What Herdr optimizes
Persistent terminals, agent state at a glance, socket/CLI automation, SSH reattach. Strong when the job is “leave them running and never hunt the stuck pane.” Apache-2.0 open runtime (YC F26).
Orchemax
Orchemax vs Herdr
Different layers. Herdr is the open agent runtime — panes that stay alive, working / blocked / idle across machines. Orchemax is the workshop law under those agents: Chair, shared locks, symbols, bus, and a Zero-Code-Leak overlook.
Adjacent, not a substitute
Searching for a Herdr alternative? Most listicles compare ADE panes and terminal multiplexers. Orchemax is neither. It sits under the CLIs Herdr already hosts — so the herd can keep running and the repo survives parallel writes.
What Orchemax optimizes
Workshop governance: one Chair per project, shared-path locks, search-before-create symbols, disk bus, duplicate gate, measured usage, optional org overlook — source stays on your machines.
Head-to-head
| Capability | Herdr | Orchemax |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Agent terminal runtime / multiplexer | Governed multi-agent workshop + overlook |
| Where it sits | Owns the terminals; agents keep their native TUI | Under the CLI (MCP + harness hooks); no new agent UI |
| Survive lid close / SSH drop | Yes — that is the product | Depends on how you host the seat; Orchemax does not replace the runtime |
| Attention queue (working / blocked / idle) | First-class pane status | Notify / Assist when a worker finishes or asks; not a terminal mux |
| One director per project | Not the product — agents may spawn peers via socket API | One Chair; second interactive Chair refused |
| Shared file locks / symbol law | Not documented as repo governance | Shared locks + orch:export + guard dup |
| Work-item ownership | Not a ledger product | task_claim on the markdown ledger line |
| Cost / governance read-out | Not an org spend overlook | orch usage locally; Team SaaS overlook (metadata only) |
| Can they coexist? | Yes. Run Orchemax-wired seats inside Herdr panes — runtime + workshop law. | |
Honest split: Herdr keeps agents alive. Orchemax keeps the workshop from colliding. Traycer-class hosts remain the peer orchestrator category — see Orchemax vs Traycer.
Pick Herdr if…
Your bottleneck is terminal chaos: many agents, many projects, closed lids, and finding who is blocked. You want an open runtime and socket API, not another governance SaaS.
Pick Orchemax if…
Your bottleneck is the repo: duplicates, lost locks, two directors, no spend number. Professional fits a founder running several projects alone; Team fits the org that needs overlook and Assist HITL.
FAQ — Orchemax vs Herdr
Is Orchemax a Herdr alternative?
Only in the broad “I run many coding agents” sense. Herdr is a terminal runtime; Orchemax is workshop governance. They solve different jobs and can run together.
I’m a solo founder — which plan?
Professional ($25/mo) is the paid rung for one human driving several projects and agents — soft Telegram notify, caps, no org seats required.
We’re a company — which plan?
Team ($49/seat/mo) adds the overlook, Assist HITL approvals, and seats for humans under oversight. Enterprises self-select; founders on Professional are equal ICP.
Does Orchemax replace Herdr?
No. Keep Herdr (or tmux, or your IDE terminals) for session life. Add Orchemax under the CLIs for locks, symbols, Chair, and measured governance.