An IDE-style file tree for Claude Code that shows what Claude is doing and where in files
chat-sidecar
See what Claude Code is doing in a side pane
A side pane for the current chat that shows what Claude is doing, what's waiting on you, and what it's using: the to-do list, tasks Claude gives you, answered in place, subagents, background processes, connectors, context files and skills of this chat, in one side pane; the plan band above the prompt
What this mod can do
- Reviewed at commit e7c53f3, Nov 1, 2026
- Runs programs
- Writes files
- Submits prompts for you, which can be sent as your own words
- Puts text in your prompt box, which can replace what you typed
- Changes the system prompt
- Sees the context sent with your first message, such as CLAUDE.md, and can change it
- Reads environment variables
- Changes your settings in /config
- Sees each prompt you send and can change or drop it
- Sees each tool call before it runs and can block or change it
- Sees each mcp__chat-sidecar__assign_task tool call before it runs and can block or change it
- Sees each mcp__chat-sidecar__list_tasks tool call before it runs and can block or change it
- Sees each mcp__chat-sidecar__plan tool call before it runs and can block or change it
- Sees each mcp__chat-sidecar__withdraw_task tool call before it runs and can block or change it
- Sees each subagent before it starts and can stop it or pick its model
- Also uses session.attach, tool.describe{tool=mcp__chat-sidecar__assign_task}, tool.describe{tool=mcp__chat-sidecar__list_tasks}, tool.describe{tool=mcp__chat-sidecar__withdraw_task}, $.session.append, and $.store.set (via editLegacy, poll, write… [+304 chars], which this page doesn't describe yet
11 more things it can do
- Reads files
- Reads your settings
- Reads the conversation
- Reads your prompt as you type
- Remembers data between sessions
- Adds slash commands
- Adds the /chat-sidecar command
- Adds the /my-tasks command
- Lists running subagents
- Lists the slash commands you can run
- Runs on a timer
Good to know (3)
- Ports are found with ss on Linux and netstat on Windows, so on macOS the Background section shows none
- It adds a note to Claude's system prompt asking it to assign you tasks, including reviews of its work
- Your answer to a task goes to Claude as a message in your own words
Preview
Terminal
⎿ scenario-feed+chat-sidecar:
⎿ chat-sidecar: Opened the Sidecar pane.
╭────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────✕─╮
│ Sidecar [ ⚙ Settings ] [ Hide ] │
│ ╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮ │
│ │ ▾ To-do │ │
│ │ No to-do list yet. Claude makes one for any task with 1 or more steps. │ │
│ ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯ │
│ ╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮ │
│ │ ▾ Tasks for me │ │
│ │ Nothing waiting for you. │ │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯Claude Desktop
What it does
A side pane that shows what the current chat is doing: Claude's to-do list, tasks it gives you to answer in place, subagents, background processes, and what the chat used.
- What you see
- A side pane, plus a plan band above the prompt
- Works in
- Terminal and Claude Desktop
- Slash commands
- /chat-sidecar, /my-tasks
- Uses your tokens
- No
- Changes files
- Yes
- Network access
- Only through programs it runs
- Reviewed commit
- e7c53f3 on Nov 1, 2026
- Preview recorded with
- Claude Code 2.1.309
How it works
- Opens a Sidecar pane when the terminal is wide enough, or when you run /chat-sidecar
- Gives Claude a plan tool and draws its steps as a to-do list and a band above the prompt
- Claude can assign you tasks, which you finish, answer or reject right in the pane
- Follows the chat's tool calls to list subagents, connectors, context files, skills and Git
Common questions
How do I show Claude Code's to-do list in a side pane?
Install chat-sidecar. The pane opens by itself when the terminal is about 110 to 144 columns wide; otherwise run /chat-sidecar. Claude keeps its steps with the mod's plan tool, which draws the to-do list in the pane and a progress band above the prompt.
How do I turn chat-sidecar off without uninstalling it?
Add "chat-sidecar": false to ~/.claude/mods/switches.json, and Claude is then told it cannot assign tasks. To only hide the pane, press Hide at the top of it; /chat-sidecar brings it back.
Does chat-sidecar send my chat anywhere?
statuslin.es's checks found it contacts no internet service. Its README says the only commands it runs are netstat or ss and tasklist for ports, PowerShell Get-CimInstance or ps for test runs, and read-only git commands, and that tasks stay in Claude Code's plugin store on your machine.
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╭─ CONTEXT ────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ ████▊░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 22% of 200K · GOOD │
├─ STATS ──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ↓ 44.0K ↑ 1.4K │ $0.41 │ ⏱ 10m 12s │ +128/-34 │
├─ REPO ───────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ◆ Opus 4.8 · main · 16:21 │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
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Opus 4.8 [high] ~/app main
16:20:55 | ⛁ ██░░░░░░░░ 22% | 5h ●◔○○○ 26% ↻2h7m | 7d ◔○○○○○○ 7% ↻2d1h │ $0.41 ⏱ 10m
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████▊░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 22% of 200K · GOOD │ ↓ 44.0K ↑ 1.4K │ $0.41 │ ⏱ 10m 12s │ +128/-34 │ 5h 26% ↻2h06m │ 7d 7% ↻2d0h │ ◆ Opus 5.5 · main · 03:53
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