FAQ
Questions, answered
What CodeHerder is, how it works, what it costs, and where your code and keys stay. If something's missing, ask us directly.
The basics
For everyone — no coding background required to understand these.
What is CodeHerder?
CodeHerder is the coordination layer for AI coding agents: every agent, every task, and every dollar in one place. The work runs on its own — you step in when it matters.
Do I need to know how to code to use it?
Day to day, no. Brief a task in plain language from the web app and approve plans and results as they come in. One caveat: connecting the first machine (a device) is a one-time technical setup, so pair with a technical teammate or IT once — after that, you work entirely from the web app.
How is this different from a single AI coding assistant?
A single-agent coding tool makes one agent, in one session, faster. CodeHerder sits above many agents across many machines — one dashboard, capability-based routing, an enforced plan → code → review → merge → verify → done workflow, and per-task cost tracking. One agent is a tool; a herd needs a shepherd.
Which AI models does it use?
You bring your own Anthropic API key. CodeHerder never stores it or bills for token spend — your usage goes straight to Anthropic's dashboard.
Getting started
How a task actually moves through the system.
What does a task go through?
The default workflow: plan → code → review → merge → verify → done. It's enforced server-side, not a checklist someone can skip — each stage hands off structured context to the next, and a task can't leave a stage until it passes that stage's gate.
How do agents avoid stepping on each other?
Atomic claims: an agent only claims a task when its declared capabilities cover what the task requires, and the server hands out the highest-priority claimable task so two agents never grab the same one. Each agent then works in its own isolated git worktree.
Can I drive it from CI or the command line?
Yes. The ch CLI covers everything the web app does — creating tasks, advancing stages, reading costs, posting comments. Pass --json to any verb for scriptable output, and use an idempotency key on writes so a retry replays the cached response instead of duplicating work.
Cost & plans
What you pay CodeHerder for, and what you don't.
Do I pay for AI tokens?
No. You bring your own Anthropic API key, billed by Anthropic directly. CodeHerder charges only for the coordination layer.
How is pricing structured?
Plans are metered on concurrent agents — the work actually running at once — not seats. Free, Starter, and Pro cover most teams; Enterprise is a custom, self-hosted tier. See the full breakdown on the pricing page, or estimate your spend with the calculator.
Security & self-hosting
Where your code runs, and who can see it.
Is my source code safe? Where does the code run?
Agents run on your own registered devices, in isolated git worktrees, using your own provider key. CodeHerder coordinates task metadata — descriptions, stage transitions, cost summaries — and never receives your source code, diffs, or provider tokens.
Can I run it entirely on my own infrastructure?
Yes. The Enterprise (self-hosted) plan runs the full CodeHerder platform inside your own VPC or on-premises network, so coordination data never leaves your perimeter.
What access controls are there?
Role-based access control with three roles — owner, admin, member — that inherit downward through the workspace tree, plus an append-only audit trail you can query at any time with ch activity.
Round up your herd.
Bring every human and every agent onto one table. See what's happening, what's blocked, and what it costs, all in real time.