Tarmac vs opcode
opcode, formerly Claudia, is an open source desktop GUI for Claude Code: it browses your sessions, runs custom agents in the background, tracks costs and manages MCP servers. Tarmac is an open source local dashboard for all your projects, with Claude Code and Codex sessions next to the apps they build.
- opcode goes deeper into Claude Code: checkpoints and session forks, custom background agents, cost and token analytics, MCP server management, a CLAUDE.md editor.
- Tarmac goes wider: every local project, ports, logs, Docker, Supabase and Git, plus Codex next to Claude Code.
- opcode has downloads for macOS and Linux (last release v0.2.0, August 2025) and builds on Windows from source; Tarmac installs from npm on macOS and runs on Windows through WSL 2.
- Both are free and open source (opcode AGPL-3.0, Tarmac MIT).
Feature by feature
Facts about the other tool checked on 6 November 2026, from its official pages. Tools change fast: tell us if something is out of date.
| Feature | Tarmac | opcode |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | See and run every local project, with its agent sessions | A desktop GUI for Claude Code |
| Coding agents | Claude Code and Codex | Claude Code |
| Browse past sessions | Yes, per project | Yes, per project |
| Checkpoints, session forks | No | Yes |
| Custom background agents | No | Yes |
| Usage | Plan limits (5-hour, weekly) for Claude and ChatGPT, live | Cost and token analytics |
| MCP servers | Adds its own MCP server (task list) | Manages your MCP servers |
| Project launcher, ports, logs | Yes | No |
| Docker, local Supabase, Git menu | Yes | No |
| Platforms | macOS; Windows through WSL 2 | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Install | npm install -g @codustel/tarmac, then tarmac setup | Downloads for macOS (dmg) and Linux (AppImage, deb), v0.2.0 of August 2025; Windows from source |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
What opcode does well
opcode is the most complete open source GUI dedicated to Claude Code, and one of the most popular (over 22,000 stars on GitHub). It reads the projects and sessions Claude Code stores in ~/.claude/projects/, adds a timeline with checkpoints and forks, lets you define custom agents that run in the background, shows detailed cost and token analytics, and manages MCP servers and CLAUDE.md files. It has release builds for macOS and Linux, and builds on Windows from source.
What Tarmac does differently
Tarmac is less deep on Claude Code and much wider around it. Each project of your code folders gets a Start button with a free port that stays the same, live logs, a console and a Git menu; Docker containers and local Supabase instances are grouped by project. Sessions of both Claude Code and Codex are listed per project, with both plans' usage limits in the sidebar and a task list that the agent keeps up to date.
When opcode is the better choice
Choose opcode if:
- you only use Claude Code and want checkpoints, forks and custom agents;
- you want detailed cost and token analytics;
- you are on Linux, or prefer a native desktop app.
When Tarmac is the better choice
Choose Tarmac if:
- you also use Codex;
- you want your projects, ports, logs, Docker and Supabase in the same window as your sessions;
- you want your plan limits (5-hour, weekly) rather than token counts.
Frequently asked questions
Is opcode the same as Claudia?
Yes. Claudia was renamed opcode; its repository now lives at github.com/winfunc/opcode.
Can I use Tarmac and opcode together?
Yes. They do not depend on each other, and both work from the sessions Claude Code stores on your machine.
Does Tarmac show token costs like opcode?
No. Tarmac shows your plan limits (5-hour session, week, per-model) for Claude, and the 5-hour and weekly windows for ChatGPT, as percentages with their reset times.
Try Tarmac for free
Free and open source, for macOS and Windows (WSL 2). It works next to the tools on this page, not instead of them.
Sources
opcode is a trademark of its owner. Tarmac is not affiliated with it, nor with Anthropic or OpenAI.