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Getting Started

Installation

Caudex is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Download the appropriate version for your platform.

macOS
  • Apple Silicon (.dmg)
  • Intel (.dmg)
Windows
  • .exe installer
  • .msi installer
Linux
  • .deb (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • .rpm (Fedora/RHEL)
  • .AppImage

First Launch

  1. Open Caudex after installation
  2. Make sure claude CLI is installed and available in your PATH
  3. Caudex will automatically detect Claude Code and start a new session
  4. Use ⌘B (Ctrl+B) to toggle the information panel

Prerequisites

Caudex requires Claude Code CLI to be installed. Visit Claude Code documentation to install the CLI first.

Features

Multi-Tab Management

Manage multiple projects simultaneously. Each tab maintains its own Claude Code session, allowing you to switch between different projects seamlessly. Use ⌘1-9 (Ctrl+1-9 on Windows/Linux) to quickly jump between tabs.

Tips

  • Double-click a tab to rename it
  • Right-click for tab options menu
  • Drag tabs to reorder them

Tab Overview

Get a bird's eye view of all your sessions with Tab Overview (⌘⇧A). See status indicators for each session, quickly identify active or waiting sessions, and jump to any project with a single click.

Tips

  • Press ⌘⇧A to open Tab Overview
  • Click any card to switch to that tab
  • View session status at a glance

Context Monitoring

Monitor your context usage and estimated costs in real-time. The progress bar shows how much of the context window you've used, helping you manage long sessions effectively.

Tips

  • Watch the progress bar for context usage
  • Use /compact when context is high
  • Clear conversation to reset context

Information Panel

Access essential information through the sidebar panel (⌘B). View and manage Sessions, Working Directories, Todos, MCP servers, Skills, Agents, Hooks, and Permissions all in one place.

Sessions

Browse and resume past sessions

Dirs

Manage working directories

Todos

Track tasks from Claude

MCP

Manage MCP server connections

Skills

View installed skills

Agents

Monitor running agents

Hooks

Configure automation hooks

Permissions

Manage tool permissions

Multi-Split Terminal

Split your terminal horizontally (⌘D) or vertically (⌘⇧D) to run multiple sessions side by side. Perfect for running Claude Code alongside shell commands or comparing different approaches.

Tips

  • ⌘D for horizontal split
  • ⌘⇧D for vertical split
  • Click a pane to focus it
  • Drag dividers to resize

Quick Actions

Access commonly used functions with one click through the Quick Actions bar. Compact your conversation, clear the terminal, edit memory, run doctor diagnostics, or capture screenshots.

Compact
Clear
Memory
Doctor
File
Image
Screenshot

Skills Management

Browse, install, and manage Claude Code skills through a visual interface. Skills extend Claude Code's capabilities with specialized commands and workflows.

Tips

  • Browse available skills in the Skills tab
  • Click to install or remove skills
  • View skill documentation inline

MCP Server Management

Connect and configure Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with ease. MCP servers provide Claude Code with additional tools and capabilities like database access, API integrations, and more.

Tips

  • View connected servers in the MCP tab
  • Click to enable/disable servers
  • Monitor server status in real-time

Keyboard Shortcuts

Caudex supports comprehensive keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation. Toggle between platforms to see the appropriate key combinations.

macOS

ShortcutAction
⌘BToggle right panel
⌘TNew tab
⌘WClose tab
⌘1-9Switch to tab 1-9
⌘⇧ATab overview
⌘[Go back
⌘KClear terminal
⌘,Open settings
⌘DSplit horizontally
⌘⇧DSplit vertically

Windows / Linux

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+BToggle right panel
Ctrl+TNew tab
Ctrl+WClose tab
Ctrl+1-9Switch to tab 1-9
Ctrl+Shift+ATab overview
Ctrl+[Go back
Ctrl+KClear terminal
Ctrl+,Open settings
Ctrl+DSplit horizontally
Ctrl+Shift+DSplit vertically

Configuration

Access settings with ⌘, (Ctrl+, on Windows/Linux) to customize Caudex to your preferences.

Theme

Choose between Light, Dark, or System themes. System theme automatically matches your operating system's appearance setting.

LightDarkSystem

Font Settings

Customize the terminal font family and size for optimal readability.

Font familyFont size

Panel Defaults

Configure whether the information panel opens by default when starting a new session.

Auto-open panelDefault panel tab

Terminal Settings

Adjust terminal behavior including cursor style, scrollback buffer, and bell notifications.

Cursor styleScrollback linesBell

Settings Location

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Caudex/config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Caudex\config.json

Linux: ~/.config/Caudex/config.json