Paddock Mod Enhances Herdr Desktop App Workspace Organization
A new Orca-style sidebar mod introduces project-based agent management for Herdr users.
1Introducing Paddock for Herdr
Paddock is a custom mod designed for the Herdr desktop application that replaces the default spaces list. It organizes workspaces in an Orca-style hierarchy, grouping agents under specific projects. This modification allows users to manage git repositories and local folders as distinct projects, keeping agent sessions clearly separated within the interface.
2Project-Based Workspace Structure
Projects in Paddock represent folders on a machine, including git repositories and their associated worktrees. Users can drag spaces into or out of project containers to maintain order. Folded project rows provide visual cues like spinners and dots, indicating whether an internal agent is currently working or requires immediate user attention.
3Agent Monitoring and Status
The mod displays agents beneath their respective spaces, utilizing traffic light status indicators to show current activity. It tracks session duration and identifies sub-agents started via hc run commands. By reading terminal titles, Paddock supports various agents including Pi, Claude Code, and Codex, providing a unified view of all active processes.
4Installation and Configuration Process
Users can install Paddock by asking their Herdr agent to add the GitHub repository. The setup requires cloning the mod into the Herdr configuration directory and creating a layout clone. By modifying the main-paddock.json file, users point the layout to the new spaces mod, ensuring the interface updates correctly upon application restart.
5Technical Implementation Details
Paddock operates by monitoring git status and machine states every 15 seconds. It performs periodic checks every 10 minutes to distinguish between standard folders and git repositories. The mod stores project data in Herdr's shared state, while specific UI preferences like pins and folds are maintained in the mod's local storage.
6Compatibility and System Limits
The mod is specifically built as a copy of Herdr version 0.1.11, meaning future updates to the core Herdr sidebar will not automatically propagate. While tested primarily on Windows, the code is designed to be cross-platform. It handles path comparisons case-insensitively to accommodate drive-letter paths, ensuring consistent behavior across different operating systems.
7Migration from Previous Mods
For users transitioning from the space-folders mod, Paddock automatically imports existing folder structures during the first initialization. It reads the previous configuration file to convert legacy folders into the new project format. This ensures that users do not lose their existing workspace organization when switching to the new Orca-style sidebar layout.
8Development and Future Maintenance
Distributed under the Apache-2.0 license, Paddock includes a suite of npm tests to verify project belonging and drag-and-drop functionality. The RECIPE.md file is structured to allow agents to rebuild the mod if the Herdr version changes. This modular approach provides a sustainable way to extend Herdr functionality without modifying the core application.