hcom — multi-agent communication for AI coding tools
AI agents running in separate terminals are isolated. hcom connects them via hooks and a shared database so they can message, watch, and spawn each other in real-time.
Start an agent with
in front, then prompt normally.
Use hcom to:
- coordinate multi-agent pipelines
- run different AI CLIs as each other's subagents
- avoid copy-pasting
bash
uv tool install hcom
hcom claude # or: hcom gemini, hcom codex, hcom opencode, hcom kilo, hcom pi, hcom omp, hcom agy, hcom cursor, hcom kimi, hcom copilot, hcom qoder, hcom grok, hcom hermes
hcom # TUI dashboard
Quickstart:
bash
# terminal 1
hcom claude
# terminal 2
hcom codex
Prompt normally — e.g.
review what claude did and send it fixes
what humans can do
tell any agent:
send a message to claude
when codex goes idle send it the next task
watch gemini's file edits, review each and send feedback if any bugs
fork yourself to investigate the bug and report back
find which agent worked on terminal_id code, resume them and ask why it sucks
what agents can do
Message each other in real time: mid-turn or wake immediately when idle
Observe each other: status, transcripts, file edits, live terminal screens, command history.
Subscribe and notify on status changes, file edits, collisions, specific events. React automatically.
Spawn, fork, resume, kill in any terminal emulator or headless.
run
for full command syntax and flags.
Works with Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Codex, OpenCode, Kilo Code, Pi, Oh My Pi, Antigravity, Cursor, Kimi, Copilot, Qoder CLI, Grok Build, Hermes Agent, and other tools
setup
When this skill is invoked, first run:
If hcom status works: run
If hcom list shows "Your name: <name>" where
is not "(not participating)": congratulations!
If running
returns "command not found", install first:
See the
hcom README for other install options.
If hcom status shows a list of CLI tools and you are not any of them, run
to connect to hcom.
If you've just installed hcom now or if hcom list shows "Your name: (not participating)" and you are a tool in the hcom status list of CLI tools:
Relaunch into hcom properly for automatic message delivery and full hcom functionality. User should exit and run
.
Or if you know your sessionID/ses_/thread_name: user can exit and run
to resume you inside hcom. See
.
troubleshooting
"hcom not working"
bash
hcom status # check installation
hcom hooks status # check hooks specifically
hcom relay status # check cross-device relay
still broken?
bash
hcom reset all # backup config/db + reset it
hcom claude # fresh start
still broken after that?
bash
git clone https://github.com/aannoo/hcom.git
cd hcom
Read code and figure out what is going on.
sandbox / permission issues
Use project-local hcom state when the normal hcom directory is unavailable:
bash
HCOM_DIR=$PWD/.hcom hcom <tool>
files
| what | location |
|---|
| database | |
| config | |
| env | |
| logs | |
| user scripts | |
more info
bash
hcom --help
hcom <command> --help
hcom run docs --scripts # script authoring info