BivyNot the coding agent
Bivy wraps agents you already use. Pi, Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode currently carry the Supported tier; others are Beta or Experimental.
Where Bivy fits
Bivy runs coding agents on machines you control. You start a session, or automation does — same durable session either way. Join it from phone or terminal, share API keys and OAuth across agents, sync that vault across machines, fork work to another agent or machine when you need to.
Short version. Hosted agent if you want zero infra. IDE agent if the job never leaves the editor. Phone remote or SSH if you only need to reach a process. Bivy if you want a queue you can still jump into, on your own fleet.
| Dimension | Bivy | Hosted coding agent | IDE agent | Phone remote / SSH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Operate durable agent sessions | Delegate work to a managed service | Edit with AI in the IDE | Reach a machine or process |
| Execution location | Your laptop, server, VM, or cloud account | Vendor-managed environment | Your workstation while open | Your machine |
| Unattended queue | GitHub, Slack, Linear, webhooks, schedules → session | Often included | Rarely the center | Build it yourself |
| Join mid-run | Same chat, branch, transcript, worktree | Varies; often a separate job UI | While the editor is open | If you are watching |
| Session-content boundary | Your machine and paired devices; E2E remotely | Vendor service under its data terms | Local machine; vendor model API | Your machine and endpoints |
| Agent choice | Supported paths plus tiered Beta catalog | Vendor agent or catalog | Usually one vendor agent | Anything you install |
| Multi-machine fleet | Unlimited machines; route per session or queue job | Vendor environment | One workstation | Manual per host |
| Credentials | Vault shared across agents; E2E sync across machines; native CLI logins per machine | Vendor account | Local / vendor login | You copy secrets |
| Fork / move work | Across agents and machines with transcript + dirty tree | Usually tied to one run | Stay in the editor | Rebuild context yourself |
| Attention & review | Inbox, approvals, diffs, checks, outcomes | Varies; often a PR at the end | In-editor diffs | You watch the terminal |
| Protection model | Agent-specific; no Bivy-owned OS jail | Vendor-defined managed environment | Editor and OS permissions | Your account and host controls |
| Trade-off | Install a machine; hosted or self-hosted remote | Least infrastructure setup | Fastest in-editor loop | Own scripts, security, recovery, UX |
What Bivy is not
Not a black-box job runner
Automation opens a real session. You can message it, approve tools, and review changes — not only wait for a PR notification.
Not magic credential soup
Bivy’s vault is shared across agents on a machine and syncs encrypted across machines. Native CLI logins stay per machine unless you import them. GitHub App keys only go where you opt in.
Fleet, credentials, forks
Unlimited machines on Self-hosted and Cloud. Sign into a provider once on a machine; Pi, Claude Code’s SDK path, Aider, and other vault consumers reuse it. That vault syncs to other machines end-to-end (ciphertext on the control plane, peer key wrap over the relay), including supported subscription OAuth. Fork or move a session to another machine or agent with the transcript and dirty worktree; switching agents replays history when the target can import it. Warm standby exists but is off by default — you don’t need it for fork/move.
Compared with hosted coding agents
Hosted agents win on setup and managed lifecycle. Bivy makes the opposite trade: agents run beside your repository, toolchain, credentials, and network. Automation still exists — issues, chat, webhooks, schedules — but the unit of work is a session on your machine that you can join, and a fleet of your machines rather than one vendor box.
Compared with IDE agents
IDE agents win on in-editor speed. Bivy does not replace autocomplete. It wins when work should keep running after you close the laptop, when an issue should open a session without you, when you need another machine or agent mid-task, and when phone or browser control needs the full transcript and worktree — not a summary.
Compared with phone remotes
Phone remotes share the instinct to keep the real agent on your machine. Bivy adds the unattended queue, multi-machine routing, credential continuity for Bivy-managed auth, session fork/move, and a global Inbox. If you only need to drive one local agent by hand, a focused remote may be simpler.
About accounts
Setup enrolls remote access because remotely visible, steerable sessions are the product. Use Bivy Cloud or self-host the baseline control plane and relay. Self-hosting is the account-free path.
Try it
Interactive sessions are free. Wire automation when you want work to open sessions you can still join. Add a second machine when one machine is not enough.
Install free