https://github.com/mike-heunher/pipane
PIpane, a web UI for the PI agent
https://github.com/mike-heunher/pipane
pi pi-mono
Last synced: about 15 hours ago
JSON representation
PIpane, a web UI for the PI agent
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/mike-heunher/pipane
- Owner: mike-heunher
- License: mit
- Created: 2026-03-01T19:14:42.000Z (5 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-08-09T06:59:48.000Z (about 20 hours ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-08-09T11:13:54.046Z (about 16 hours ago)
- Topics: pi, pi-mono
- Language: TypeScript
- Homepage: https://github.com/mike-heunher/pipane
- Size: 30.6 MB
- Stars: 37
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 4
- Open Issues: 2
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: changelog.md
- License: LICENSE
- Agents: AGENTS.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
- awesome-pi-coding-agent - mike-heunher-pipane
README
# pipane
A clean web interface for the **pi coding agent**. Open any pi conversation in pipane, open any pipane conversation in pi -- full interop.
`pipane` runs a local backend that launches `pi` in RPC mode and streams agent messages to a browser UI over WebSocket.
## Walkthrough
Hero shot:
Walkthrough (GIF):
---
## Quickstarts
Requires Node.js 22.19 or newer, matching the bundled Pi runtime and extension APIs.
```bash
npm install -g pipane
```
If `pi` is missing, install it like this:
```bash
npm install -g @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent
```
Run `pipane` to start the backend. It registers with `https://pipane.dev` by default and uses the machine's short hostname as its backend name, so no remote-access environment variables are required. Set `PIPANE_BACKEND_NAME` to customize the name, `PIPANE_RENDEZVOUS_URL` to use another rendezvous service, or set `PIPANE_RENDEZVOUS_URL` to an empty value to disable remote registration.
Authorize the first browser by running `pipane pair` and opening its short-lived link or scanning its QR code. From an authorized pipane.dev workspace, use the workspace-wide **Add device** button beside **Pipane settings** to create a one-use, ten-minute QR code and link. The new browser receives access to the same account backends without transferring the original browser's private key.
If rendezvous can reach an online backend but WebRTC cannot find a direct ICE path, Pipane offers browser-local **TURN relay settings** from the recovery screen, connection diagnostics, pairing page, and host menu. The guided setup supports [Metered Open Relay](https://www.metered.ca/tools/openrelay/), a publicly reachable self-hosted coturn server using REST shared-secret credentials, or standard static `iceServers` JSON from another provider. Long-term Metered keys and coturn shared secrets remain in that browser; Pipane forwards only temporary TURN credentials for each connection. TURN relays encrypted WebRTC traffic but can still observe endpoint IP addresses, timing, and traffic volume.
### Explicit local deployments
Deploy the current working tree to the separate dev instance with:
```bash
npm run deploy:dev
```
This builds a release, atomically advances the `pipane-dev` systemd service, and verifies it on port `8223`. It does not change production.
To try the same working-tree change through the public site without publishing npm, deploy a preview stack:
```bash
npm run deploy:preview
```
This starts a detached `pipane-preview-deploy` systemd unit and deploys a matching, isolated stack: the local `pipane-dev` backend plus the rendezvous server and browser at `https://preview.pipane.dev`. Detaching lets the workflow survive the local backend restart; follow it with `journalctl -u pipane-preview-deploy -f`. The remote runtime is installed from the working-tree build without publishing or globally installing npm, uses separate rendezvous trust state, and rolls back atomically if its service, health endpoint, or browser checksum fails. Production `pipane.dev` and the local production backend remain untouched. Override the deployment target with `PIPANE_PREVIEW_RENDEZVOUS_HOST`, `PIPANE_PREVIEW_RENDEZVOUS_ROOT`, or `PIPANE_PREVIEW_PUBLIC_URL` when needed.
Deploy the current committed working tree to local production with:
```bash
npm run deploy:prod
```
Production deployment requires a clean Git working tree, atomically advances the `pipane` systemd service, verifies it on port `8222`, and rolls back if the health check fails. Both commands skip dependency installation when `package-lock.json` is unchanged and retain five releases.
```bash
journalctl -u pipane-dev -f
journalctl -u pipane -f
```
---
## What you get
- Session list and clean UI for `pi`
- Real-time tool calls and streaming output, nicely crafted
- One recency-sorted cross-host project picker on pipane.dev
- ChatGPT/Codex and Claude subscription usage in the input toolbar
- A large amount high quality "vibe-code".
Provider usage is supplied by the bundled `@sreetej510/pi-usage` Pi extension and uses Pi's existing authentication. Set `PIPANE_USAGE_EXTENSION=0` when starting pipane to disable it.
---
## Browser UI ownership
The renderer tree under [`src/client/ui/`](src/client/ui/) is maintained directly by pipane. It is derived from the final pi-mono `web-ui` release (`v0.75.3`) with pipane's flat message renderer, steering editor, thinking display, attachment handling, and tool renderers integrated into one local path. Pipane does not patch or load an external `pi-web-ui` package. See [`UPSTREAM.md`](src/client/ui/UPSTREAM.md) and [`THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`](THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md).
The versioned browser WebSocket contract and validated Pi subprocess boundary are documented in [`docs/protocol.md`](docs/protocol.md).
## Testing
Run the complete local verification gate with:
```bash
npm run test:all
```
This typechecks the repository, runs Vitest with coverage thresholds, builds the production client/server, and runs the deterministic Playwright suite. The real-credential walkthrough is separate: `npm run test:walkthrough`.
## License
[MIT](LICENSE)