Kernel 0.7.0

Terminal tabs run Claude Code connected to Kernel's tools, and a Lead or teammate can work there instead of in a Kernel chat, with its questions and team updates in the Inbox. When every Claude account hits its limit, new teammates start on Codex, and the other way round, using the models you set for each role in Settings, Models and effort. Pull requests can merge on green checks without a review if you turn that on. New chats start sooner, the transcript is quieter, and buttons, rows and focus rings look the same on every screen.

New

• Claude Code in terminal tabs. Terminal tabs now run Claude Code connected to Kernel's tools, pick up the same session after Kernel restarts, and can be turned off in Settings, Terminal. (#1038)
• A Lead workspace's new tab menu offers a Lead terminal, terminal tabs show when they are working or need you, and Settings, Big terminal has a switch to connect terminals to Kernel. (#1047)
• A Lead running in a terminal tab now hears what its teammates did on its next message or when it checks, without Kernel typing into the terminal. (#1048)
• A terminal tab for a Lead or teammate can switch between the Terminal and a read-only Transcript of its session, and it remembers the choice for each tab. (#1050)
• A teammate can now run in a terminal tab instead of Kernel, chosen per hand-off, per project or for the whole app in Settings, Terminal. (#1057)
• Settings, Pull requests can let pull requests merge by themselves on green checks without a review. (#1059)
• Settings, Big terminal and each project's Agents page let you choose whether teammates run in Kernel, in a terminal, or the same as the Lead, and a teammate running in a terminal says so. (#1060)
• A teammate's question to a terminal Lead can be answered from the Inbox, a Lead terminal tab shows how many team updates wait, closing a working terminal asks first, and a teammate running in a terminal is marked in the sidebar. (#1074)
• Switching a chat with Kernel to Build here gives it a worktree, or your current branch when Settings, Git and worktrees says so, the first time it builds. (#1117)
• New teammates start on Codex when every Claude account is at its limit, and on Claude when every Codex account is, using the model and effort set for that role in Settings, Models and effort. (#1124)

Improved

• Terminal chats of a Lead or teammate now show working and idle, take their title from the session, and let the Lead act on what you typed there. (#1045)
• Teammates and reviews start right away while the setup script runs in the background, and a failed setup no longer stops them. (#1051)
• Settings, About now says when an update could not install and why, instead of "Could not check for updates". (#1061)
• Settings pages no longer show a line under their title, and About shows Kernel's app icon. (#1063)
• A teammate's chat shows its work while setup runs, and a failed setup no longer blocks it, unless Wait for setup before agents start is on in Settings. (#1066)
• The first message in a new chat starts sooner, because its workspace is prepared while you write it. (#1067)
• The chat transcript is quieter: a single tool call shows as its own row, denied calls are named once, runs of grey notes fold into one line, and only the latest turn shows its time and actions until you hover an earlier one. (#1069)
• A chat that moves to another account with a summary shows one note instead of three, and no longer says it re-read 0 tokens. (#1070)
• A new chat gets its name in the sidebar as soon as you send the first message. (#1071)
• New projects offer starter agents named Christian, Sean, Teng and Artkin. (#1072)
• The + menu offers Chat and Terminal, and terminal tabs no longer show teammate or Lead terminal controls. (#1081)
• Messages you or the Lead send no longer wait while other chats move to a new account. (#1082)
• Terminal tabs open as plain terminals again, and every teammate runs as a chat in Kernel. (#1083)
• The message queue says when a message waits for other chats to move to a new account. (#1085)
• Code blocks show a copy icon that turns into a check, in place of the Copy button. (#1086)
• Every copy button is now a clipboard icon that turns into a check after copying. (#1087)
• A chat with Kernel in Build here shows only Create PR above its changes, without a Link issue button beside it. (#1096)
• Unread chats in the sidebar keep the same icon weight as read ones, and the small buttons in the footer and the chat hover card use the smaller corner radius. (#1100)
• Inbox, Issues, Pull requests, History and Projects now share one row height and rounded rows without dividers. (#1104)
• Image chips are now monochrome, and the composer pickers and buttons share the same radius, edge and button sizes. (#1106)
• Buttons in the pull request band and the shared file view now share the stock button radius, hover and disabled looks. (#1107)
• Settings buttons, dropdowns, the account name field and the Accounts "on hold" banner now use the same sizes, borders and neutral surface as the rest of the app. (#1108)
• Run, Open in, Create PR, Open and Settings' Open settings file buttons now share one joined split button design. (#1110)
• Links, focus rings, script field borders and list row hovers look the same on every screen, in both themes. (#1113)
• Keyboard focus rings, text colors and small control sizes are now consistent across menus, the composer, Projects and the pull request lists. (#1114)
• A new chat with Kernel in Hand off starts right away, without making a worktree or running the setup script. (#1116)
• Settings, Git and worktrees says which settings apply to chats with Kernel, and a chat shows when it is waiting for its turn to end or making its worktree. (#1118)
• Chips in the composer and on sent messages show a colored icon for their kind, such as images, pasted text, files, issues and pull requests. (#1119)
• Chats no longer show setup steps after a project's first chat, and the Build here switch responds right away. (#1122)
• The first New chat after Kernel starts shows its Up next issues right away instead of a moment later. (#1123)
• Settings, Models and effort sets a Claude and a Codex model for each role and which provider it prefers, Settings, Accounts can start new work on the other provider when every account is at its limit, and a chat that started that way says so. (#1125)

