Files, Terminal & Browser
PandaOS combines a file explorer, terminal, and browser preview into an integrated workspace so you never need to leave the app to see what Panda did.
The integrated workspace concept
Most AI coding tools work in a chat window disconnected from your actual project. You ask for a change, get a code block, and then manually apply it in your editor, run it in your terminal, and check it in your browser. PandaOS eliminates that friction by putting all of these surfaces in one place.
The file explorer, terminal, and browser preview sit alongside the chat. When Panda edits a file, you can immediately see the change in the file viewer. When it runs a command, the output streams in the terminal. When the dev server reloads, the browser preview updates. Everything stays in sync, and you stay in flow.
File explorer
The file explorer shows your project's directory tree and opens files in a multi-tab viewer. This is the fastest way to read what Panda just changed or to point it at a specific file in conversation. Having multiple tabs open lets you cross-reference related files, which is especially useful during code review or when tracking how a change propagates across modules.
Terminal
The terminal is a real shell scoped to your project directory. Output streams live as commands run, so you can watch a build, a test suite, or a long-running process in real time. When Panda runs a command on your behalf, you see the same streamed output here, keeping its work fully transparent. This is particularly valuable for debugging: if a test fails or a build breaks after an AI-generated change, you see exactly what went wrong without switching contexts.
Browser preview
The browser preview renders your running application inside the workspace. Paired with a dev server, it gives you an always-current view of your app right next to the chat. You can navigate to different routes, reload the page, and capture screenshots.
The real power is the feedback loop: you describe a UI change, Panda makes the edit, the dev server hot-reloads, and the preview updates. You see the result in seconds and can immediately tell Panda to adjust. This rapid iteration cycle is what makes PandaOS projects fundamentally different from a bare chat.
Detachable windows
Any panel in the workspace can be detached into its own separate window. Right-click a chat session, a dock tab, or a Canvas card and select "Open in new window." The panel pops out into a standalone window that you can move to a second monitor, resize independently, or keep visible alongside other applications.
Detachable panels include:
- Chat sessions - run a conversation in its own window
- Apps - keep Gmail, Supabase, or any connected app open separately
- Terminal - put your shell on another screen
- Browser preview - watch your app on a second monitor while chatting on the first
- File explorer - browse files without taking space from the chat
Detached windows stay in sync with the main workspace. If you detach a chat, it keeps streaming and receiving updates. Close the detached window and the panel returns to the main workspace. Window positions are saved, so re-detaching the same panel opens it where you left it.