Is Cantus a GUI for Claude Code?

Yes. Cantus is an open-source macOS desktop app that gives Claude Code a full IDE workspace — Monaco editor, a file tree, and the real claude CLI running in an integrated terminal, all in one native window. It is not a chat wrapper or a session manager.

Does Cantus use the real Claude Code CLI?

Yes. The backend spawns the actual claude CLI in a PTY (pseudo-terminal) and streams its output through xterm.js. Sessions are resumable, full-width, and behave exactly as they would in a standalone terminal.

Is Cantus free and open source?

Yes. Cantus is MIT-licensed and free. The source is at github.com/manan45/Cantus. No account, no subscription, no telemetry.

Does Cantus run on Intel Macs, Windows, or Linux?

The current release (v1.2.0) targets macOS on Apple Silicon. Cross-platform support (Intel Mac, Windows, Linux) is on the roadmap but not yet shipped.

Is Cantus built on Electron?

No. Cantus is built on Tauri 2 with a Rust backend, using the OS-native webview — not Chromium / Electron. The result is a small, native binary with low memory overhead.

How do I install Cantus?

Via Homebrew: run `brew tap manan45/cantus` then `brew install --cask cantus`. Or download the .dmg directly from the GitHub releases page at github.com/manan45/Cantus/releases. The binary is currently unsigned — on first launch, right-click the app and choose Open.

Cantus — Claude Code GUI & IDE for macOS

The four-pane workspace

File tree, Monaco editor, the Claude Code CLI in an integrated terminal, and an embedded shell — sharing one window and one project state.

The Cantus four-pane workspace: file tree on the left, Monaco editor in the center, the Claude Code CLI in an integrated terminal, and a shell panel — all in one native macOS window — Cantus v1.2.0 — macOS (Apple Silicon)

One app, in concert

Editor, terminal, git, and Claude Code sharing one UI and one project state. A full IDE, not a sidebar or session manager.

Claude Code in a real terminal

The claude CLI runs in a backend-spawned PTY — full-width, themed, and resumable. This is the actual Claude Code CLI, not a chat wrapper.

Monaco editor

The same engine as VS Code — syntax highlighting, multi-cursor, VS Code-style inline and split diff views, all inside the native Tauri window.

Drag files into Claude

Drop any file onto the terminal to insert its path straight into the Claude Code prompt. Zero friction context hand-off.

Per-hunk & per-line git staging

Split and inline diff views with per-hunk and per-line stage & discard, powered by libgit2 patches — more granular than a read-only viewer.

Built-in git

Branch switcher, stage, commit, and discard — via libgit2, no shelling out. Works entirely offline and locally.

Resumable sessions

Your Claude Code sessions for the project are listed and resumable from the sessions view — pick up where Claude left off.

Capability-aware task runner

Describe a task; Claude summarizes which skills & agents apply, builds a .claude workflow, and runs it — orchestrating itself.

Learned memory

A local SQLite + FTS5 store distills the quirks each run teaches and surfaces the relevant ones on the next — no cloud, no vectors.

IDE monitor

Status-bar CPU & memory usage, running Claude process count, and token usage today and total — a live resource view baked into the IDE.

Local-first & private

Your source never leaves the machine except Claude's own model API calls. No telemetry, no account, no subscription.

How Cantus compares

Where a dedicated Claude Code GUI fits — vs. the bare claude CLI in a terminal, and vs. a GUI IDE with a bolted-on AI side panel. Unlike a session-manager wrapper, Cantus is a full IDE workspace: editor, terminal, and git share one window and one project.

Capability	Cantus	Bare Claude Code in a terminal	GUI IDE + AI side panel
The agent	The real `claude` CLI in an integrated PTY	The real `claude` CLI, but alone	A bolted-on chat panel, not the CLI you know
Editor	Monaco, beside the agent	None	Yes
Git UI	libgit2, per-hunk & per-line staging	None (shell only)	Varies
Local & private	Yes — source never leaves the machine¹	Yes	Often cloud-assisted
Footprint	Small native Tauri binary — no Electron	Tiny	Large (often Electron)
Cost & licensing	Free, open-source (MIT)	Free	Often paid / subscription

¹ Except Claude's own model API calls. Cantus is not affiliated with Anthropic; “Claude” and “Claude Code” are Anthropic's.

Composed, not reinvented

Cantus wraps mature, battle-tested components — and builds only the glue and the genuinely novel parts.

Tauri 2 · Rust backend Rust React + TypeScript Monaco editor xterm.js terminal libgit2 git SQLite + FTS5 Claude Code CLI (PTY)

Frequently asked

Common questions about Cantus as a Claude Code GUI and IDE.

Is Cantus a GUI for Claude Code?: Yes. Cantus is an open-source macOS desktop app that gives Claude Code a full IDE workspace — Monaco editor, a file tree, and the real claude CLI running in an integrated terminal, all in one native window. It is not a chat wrapper or a session manager.
Does Cantus use the real Claude Code CLI?: Yes. The backend spawns the actual claude CLI in a PTY (pseudo-terminal) and streams its output through xterm.js. Sessions are resumable, full-width, and behave exactly as they would in a standalone terminal.
Is Cantus free and open source?: Yes. Cantus is MIT-licensed and free. The source is at github.com/manan45/Cantus. No account, no subscription, no telemetry.
Does Cantus run on Intel Macs, Windows, or Linux?: The current release (v1.2.0) targets macOS on Apple Silicon. Cross-platform support (Intel Mac, Windows, Linux) is on the roadmap but not yet shipped.
Is Cantus built on Electron?: No. Cantus is built on Tauri 2 with a Rust backend, using the OS-native webview — not Chromium/Electron. The result is a small, native binary with low memory overhead.
How do I install Cantus?: Via Homebrew: brew tap manan45/cantus then brew install --cask cantus. Or download the .dmg from the GitHub releases page. The binary is currently unsigned — on first launch, right-click the app and choose Open.