Always there. Never in the way.
A lightweight terminal panel that lives at your screen edge.
A 9pt-wide pill that opens on hover, delivers a full terminal, and collapses back without disturbing your flow. Works across all Spaces, fullscreen apps, and Mission Control.
Get SideNook
Download the ZIP, drag to Applications, and you're set.
How to install
Click the download button and grab the ZIP file.
Drag SideNook.app into Applications.
macOS asks for Accessibility access — allow it.
The pill appears on your screen edge — click and type.
Check out what it can do
Built-in notes
CL Notes is a persistent monospaced notepad built into the panel. Jot down commands, draft code snippets, or keep a running log - all without leaving your terminal.
- Line-number gutter (up to 100 lines)
- Three access modes: inline drawer, popover, or full tab
- Auto-saved on every change
- Full undo support and standard keyboard shortcuts
Command line help
A searchable command reference loaded from Metadata/command-lines.md.
Click any command row to send it directly to the active terminal.
- Inline drawer, popover, or full-tab mode
- Real-time filter as you type
- Resizable drawer (80–384pt range)
- Click-to-send to active terminal
Multitask
Run multiple terminal sessions side by side. Split views let you watch logs, edit configs, and run commands without juggling windows.
- Vertical and horizontal split panes
- Independent shell sessions per pane
- Drag to resize or reorder panes
- Quick-switch between layouts with keyboard shortcuts
Personalize
Make SideNook yours. Choose from built-in themes or design your own color palette - every visual element can be tuned to match your workflow and style.
- Curated light and dark themes
- Custom accent color with live preview
- Adjustable panel opacity and blur
- Font size and typeface picker for the terminal
Status indicator
Know your terminal state at a glance. A subtle indicator shows connection status, running processes, and available updates - without cluttering your screen.
- Live connection status for SSH and local sessions
- Background task activity indicator
- Panel visibility and auto-hide state
- Update available notification
Built with care, shared with love
SideNook is built by a solo developer and maintained with care. The app is free to download and use. If it makes your daily workflow easier, spread the word.
“Seriously, Jacki. What the...! Love to see you grow.”
“Omgggg I love itttttt! Seriously helps me so much when I have a trillion things to do at once.”
“This is exactly what I needed. A terminal that's there when I need it and invisible when I don't. The floating pill is genius.”
“Just a day in and I already find it super super helpful not having to switch apps just to use Claude Code.”
Share your thoughts
Thanks for the feedback! <3