PandaOSPandaOSby Pandata

Your First Chat

Once you've added a project, you're ready to start chatting with PandaOS about your code.

Starting a Session

There are several ways to start a new chat:

  • Click "New Chat" in the sidebar (or press Cmd+N / Ctrl+N)
  • Click a project name in the sidebar
  • Click "Open" on a project card in the Dashboard

If you have multiple projects, the "New Chat" button becomes a split button, click the arrow to choose which project to chat about.

The Workspace

When a session opens, you see the Workspace with two main view modes:

Chat Mode (Default for SDK backend)

A visual chat interface with:

  • A message thread showing your conversation
  • A text input at the bottom for sending messages
  • Tool call cards showing what PandaOS is doing
  • Plan and question cards for interactive decisions

Terminal Mode (Default for CLI backend)

The full Claude CLI terminal interface running in a PTY. This is the raw Claude Code experience, you see exactly what the CLI shows, including its interactive TUI.

You can switch between modes using the Chat and Terminal tabs in the Workspace Dock at the bottom of the window, or press Cmd+Shift+T / Ctrl+Shift+T.

Sending a Message

  1. Type your message in the input field at the bottom
  2. Press Enter to send (or click the send button)
  3. You can attach images by dragging them onto the chat, or by pasting from clipboard

While PandaOS is Thinking

When PandaOS is processing your message:

  • The status dot in the header turns blue (animated)
  • The input shows the current model and mode
  • You can queue messages, type and send while PandaOS is busy. Messages queue up and send automatically when PandaOS finishes
  • Press Escape to abort the current operation

Message Queue

If you send messages while PandaOS is thinking, they appear in a queue above the input:

  • Each queued message shows a preview and a remove button
  • Messages are sent in order once PandaOS becomes idle
  • You can remove or reorder messages before they're sent

Tool Calls

As PandaOS works, you'll see Tool Call Cards in the chat. These show:

  • The tool name (Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Glob, Grep, etc.)
  • A running timer showing how long the operation takes
  • Input parameters (expandable)
  • Output or error messages
  • Status indicators: spinning (running), green check (success), red X (error)

Click a tool call card to expand/collapse its details.

Plans

When PandaOS proposes a plan (for complex tasks), a Plan Card appears:

  • Shows the plan title and description with full markdown rendering
  • Accept or Reject buttons at the bottom
  • If you reject, you can optionally provide a reason

The chat input is replaced with a plan review banner until you respond.

Questions

When PandaOS asks a question (e.g., choosing between approaches), a Question Card appears:

  • Shows the question with multiple choice options
  • Select one or more answers
  • Click Submit to send your response

Subagents

For complex tasks, PandaOS may spawn subagents, child agents that work independently. These appear as Subagent Cards:

  • Shows the agent type (e.g., "Explore", "general-purpose") with a colored badge
  • Description of what the agent is doing
  • Running timer and tool use count
  • Expandable to see the agent's full activity (messages and tool calls)
  • Nested subagents are displayed recursively

Status Indicators

The status dot in the session header shows the current state:

  • Gray, idle, ready for input
  • Blue (animated), thinking, processing your message
  • Amber, waiting for your input (plan approval, question, permission)
  • Red, error occurred

Next Steps

Cloning from GitHub

PandaOS can clone repositories directly from GitHub, including private repos.

Workspace Overview

The Workspace is where you interact with PandaOS on a specific project. It consists of a header, a main content area, optional side panels, and a bottom dock for navigation.