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A Host is the Traycer process that connects Desktop to workspace folders, files, terminals, git state, and coding agents. A Host can run on the same machine as Desktop or on another reachable machine. Most of the time, you do not manage Hosts directly. You notice them when Traycer is starting, offline, updating, or when a tab is tied to a different machine.

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What The Host Owns

The Host owns live work that depends on where it is running:
  • workspace-folder access
  • file previews
  • git diffs
  • terminal sessions
  • terminal agents
  • provider and agent setup that depends on tools available to that Host
Cloud sync can move durable Task data across machines, but live surfaces still depend on the Host that opened them.

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Multiple Hosts

A user can have more than one Host. For example, your laptop and a workstation can each run a Host, and each Host owns the work it can reach on that machine. Cross-device Hosts are coming soon. The model is:
  • each device can run its own Host
  • Desktop can connect to a Host when that Host is reachable
  • live surfaces still depend on the Host that started them
  • cloud sync carries durable Task data across devices

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Current Host And Tab Host

Traycer can use a Host in two ways:
Host relationshipMeaning
Current HostThe Host Desktop is currently using for app-wide actions, such as opening Tasks, files, git diffs, and settings.
Tab HostThe Host a specific tab or session started on.
Some tabs keep using their original Host:
SurfaceBehavior
ChatCan continue on another Host by cloning the thread.
Terminal / Terminal AgentCannot migrate because the PTY is tied to the Host that started it.
File previewLoads from its Tab Host.
Git diffLoads from its Tab Host.
If a Host becomes unavailable, affected tabs show an unavailable state. Terminal sessions cannot move to another Host; start a new session on the Current Host when needed.

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Where To Manage Hosts

Use Settings > Host to check Host status, install or update the Host, restart it, and run Doctor diagnostics. Use Troubleshooting for unavailable states, logs, and issue-reporting steps.