Look and feel

• Chats waiting on you and warnings show an amber icon, so they stand out in the sidebar and tabs. (#1044)
• What's new keeps Restart to update in view while you scroll, shows each new feature's name above its sentence, and folds improvements and fixes into one row per area. (#1046)
• Each change in What's new starts with a short dash, so a long list is easier to scan. (#1089)
• A plan waiting for your approval shows a blue icon in the sidebar and tabs, matching plan mode. (#1095)

Issues and pull requests

• Issues and Pull requests in Work now share one project pick and one header, and the Pull requests tab no longer shows a 0 while merged pull requests are listed. (#1037)
• Merged pull requests in Work now read as a log: grouped by day, with the issue in its own column, search and an agent filter, and the real total on the tab. (#1039)
• Issues marks and scrolls to the open issue, has a wider list with the properties in a side rail on wide windows, and shows quieter rows and an empty Work card. (#1040)

Chat

• Choosing Build here no longer makes a working copy until you send a message in it. (#1120)

Message box and models

• Pasted, dropped and picked files show their finished chip in the message box right away, with no loading placeholder first. (#1090)

Fixed

• Fixed a message you sent while a chat was setting up disappearing until setup finished. (#1054)
• Fixed a restored chat making you wait for setup before your message was sent. (#1056)
• Fixed Restart to update spinning forever and leaving Kernel stopped when macOS refuses to install the update. (#1058)
• Fixed a Lead in a terminal tab asking for plan approval in a place the terminal never shows, so it now uses Claude Code's own plan dialog. (#1064)
• Fixed usage percentages reading over 100% when an account passes its limit. (#1068)
• Fixed a terminal Lead tab not showing its waiting team update count until the count changed after the app started. (#1076)
• Fixed agents being told a usage limit had lifted while it still stood. (#1077)
• Fixed the Kernel could not start message showing technical error details under the explanation. (#1079)
• Fixed agents stopped by a usage limit staying idle after you switched to another account. (#1080)
• Fixed the file rows in a Team update using a different border and Open button style from the rest of the app. (#1084)
• Fixed the working spinner jumping and a setup message flashing after sending the first message in a new chat. (#1092)
• Fixed the message box not scrolling to a new line made with Shift+Enter once the draft is taller than the box. (#1094)
• Fixed a pull request an agent opened just before its turn ended not showing in its chat, which kept offering Create PR. (#1099)
• Fixed chat cards and your message bubbles using different fills and edges, and the plan card showing blue numbers, in light and dark. (#1101)
• Fixed the dividers between rows in Settings cards disappearing in dark mode. (#1102)
• Fixed the first message in a new project switching you to a different chat, because the project's first chat now exists as soon as the project is added. (#1103)
• Fixed a new project's first chat jumping to a different page and tab name on the first Send, and removed the "No setup script yet" warning for projects without a setup script. (#1111)
• Fixed a quick blink under the first message of a new chat when its worktree finishes setting up. (#1112)
• Fixed a plan icon and step numbers in the chat showing grey instead of plan blue. (#1121)

Chat

• Fixed a new chat taking a few seconds to show your message and the working spinner after you press Send. (#1036)

Agents

• Fixed messages and Kernel's nudges to a teammate in a terminal being lost after a restart or never reaching it, and a closed Lead tab dropping the team updates waiting for it. (#1075)

