Claude Code Gets a GUI—and Git-Style Checkpoints

What it does

opcode is a Tauri 2 desktop application that wraps the Claude Code CLI in a React-based GUI. It reads your existing ~/.claude/projects/ directory to provide a visual project browser, session manager, and agent launcher. The app also tracks API usage costs, manages MCP servers, and includes a built-in editor for project CLAUDE.md files.

The interesting bit

The standout feature is a branching timeline with checkpoints—essentially version control for your AI coding sessions, complete with forking, instant restore, and a diff viewer. It also treats agents as first-class citizens: you can build custom ones with specific system prompts, then lock down their file and network access before running them in isolated background processes.

Key highlights

• Visual project and session browser with search, resume, and metadata at a glance
• Custom agent builder with per-agent permissions and background execution
• Usage dashboard breaking down costs and tokens by model, project, and time period
• Branching checkpoint timeline with session forking and diff viewing
• MCP server registry supporting UI-based configuration and Claude Desktop imports
• Built-in CLAUDE.md editor with live preview and project-wide file scanning
• Local-only SQLite storage; no telemetry or external data collection

Caveats

• No pre-built binaries yet—you must compile from source using Rust and Bun
• Requires the Claude Code CLI to be installed and available in your PATH
• Usage alerts are listed as “coming soon,” so some dashboard features remain unfinished

Verdict

Worth a look if you live in Claude Code and want visual session management, cost tracking, or the ability to fork and rewind conversations. Skip it if you’re after a standalone Claude replacement or can’t be bothered to build a Tauri app from source.