, Warp, NestMux, agentmemory, MemPalace and Lacy Shell. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   agentmemory

   Open-source memory server that lets AI coding agents like Claude Code and Cursor recall past sessions, with local-first search.

   Developer platformsCodingProductivity
   Open sourceVisit agentmemory (official site)
2. 

   Lacy Shell

   Free MIT-licensed ZSH and Bash plugin that runs shell commands normally and sends plain-English questions to the AI CLI you choose.

   Developer platformsCodingProductivity
   Open sourceVisit Lacy Shell (official site)
3. 

   MemPalace

   Local-first AI memory that keeps your conversations as verbatim text and finds them again with semantic search through MCP.

   Developer platformsProductivityCoding
   Open sourceVisit MemPalace (official site)
4. 

   NestMux

   Desktop terminal workspace that runs Claude, Gemini, Codex and Copilot agents side by side, with git worktrees and team sharing.

   CodingDeveloper platformsProductivity
   FreemiumVisit NestMux (official site)
5. 

   Raycast

   Keyboard-driven launcher for Mac, Windows and iOS with built-in clipboard history, window management, extensions and an AI agent.

   ProductivityChat assistantsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit Raycast (official site)
6. 

   Warp

   Terminal with a built-in coding agent, shared team workspace and cloud agents, plus factory-as-code for automating software work.

   CodingDeveloper platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit Warp (official site)

Tintpad FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from tintpad.com · fetched 24 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: none collected yet, so a generated tile is shown.

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