Johan LEROY
4768b606e4
- npm workspaces (shared / server / web), TS strict, project refs - @arboretum/shared: multiplexed WS protocol (JSON control + binary output frames: 1B type + u32le channel), flow-control constants (ACK 256K, HIGH 384K, LOW 128K, lagging 2M), REST types - git-arboretum server: Fastify 5 + node:sqlite (single native dep: node-pty prebuilt), token auth (sha256 at rest, HMAC cookie, global login rate limit + backoff), strict Origin check on /api and /ws, PtyManager (2MiB ring with monotonic offset, resync replay = reset + 256KiB tail, pause/resume only when ALL interactive clients exceed HIGH, observers never throttle, lagging clients resync), WS gateway (attach/stdin/resize/ack, heartbeat 30s), SIGTERM→SIGKILL 5s grace - CLI: arboretum [--port 7317] [--bind 127.0.0.1] — non-loopback bind requires an explicit safety flag - Smoke-tested: login/401/403-origin/spawn bash/kill/grace-SIGKILL all green
Arboretum
A self-hosted web dashboard for your git worktrees and the Claude Code sessions running on them — from any device.
Status: early development (pre-MVP). The design study and architecture are complete; implementation is in progress. Not usable yet.
The problem
Working with AI coding agents changed how we use git: one feature = one worktree = one Claude Code session, several of them in parallel. But the tooling didn't follow:
git worktree listacross multiple repos is a chore, worktrees pile up, each needs itsnode_modulesand.env.- Claude Code sessions are scattered: some running in terminals, some resumable from history, with no consolidated view of which one is waiting for your input.
- When you step away from your desk, a session blocked on a permission prompt stays blocked.
What Arboretum does
A single Node.js daemon you run on your dev machine (npx git-arboretum), serving a web UI usable from your desktop, phone or tablet:
- Worktree-first, multi-repo dashboard — every worktree of every registered repo, with its git state (branch, ahead/behind, dirty files) and the state of its Claude Code session (busy / waiting for input / idle / resumable).
- Full worktree lifecycle — create (with per-repo post-create hooks:
npm ci, copy.env…), adopt worktrees created by hand, delete with guardrails, prune orphans. - Session discovery & resume — sessions you launched in your own terminal show up automatically; resume dead ones, observe or fork live ones. Never corrupts a live session.
- Web terminal — full xterm.js terminal to every managed session, surviving browser disconnects.
- Supervision from your phone (post-MVP) — PWA with push notifications when a session needs you, approve/deny without opening a terminal.
What makes it different
| Arboretum | GitKraken Agent Mode / Conductor / Nimbalyst | Happy / CloudCLI | Anthropic Remote Control | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web UI, any device | ✅ | ❌ desktop apps | ✅ | ✅ |
| Visual worktree management (multi-repo) | ✅ | ✅ (single repo, desktop) | ❌ | ❌ |
| Discovers & resumes existing terminal sessions | ✅ | ❌ | partial | ❌ |
| 100% self-hosted — zero traffic through third-party servers | ✅ | ✅ | relay server | ❌ relayed through Anthropic |
| Linux-first | ✅ | varies | ✅ | Desktop app has no Linux build |
| Open source | MIT | ❌ / partial | MIT / AGPL | ❌ |
Anthropic's Remote Control is great at piloting one session from your phone. Arboretum is the layer it doesn't provide: the consolidated, self-hosted board of all your worktrees and sessions across all your repos.
Security model
A web terminal is remote code execution by design. Arboretum binds to 127.0.0.1 by default, authenticates every request and every WebSocket upgrade with revocable tokens, and strictly checks the Origin header. The recommended way to reach it from other devices is Tailscale Serve (valid HTTPS, tailnet identity, no open ports). Never expose it directly to the internet.
A note on Claude usage
Arboretum wraps the interactive Claude Code CLI in a PTY — the same thing you run in your terminal, displayed in your browser. It does not use the Agent SDK or headless mode. Anthropic's usage policies around programmatic use may evolve; Arboretum will track CLI releases and document any impact transparently.
License
MIT — see LICENSE.