hcom is an open-source command-line interface tool that lets AI agents message, watch, and spawn each other across terminal sessions. It integrates with popular terminal-based AI coding assistants such as Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex, and OpenCode, providing a unified TUI (Text User Interface) for managing multiple agent instances. The tool enables inter-agent communication, allowing agents to exchange messages, monitor each other's outputs, and spawn new agents on demand. Built in Rust, hcom offers a fast and reliable terminal experience with features like headless modes, standardized prompt handling, orphan recovery, and a plugin system (including a Claude plugin). .cargo and skills directories suggest an extensible architecture with support for custom agent skills and configuration. The project is actively developed with regular releases, the latest being v0.6.21 which introduced OpenCode integration and schema v16.
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Terminal-based AI agents like Claude Code and Gemini CLI typically operate in isolation, each running in its own session without the ability to communicate or coordinate with others. This limits complex workflows where one agent's output could inform another's input or where multiple agents need to collaborate on a task. hcom solves this by providing a communication layer and process management that enables AI agents to message each other directly, watch each other's activities, and spawn new agent processes. It standardizes prompt passing and session handling across different tools, making it possible to build multi-agent systems entirely within the terminal environment.