Paneflow vs Zellij
Paneflow is a native GPU app that organizes your coding agents, branches, and diffs in one workspace. Zellij is a modern terminal multiplexer: detachable sessions, KDL layouts, WASM plugins, and a built-in web client. Choose Paneflow to run agents locally with a graphical interface; choose Zellij for multiplexing inside any terminal, especially over SSH.
Use a native app, not a TUI inside a terminal
Paneflow is a standalone GPU app with mouse support, native scrolling, and direct shortcuts. Zellij is friendlier than tmux thanks to discoverable keybindings, but it still renders inside your terminal emulator.
Track multiple agents in one place
Paneflow launches up to 16 CLI agents in dedicated panes and shows which ones are working or waiting for your input. Zellij runs them as regular processes.
Give your agents the context of other panes
Paneflow ships a read-only MCP server (list_panes, read_pane, search_pane). Zellij has no native MCP server; community bridges exist.
The important differences
Paneflow focuses on local agent work with a native interface. Zellij stands out for persistent sessions, remote access, layouts, and its WASM plugin ecosystem.
| Paneflow | Zellij | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Standalone GPU app (GPUI) | TUI multiplexer inside your terminal |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later | MIT |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows | Linux, macOS, Windows (native since v0.44, March 2026) |
| Rendering | GPU-native (Vulkan / Metal) | ANSI/VT output, depends on host terminal |
| Coding agents | 16 CLI launchers + status tracking | Run as any process; no agent tracking |
| MCP server (agents read your panes) | Yes (read-only: list_panes, read_pane, search_pane) | No native MCP; community servers exist |
| SSH / remote sessions | No | Yes (SSH + HTTPS remote attach, web client) |
| Session persistence | Restores layout + history, not processes | Yes: detach, reattach, resurrection |
| Layouts | Workspaces + saved sessions | KDL layout files |
| Plugins | No plugin system | WASM plugins (any language compiling to WASM) |
| Collaboration | No | Multiplayer sessions + web client |
| In-app diff + agent review | Yes (git diff, launch review in a pane) | No |
Versions: Paneflow v0.6.0 (June 2026). Zellij v0.44.3 (May 2026), ~33,600 GitHub stars, maintained by Aram Drevekenin, community-funded via GitHub Sponsors. Both free: Paneflow GPL-3.0-or-later, Zellij MIT.
Which tool should you use?
Choose based on where your terminals live: in a local graphical workspace, or inside any terminal anywhere.
Choose Paneflow if
- -You work locally with multiple coding agents and want their status visible at a glance
- -You want your agents to read other panes over MCP and review your diffs inside Paneflow
- -You prefer a native app with mouse support and GPU rendering over a TUI inside a terminal
- -You want branches, dev servers, diffs, and sessions grouped per task
Choose Zellij if
- -You SSH into remote machines and need sessions that survive disconnects
- -You want a multiplexer that runs in any terminal, including headless systems
- -You want to extend your environment with WASM plugins or share a session via the web client
- -You like tmux's model but want friendlier defaults and discoverable keybindings
Frequently asked questions
Is Paneflow a replacement for Zellij?
For local agent work, yes. Paneflow covers splits, layouts, and session restore, and adds agent launchers, status tracking, MCP pane reading, and diff review. It does not cover Zellij's remote side: detachable sessions over SSH, HTTPS remote attach, and the web client. If your day is centered on remote machines, Zellij remains the right tool.
Does Zellij have AI agent features like Paneflow?
Not natively. Zellij runs any CLI agent as a regular process, and its CLI automation (pane listing, screen dumps, blocking runs) gives scripts something to build on. There is no built-in agent status tracking and no MCP server; community projects bridge Zellij to MCP. Paneflow ships launchers, status detection, and a read-only MCP server out of the box.
Can Paneflow detach and reattach sessions like Zellij?
No. Paneflow restores the environment around your shells: panes, layouts, working directories, and history. It does not keep processes alive after the app closes. Zellij's server model supports detach, reattach, session resurrection, and since v0.44 even remote attach over HTTPS.
Can I run Zellij inside Paneflow?
Yes. Paneflow panes are real terminals, so Zellij runs there like in any emulator. In practice you rarely want both locally: Paneflow already handles splits, layouts, and session restore. The combination makes sense when you SSH into a remote machine from a Paneflow pane and want a persistent session on the other side.
What does Zellij do better than Paneflow?
Everything remote and everything extensible. Detachable sessions that survive disconnects, SSH and HTTPS remote attach, a built-in web client, multiplayer sessions, KDL layout files, WASM plugins in any language, and native Windows support since v0.44. If you need any of those, choose Zellij. Paneflow focuses on local agent orchestration with a native interface.
Try the tool that fits your terminals
Working locally with multiple coding agents? Download Paneflow or read the getting-started guide. Living in SSH sessions or extending your multiplexer with plugins? Discover Zellij on GitHub.