# Show HN: Canban – Kanban and Workflow and Herdr Workbench for CLI Agents

> Source: <https://github.com/jjyr/canban>
> Published: 2026-11-15 17:06:17+00:00

**Focus on Human Context.**

  Canban = Kanban + Workflow + Herdr

**English** · [简体中文](https://github.com/jjyr/canban/blob/main/README.zh-CN.md)

[**Website (canban.dev)**](https://canban.dev) ·
  [Philosophy](#philosophy) ·
  [Highlights](#highlights) ·
  [Installation](#installation) ·
  [Related Software](#related-software-and-acknowledgements) ·
  [License](#license)

1. **Kanban organizes human context** — specs,`#Card` references, screenshots,`@Agent` discussions, structured reports, and review gates stay together on each Card.
2. **Herdr drives native Agent CLIs with minimal interference** — run Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity (`agy` ), Cursor CLI, or custom CLIs directly inside persistent PTYs with native TUIs, permissions, MCPs, skills, and session resume intact.
3. **Most work stays on Kanban and dispatches via workflows** — shape scope and review diffs on the Board while workflows isolate Git worktrees, dispatch agents, and queue merges automatically.

Move Cards across customizable stages (`Backlog → Develop → Review`) with live `@developer`, `@reviewer`, and `@merger` status capsules right on the Board. Each Card combines Markdown specs, pasted screenshots, `#Card` / `#tag` links, `Cmd+O` Quick Open, and GitHub Issue/PR sync with approval gates for external PRs.

Automate column transitions, `@agent` runs, custom scripts, conditions, human approvals, and serialized FIFO **Queue Merge** (`deliver` with automatic `@merger` conflict resolution) inside isolated per-Card Git worktrees — authored visually in Workflow Studio, in YAML, or via **Edit with agent**.

Press `Cmd+J` on any Card for a side-by-side terminal split or open the dedicated **Terminals** workspace. Built in Rust with `longbridge/nsh` (AppKit/Metal) and `libghostty-vt` over local or remote SSH `herdr-core`, running agent PTYs survive app restarts and upgrades across 17 built-in dark themes.

**Prerequisites**: macOS 13.0+ (Apple Silicon), `git`, at least one native Agent CLI (` claude`, `codex`, `agy`, `cursor-agent`, etc.), and **Herdr Core (` hc`)** (Canban guides one-click `hc` setup on first launch if missing).

```
curl -fsSL https://canban.dev/install.sh | bash
```

Installs or live-upgrades `/Applications/Canban.app` without interrupting active `herdr-core` sessions, and automatically handles macOS Gatekeeper quarantine removal and local ad-hoc code signing.

Canban builds directly on these open-source projects and assets (full attributions and licenses are preserved in [THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md](https://github.com/jjyr/canban/blob/main/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md)):

- **[Herdr (`herdr-core`)](https://github.com/herdrdev/herdr-core)** — Persistent PTY session supervisor and JSON-RPC runtime powering native Agent CLIs and interactive terminals (Apache-2.0)
- **[Sheprd](https://github.com/sheprd-labs/sheprd)** — Terminal VT/frame/input and subscription utility patterns referenced during integration (Apache-2.0)
- **[NSH (`longbridge/nsh`)](https://github.com/longbridge/nsh)** — Native macOS AppKit/Metal Rust UI framework (Apache-2.0)
- **[Ghostty (`libghostty-vt`)](https://github.com/ghostty-org/ghostty)** — Commit-pinned VT parser and terminal emulation engine (MIT)
- **[iTerm2-Color-Schemes](https://github.com/mbadolato/iTerm2-Color-Schemes)** (MIT) — 16 classic terminal color palettes including Monokai, Dracula, Nord, Tokyo Night, and Catppuccin Mocha
- **[Lucide](https://lucide.dev)** (ISC),**[Lobe Icons](https://github.com/lobehub/lobe-icons)** (MIT), and**[Primer Octicons](https://github.com/primer/octicons)** (MIT) — UI and provider icons

Copyright 2026 JJy <[jjyruby@gmail.com](mailto:jjyruby@gmail.com)>.

Licensed under the [Apache License, Version 2.0](https://github.com/jjyr/canban/blob/main/LICENSE).