Compare
Menu bar popup vs a session-manager dashboard: which fits how you work?
Tools for running several AI coding sessions come in two broad shapes. One is a small popup that appears when an agent needs you. The other is a full dashboard window for managing and reviewing many sessions. Herdbell is the first kind. Here is how the two differ, so you can pick the right one.
The two shapes
| Menu bar popup (Herdbell) | Session-manager dashboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | The menu bar, and a card at your cursor when needed | A separate window you keep open |
| Main job | Tell you the moment an agent needs you, and let you answer | Manage and review many sessions side by side |
| Runs your agents? | No: they run in their own apps and terminals | Often, in sessions it creates (varies by tool) |
| Per-session diffs and branches | No | Often (varies by tool) |
| Attention it asks for | Very little: it stays out of sight | More: it is another window to watch |
Dashboard tools differ a lot from one another, so check what a specific one does before you rely on it.
Which fits you
- You work in your usual editor or terminal and just want to be pulled back when needed: a popup.
- You run many parallel sessions and review each one's changes in one view: a dashboard.
- Both: they do not conflict. A popup tells you when something needs you, wherever you are.
What Herdbell is not
Herdbell does not run or sandbox your agents, and it does not review diffs. It watches the agents you already use and lets you answer them. See Herdbell alternatives for the wider picture.
Common questions
Do I need a dashboard if I use Herdbell?
Only if you want to review per-session changes in one view. Herdbell covers knowing when an agent needs you and answering it.
Can Herdbell run my agents for me?
No. Your agents run where you started them (an app or a terminal), and Herdbell follows them.