Full list of changes

• feat(engine): Kernel's tools over local HTTP for terminal seats (KERNEL-997) by @cjjutba in #1035
• fix(workspace): show the working spinner as soon as a new chat is sent by @cjjutba in #1036
• feat(workspace): one project scope and a matching header on both Work tabs (KERNEL-1009) by @cjjutba in #1037
• feat(workspace): merged pull requests as a log (KERNEL-1010) by @cjjutba in #1039
• docs: remove design references to other apps by @cjjutba in #1042
• ci: fail PRs that name other apps outside the script import feature by @cjjutba in #1043
• feat(workspace): amber waiting icons and warning triangles again by @cjjutba in #1044
• feat(engine): launch wiring for terminal seats (KERNEL-998) by @cjjutba in #1038
• feat(workspace): Issues shows the open row, a wider list and a properties rail (KERNEL-1011) by @cjjutba in #1040
• feat(engine): terminal seat identity and signals through hooks (KERNEL-999) by @cjjutba in #1045
• feat(engine): team updates reach a terminal Lead (KERNEL-1000) by @cjjutba in #1048
• feat(workspace): terminal tab UI for Lead seats (KERNEL-1001) by @cjjutba in #1047
• feat(engine): read-only transcript of a terminal seat (KERNEL-1002) by @cjjutba in #1049
• feat(workspace): read-only transcript view on terminal tabs (KERNEL-1003) by @cjjutba in #1050
• feat(update): What's new with titles, areas and every state by @cjjutba in #1046
• fix(workspace): messages held for setup stay visible in a chat with history (KERNEL-1018) by @cjjutba in #1054
• chore: remove the guard hook and project deny rules by @cjjutba in #1053
• feat(engine): auto-merge without a review when the user opts in (KERNEL-1017) by @cjjutba in #1055
• fix(engine): restored chats don't wait for setup (KERNEL-1016) by @cjjutba in #1056
• feat(engine): teammates can run in a terminal (KERNEL-1004) by @cjjutba in #1057
• feat(settings): Merge without a review row (KERNEL-1019) by @cjjutba in #1059
• fix(engine): Restart to update never spins or leaves Kernel stopped (KERNEL-1020) by @cjjutba in #1058
• feat(workspace): choose where teammates run in Settings (KERNEL-1005) by @cjjutba in #1060
• feat(settings): About explains an update that couldn't install (KERNEL-1021) by @cjjutba in #1061
• fix(engine): features stop importing each other, and PRs check it by @cjjutba in #1062
• feat(settings): drop the line under page titles, show the app icon on About (KERNEL-1023) by @cjjutba in #1063
• fix(engine): a terminal Lead plans with Claude Code's plan dialog (KERNEL-1022) by @cjjutba in #1064
• feat(engine): setup runs in the background and nothing waits for it (KERNEL-1012) by @cjjutba in #1051
• feat(workspace): no setup hold for teammates unless Wait for setup is on (KERNEL-1013) by @cjjutba in #1066
• feat(engine): a new chat claims a spare worktree (KERNEL-1014) by @cjjutba in #1067
• fix(usage): clamp displayed usage percentages to 100% (KERNEL-1027) by @cjjutba in #1068
• feat(workspace): quieter chat transcript (KERNEL-1025) by @cjjutba in #1069
• feat(engine): one note per account move, never re-read 0 tokens (KERNEL-1026) by @cjjutba in #1070
• docs: refer to the maintainer instead of by name by @cjjutba in #1073
• feat(team): starter agents are Christian, Sean, Teng and Artkin by @cjjutba in #1072
• test(engine): live test for Kernel driven from a terminal Lead (KERNEL-1006) by @cjjutba in #1065
• feat(engine): name a new chat as soon as its first message is sent (KERNEL-1024) by @cjjutba in #1071
• fix(engine): terminal seats keep messages, get nudges and keep updates (KERNEL-1029) by @cjjutba in #1075
• feat(workspace): terminal seats in the Inbox, tab count, close confirm and sidebar label (KERNEL-1028) by @cjjutba in #1074
• fix(workspace): terminal Lead tab shows its update count at startup (KERNEL-1028) by @cjjutba in #1076
• fix(engine): a usage limit stays rejected until it really lifts (KERNEL-1030) by @cjjutba in #1077
• fix(engine): Kernel could not start shows the message, not the stack (KERNEL-268) by @cjjutba in #1079
• fix(engine): every chat a usage limit stops carries on, and a switch revives them all (KERNEL-1031) by @cjjutba in #1080
• feat(workspace): + menu offers Chat and Terminal, terminal seat UI off (KERNEL-1035) by @cjjutba in #1081
• feat(engine): switch terminal seats off behind one flag (KERNEL-1034) by @cjjutba in #1083
