bb

Frequently asked questions

What is bb?

bb is an Orchestrator (Desktop / Web / CLI) covered in the agents.dancingteeth 2026 catalog. MIT open-source, local-first agentic IDE/orchestrator that extends itself — ask once and it builds a plugin (sidebar panel + `bb <cmd>` CLI + a skill every agent can use); GitHub integration, agent memory, scheduled jobs, and remote access ship as plugins on the same system, plus a community plugin marketplace; Claude Code, Codex, and Pi built in, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, Hermes Agent, omp, and other ACP agents once installed — each on your own subscription or API keys, billed by the provider, not bb; agents spawn and manage cross-provider child threads with parent notifications; per-thread worktrees, in-app browser, terminal, and file editor; `bb` CLI + HTTP API so scripts, cron, or your own bots can spawn threads; free bb connect for multi-machine remote access with iOS (TestFlight) / Android companion; roughly weekly releases (0.

Who is bb best for?

Developers who want a free MIT agent IDE they can reshape by prompting it — plugins, panels, and CLI commands built on request — while running Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, and other ACP agents on existing subscriptions, with cross-provider child threads, schedules, and remote access from phone or other machines.

When should I skip bb?

You need a stable Windows/Linux desktop build today, a single-agent CLI, an orchestrator that supplies its own models, hosted cloud sandboxes (Conductor Pro / Backgrounder), or zero default telemetry.

What are the main trade-offs of bb?

Pros: MIT open-source, local-first agentic IDE/orchestrator that extends itself — ask once and it builds a plugin (sidebar panel + `bb <cmd>` CLI + a skill every agent can use); GitHub integration, agent memory, scheduled jobs, and remote access ship as plugins on the same system, plus a community plugin marketplace; Claude Code, Codex, and Pi built in, Cursor, OpenCode, Grok Build, Hermes Agent, omp, and other ACP agents once installed — each on your own subscription or API keys, billed by the provider, not bb; agents spawn and manage cross-provider child threads with parent notifications; per-thread worktrees, in-app browser, terminal, and file editor; `bb` CLI + HTTP API so scripts, cron, or your own bots can spawn threads; free bb connect for multi-machine remote access with iOS (TestFlight) / Android companion; roughly weekly releases (0. Cons: Orchestration only — install and log in to at least one agent CLI first; desktop app is stable only on Apple Silicon Mac (Windows/Linux builds are Alpha, Intel Mac via `npx`); README says workflows and surfaces are still evolving, with ~600 open GitHub issues; MCP server is Experimental and off by default; anonymous usage telemetry on by default (opt out with BB_TELEMETRY=false); mobile app is TestFlight/APK, not in the app stores; bb connect needs a bb account; catalog has not hands-on verified.

Does bb support AGENTS.md, SKILL.md, or MCP?

This card lists AGENTS.md as Delegates to agents, SKILL.md as Supported, and rules/memory as Local server DB of threads/history across machines; parent/child thread trees; plugin-provided agent memory and scheduled jobs; skills library; wraps underlying harness AGENTS.md/CLAUDE.md.. Free options: 100% Free (Open-source, MIT; bb connect free; BYO agent subscriptions or API keys)..