# Native macOS alpha

> Install the tmux-ide native macOS alpha: requirements, daemon compatibility, installation, updates, rollback and reporting problems.

The native alpha brings Home, Terminals and searchable Commands to a macOS
window. It connects to the tmux-ide daemon that owns your tmux sessions.
The terminal app remains available alongside it.

**Public alpha — version 0.1.0, build 2026101406.** The app is Developer ID
signed and Apple notarized. Local installation and published-daemon compatibility
checks passed; a fresh second-Mac test remains outstanding. Expect alpha bugs and
keep the terminal app available as a fallback.

## Requirements

* **Apple Silicon and macOS 26 or later** for the complete one-Mac setup below,
  including the CLI/daemon. The native app itself declares macOS 14.2 as its
  minimum; that alone does not establish full setup support on older macOS.
* **tmux-ide CLI/daemon 2.9.5**, qualified with this packaged alpha for terminal
  input and history using the bundled patched tmux. The app bundles its own
  Node.js runtime. The installer requires the managed Node 24 supplied by the
  [universal CLI installer](/docs/getting-started#install).
* Claude Code or Codex on the target machine if you use **New agent**. Opening
  existing terminals does not require either harness.

This alpha does not provide an Intel Mac, Windows or Linux native app.

## Download and install

The [alpha release notes](https://github.com/wavyrai/tmux-ide/releases/tag/native-alpha-2026101406)
and [signed Apple Silicon archive](https://github.com/wavyrai/tmux-ide/releases/download/native-alpha-2026101406/tmux-ide-gpui-0.1.0-macos-arm64.app.tar.gz)
include the exact signed build used by the installer.

Install the native alpha with one command. This also installs CLI 2.9.5 at
`~/.local` when the managed CLI is missing or a different version:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://tmux-ide.com/install.sh | sh -s -- --native-alpha
```

The native installer verifies pinned download checksums and the app's Apple
signing identity. It installs under your user account, without sudo, and does
not open the app or start the daemon. Start or update the daemon explicitly:

```bash
~/.local/bin/tmux-ide update --daemon --json
```

In Finder, choose **Go → Go to Folder**, paste this path, and open the app:

```text
~/Library/Application Support/tmux-ide/native-alpha/TmuxIDE.app
```

You can keep the app in the Dock after opening it. Keep the managed installation
in place so update and rollback use the same installation history.

If macOS rejects the app's signature or says it is damaged, stop and report the
build and message. Do not remove quarantine attributes or disable Gatekeeper to
make an unexpected download run.

## First session

If you have no sessions yet, select **Local** and its **Default** server on
Home, choose &#x2A;*New session…**, enter a name and select **Create**. Open that
session to get a shell.

On **Home**, browse your machines and sessions, or select an available agent.
**Terminals** shows the selected session's windows and panes. Names can repeat,
so check the machine and server context before selecting a destination.

Open **Commands** with `F5` to search sessions, agents and actions. Its
**Keyboard shortcuts** and **Using tmux-ide** pages describe the native app's
controls. Depending on your macOS keyboard settings, use `Fn` with function keys.

`F8` goes back through accepted session visits; `Shift+F8` goes forward. Open two
different sessions first: no previous visit means there is nowhere to go back.
`F9` cycles retained session tabs. Closing a session tab leaves its tmux session
running; **Close pane** is a separate, destructive action with confirmation.

Use the native reference pages for this alpha. The [terminal app tour](/docs/app-surfaces) provides additional context for
Home and Terminals; native controls can differ.

## Update, roll back or uninstall

Quit the native app before changing its installation. These explicit actions do
not stop the daemon or tmux sessions. Updating the CLI does not update the native
bundle, and the alpha installer currently selects the pinned build above rather
than an automatic update channel.

```bash
# Install the alpha selected by the published installer
curl -fsSL https://tmux-ide.com/install.sh | sh -s -- --native-alpha --update

# Restore the previous retained, verified native build
curl -fsSL https://tmux-ide.com/install.sh | sh -s -- --native-alpha --rollback

# Detach the native app, retaining version files and configuration
curl -fsSL https://tmux-ide.com/install.sh | sh -s -- --native-alpha --uninstall
```

Keep `--native-alpha` first. On the initial installation there is no previous
build: rollback refusing in that case is expected. Reinstalling the same pinned
build does not create a new rollback destination.

Rollback changes the native app only, not the daemon or preference data. Check
the older build's daemon requirements before using it. Do not delete settings
or restart/kill tmux servers as an installation step. Quitting the client is
separate from **Close pane** or stopping a session.

## Troubleshooting

**Home stays on “Loading sessions” or no sessions appear.** Check that a
compatible daemon is running with `tmux-ide daemon info --json`, and run
`tmux-ide doctor --json`. Record whether the app changes after you bring its
window to the foreground. A window that updates only after a click is a bug worth
reporting; an empty agent list alone does not mean your sessions have stopped.

**Back or Forward does nothing.** First visit two distinct sessions and wait for
each terminal to appear. Use the action in Commands to distinguish function-key
handling from an unavailable history destination.

**A machine or agent is unavailable.** Check the displayed connection state and
[remote-machine setup](/docs/remote-machines). Retry through the app once the
connection is restored. Do not recreate the session merely to clear a status.

**The window is narrow or text is hard to read.** Try a larger window and use
Commands to change the terminal font or theme. Report clipped controls with the
window dimensions and macOS display scaling. Include whether scrolling, resizing
or switching sessions caused it.

## Report a bug

Open an issue in the [tmux-ide issue tracker](https://github.com/wavyrai/tmux-ide/issues)
and include:

* Native version and build number, CLI version (`tmux-ide --version`), macOS
  version and Mac architecture.
* The shortest steps to reproduce, expected behavior and what actually happened.
* Whether the session was local or remote, and whether the problem followed an
  update, reconnect, resize or background/foreground transition.
* Relevant `tmux-ide doctor --json` output and a screenshot or short recording
  when it helps explain the problem.

Review diagnostics before sharing them. Remove tokens, credentials, private
paths and terminal contents you do not want to publish. Do not attach raw daemon
discovery files. See [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting) for CLI checks.
