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0008. Multiplexers are optional location adapters

  • Status: Accepted
  • Date: 2026-11-06

Context

Developers use tmux, Zellij, herdr, tuios, WezTerm or Ghostty tabs. Some agents are started by hand inside a pane; volee must show them and let the user jump to them. But volee itself must not require any multiplexer.

Decision

  • A location adapter answers two questions for agents that live in a pane: “where is this session?” (by process id or session id) and “focus it”. Optionally it can capture the pane for a preview.
  • Adapters are optional and detected at runtime. The first ones are tmux and tuios; Zellij follows.
  • Without an adapter, a pane-hosted agent is still listed with its state; taking it over is offered only when its harness supports attaching from another terminal.

Consequences

  • volee works in a plain terminal; multiplexer users get one more shortcut.
  • Adapters stay small (a handful of commands each) and easy to contribute.

Alternatives considered

  • Build on one multiplexer. Rejected: excludes most users and brings back pane identity.