Parallel agents
Run multiple agents side by side, each with its own session, model, and permissions.
In hob, agent sessions are the primary unit of work. You can run multiple agents in parallel, each in its own pane, working on different parts of your project at the same time — all visible at once in a tiled layout, no hidden tabs.
Launching agents
Press Alt+A to open an agent pane. Alt+A reuses an empty agent pane if there is one;
Alt+Shift+A always creates a fresh one. Each pane is fully independent — its own
conversation, backend, model, and permissions.
A typical setup might be one agent refactoring backend logic, another writing frontend tests, and a terminal running the dev server alongside.
Configuring each agent
Above the input, each agent pane has a row of chips and toggles:
| Control | Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Backend | Alt+B | Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, or a custom profile |
| Model | Alt+M | The model for this session |
| Reasoning effort | Alt+E | Thinking effort (when the model supports it) |
| Fast mode | Alt+S | A faster model variant (when supported) |
| Plan | Alt+P | Draft a plan for approval before executing (plan-capable backends) |
| Auto-accept | Alt+Y | Approve permission requests automatically |
With Plan and Auto-accept both off, the agent asks before writes and commands. Shift+Tab
cycles through the permission modes. You can run different backends in different panes — one
agent on Claude Code, another on Codex.
Plan approval
When an agent presents a plan, you choose:
- Approve — run the plan in this chat
- Deny — send it back with feedback to revise
- Hand off — start a fresh agent to implement it
The permission level applied after approval (Approve All, Ask Permission, or Approve for Next Turn) comes from Settings → Agent → Plan approval mode.
Working with a running agent
- Queue a message — type while the agent is working and your message is delivered when the turn completes.
- Stop — double-press
Esc, orCmd/Ctrl+C, to cancel a running turn.
Navigating between panes
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Alt+Arrow | Move focus to the adjacent pane |
Alt+Shift+Arrow | Swap pane positions |
Alt+Shift+E | Equalize all pane sizes |
Alt+A / Alt+Shift+A | New agent pane (reuse empty / force new) |
Alt+W | Close the focused pane |
Alt+Q closes the whole workspace, not a pane — see Workspaces.
Scheduling a message
Sometimes the right moment to send isn't now — your session limit resets at 9:00, or you want a prompt waiting the minute you step away. Type your message, then right-click the send button and pick an hour and minute. hob sends it at that time, even if you've switched workspaces or walked away.
While a send is scheduled, the input locks and shows a countdown; the stop button cancels it; one scheduled message per pane. Scheduling works mid-turn too — if the agent is still working at fire time, the message queues and is delivered when the turn completes.
Schedules need hob running with the project open — there is no background daemon. If you quit before the time arrives, the schedule re-arms when you reopen the project; if the time already passed, your message is restored as an editable draft. Closing a pane with a scheduled send asks you to confirm (confirming cancels it).