• fix(engine): messages from the user and the Lead skip the cold re-read hold (KERNEL-1032) by @cjjutba in #1082
• feat(workspace): queue says when a message waits for chats moving to a new account (KERNEL-1033) by @cjjutba in #1085
• fix(workspace): Team update file rows use the card tokens and the stock small button by @cjjutba in #1084
• feat(workspace): code blocks copy with a clipboard icon that turns into a check by @cjjutba in #1086
• feat(workspace): every copy button is one clipboard icon that turns into a check by @cjjutba in #1087
• refactor(workspace): delete terminal seats from the renderer (KERNEL-1036) by @cjjutba in #1088
• feat(workspace): attached files land as finished chips, with no loading placeholder by @cjjutba in #1090
• fix(update): What's new marks each change, keeps New open and fixes say Fixed by @cjjutba in #1089
• feat(platform): pnpm release deploys the website after it publishes by @cjjutba in #1041
• fix(workspace): the first message from New chat keeps its spinner in place by @cjjutba in #1092
• refactor(engine): delete terminal seats from the engine and shared contracts (KERNEL-1037) by @cjjutba in #1093
• fix(site): the landing demo's model picker lists the Codex models by @cjjutba in #1091
• fix(workspace): a plan waiting for review shows a blue icon, not amber by @cjjutba in #1095
• fix(workspace): the composer scrolls to a new line made with Shift+Enter by @cjjutba in #1094
• feat(site): new positioning line, Your AI coding agents, finally organized by @cjjutba in #1098
• feat(site): each release has its own changelog page by @cjjutba in #1097
• feat(workspace): a Build here chat's PR band shows only Create PR by @cjjutba in #1096
• fix(workspace): tidy sidebar and footer CSS (KERNEL-1040) by @cjjutba in #1100
• fix(workspace): chat cards and bubbles use one card recipe (KERNEL-1039) by @cjjutba in #1101
• fix(fixtures): SettingsModelsAgentsNone and WorkspaceRowsOpen render shots again (KERNEL-1042) by @cjjutba in #1105
• feat(workspace): the five lists share one row model by @cjjutba in #1104
• fix(settings): card row dividers show in dark, one card recipe by @cjjutba in #1102
• fix(workspace): monochrome image chips, picker radius and edge, stock buttons (KERNEL-1044) by @cjjutba in #1106
• fix(settings): stock buttons, select and input borders, neutral hold banner (KERNEL-1043) by @cjjutba in #1108
• fix(workspace): PR band and shared view buttons follow the button rules (KERNEL-1045) by @cjjutba in #1107
• feat(projects): adding a project makes its first chat and worktree by @cjjutba in #1103
• feat(ui): one shared SplitButton (KERNEL-1046) by @cjjutba in #1110
• feat(workspace): a new project's first chat keeps one setup block through the first Send by @cjjutba in #1111
• fix(workspace): no blink under the first message of a new chat when setup ends by @cjjutba in #1112
• feat(ui): one LinkButton, focus rings on --focus, panel row hover (KERNEL-1047) by @cjjutba in #1113
• feat(ui): DESIGN.md catches up with tokens, theme test holds token roles (KERNEL-1048) by @cjjutba in #1114
• fix(engine): a PR opened just before a turn ends links to its chat by @cjjutba in #1099
• feat(engine): new chats in Hand off start on one shared main folder (KERNEL-1050) by @cjjutba in #1116
• feat(engine): the first switch to Build here gives a shared chat its working copy (KERNEL-1051) by @cjjutba in #1117
• feat(ui): screens for chats on the shared main folder (KERNEL-1052) by @cjjutba in #1118
• feat(ui): chips show a colored icon for their kind (KERNEL-1053) by @cjjutba in #1119
• feat(engine): a shared chat's working copy is made on the first send in Build here (KERNEL-1053) by @cjjutba in #1120
• fix(ui): the plan card wears plan blue on its icon and step numbers (KERNEL-1054) by @cjjutba in #1121
• feat(ui): chats show setup once per project, and the Build here switch is instant (KERNEL-1053) by @cjjutba in #1122
• feat(ui): Up next shows on the first New chat after a restart (KERNEL-1057) by @cjjutba in #1123
• feat(engine): new work starts on the other provider when every account is at its limit (KERNEL-1055) by @cjjutba in #1124
• feat(ui): Claude and Codex picks for each role, the provider fallback switch and the fallback line (KERNEL-1056) by @cjjutba in #1125
• chore(release): 0.7.0 by @cjjutba in #1126

Full Changelog: v0.6.0...v0.7.0