Key takeaways
- Built-in MCP server enables agent-to-agent communication — unique among orchestrators
- GPU-accelerated terminals via libghostty with SwiftTerm fallback
- MIT licensed, backed by Kochava (enterprise mobile analytics company)
FAQ
What is Skwad?
Skwad is an open-source macOS app that runs multiple AI coding agents with built-in MCP for inter-agent messaging and coordination.
How much does Skwad cost?
Skwad is free and open source under the MIT license.
Who competes with Skwad?
Supacode, Superset, Conductor, and Claude Squad offer similar multi-agent orchestration capabilities.
Executive Summary
Skwad is an open-source macOS app that runs multiple AI coding agents simultaneously with built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) support for agent-to-agent messaging. From Kochava Studios, it differentiates through native agent coordination rather than just parallel execution.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | Kochava Studios |
| Founded | 2026 |
| Funding | Internal (Kochava) |
| Employees | 1 primary maintainer |
| Headquarters | Sandpoint, Idaho |
Product Overview
Skwad positions itself as "your new, slightly revolutionary coding crew" — a macOS app where AI agents work together rather than just side-by-side. Each agent runs in its own embedded terminal, but the built-in MCP server lets them coordinate work themselves.
The app is built with Swift/SwiftUI and uses libghostty for GPU-accelerated terminal rendering (with SwiftTerm as fallback). It supports Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, and GitHub Copilot out of the box, plus any custom CLI agent.
Key Capabilities
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Multi-Agent Management | Run multiple AI coding agents simultaneously |
| MCP Server | Built-in inter-agent messaging and coordination |
| GPU Terminals | libghostty-powered with SwiftTerm fallback |
| Git Integration | Worktree support, diff viewer, stage/commit panel |
| Activity Detection | See which agents are working or idle at a glance |
Product Surfaces
| Surface | Description | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| macOS App | Native SwiftUI desktop app | Beta |
| Homebrew | brew install --cask skwad | Planned |
Technical Architecture
Skwad uses a native macOS architecture with GPU-accelerated terminal rendering. The core differentiator is the built-in Hummingbird HTTP server that implements MCP, enabling agents to communicate with each other directly.
Key Technical Details
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deployment | Local macOS app |
| Terminal Engine | libghostty (GPU) / SwiftTerm (fallback) |
| Framework | SwiftUI, The Composable Architecture |
| MCP Server | Hummingbird HTTP |
| Open Source | Yes (MIT License) |
Dependencies
- libghostty — GPU-accelerated terminal from Ghostty project
- SwiftTerm — Fallback terminal emulation
- Hummingbird — HTTP server for MCP implementation
- swift-log — Logging framework
Strengths
- Agent-to-Agent Communication — The built-in MCP server is unique among orchestrators, enabling agents to coordinate work and hand off tasks without human mediation
- GPU-Accelerated Performance — libghostty provides native-quality terminal rendering that keeps up with fast-moving agent output
- Enterprise Backing — Kochava is an established company (mobile analytics/attribution), providing stability uncommon in indie tools
- Permissive License — MIT licensing allows commercial use and modification without copyleft restrictions
- Native macOS Design — SwiftUI app follows platform conventions, integrates with macOS features
Cautions
- Very New Project — Only 10 GitHub stars and 237 commits as of February 2026; limited real-world validation
- Single Maintainer — Nicolas Bonamy is listed as the sole creator/maintainer, creating bus-factor risk
- macOS 14.0+ Required — Requires Sonoma or later; no support for older macOS versions
- Build Complexity — Requires Zig toolchain or prebuilt libghostty download; not a simple install
- No Documentation Site — GitHub README is the only documentation; no dedicated docs
Pricing & Licensing
| Tier | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | $0 | Full app, MIT license |
Licensing model: MIT — permissive, commercial-friendly
Hidden costs: Requires AI coding CLI subscriptions (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) for actual agent functionality
Competitive Positioning
Direct Competitors
| Competitor | Differentiation |
|---|---|
| Supacode | Skwad has MCP for agent coordination; Supacode focuses on raw parallel scale (50+ agents) |
| Superset | Skwad emphasizes agent collaboration; Superset focuses on worktree management and notifications |
| Conductor | Skwad is open source and agent-agnostic; Conductor is closed-source from Melty Labs |
When to Choose Skwad Over Alternatives
- Choose Skwad when: You want agents to coordinate work themselves via MCP
- Choose Supacode when: You need maximum parallel scale (50+ agents) on macOS Tahoe
- Choose Superset when: You want polished UX with built-in diff viewer and PR workflow
Ideal Customer Profile
Best fit:
- Developers experimenting with multi-agent coordination patterns
- Open source enthusiasts who want to inspect and contribute
- Teams exploring MCP for agent communication
- macOS users comfortable with early-stage tools
Poor fit:
- Developers needing stable, battle-tested tools for production work
- Teams requiring Windows or Linux support
- Users who prefer GUI installers over build-from-source
- Anyone on macOS 13 or earlier
Viability Assessment
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Financial Health | Moderate (Kochava-backed internal project) |
| Market Position | Niche (MCP-focused differentiator) |
| Innovation Pace | Active (237 commits, active development) |
| Community/Ecosystem | Limited (10 stars, single maintainer) |
| Long-term Outlook | Uncertain (depends on Kochava commitment) |
Skwad is an interesting technical experiment from a stable company. The MCP focus is genuinely differentiated, but the project's viability depends on whether Kochava continues investing in it as more than a side project. Nicolas Bonamy has built several open-source tools (including Witsy, a desktop AI assistant), suggesting sustained interest in the space.
Bottom Line
Skwad is worth watching for its unique MCP-based agent coordination approach.
Recommended for: Developers exploring multi-agent coordination patterns who value open source and don't mind early-stage tools.
Not recommended for: Teams needing production-ready stability or cross-platform support.
Outlook: The MCP-first approach is genuinely novel. If the project gains traction and community contributors, it could become the reference implementation for agent coordination. More likely, the core ideas will influence other tools even if Skwad itself remains niche.
Research by Ry Walker Research • methodology