What is SubFrame?

What is SubFrame? ​

SubFrame is a terminal-first IDE built for developers who work primarily through AI coding tools. Instead of centering around a code editor with syntax highlighting and autocomplete, SubFrame centers around the terminal — giving you a structured workspace where AI tools run, context persists, and nothing falls through the cracks.

What are AI coding tools?

Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini CLI are terminal-based AI assistants — you chat with AI in your terminal and it writes, edits, and reviews code. SubFrame wraps these tools in a structured workspace so nothing gets lost between sessions.

The Problem ​

When developing with AI coding tools like Claude Code, traditional editors like VS Code and Cursor add complexity you don't need. They're designed for writing code manually — syntax highlighting, autocomplete, multi-cursor editing. But when an AI is writing your code, those features aren't the priority.

What you actually need is:

  • A way to organize and manage your projects
  • A real terminal (or multiple terminals) where AI tools run
  • Context that persists between sessions
  • Task tracking so nothing falls through the cracks
  • Quick project switching without losing your place

Staying in the terminal alone means projects remain disorganized. Context is lost. Decisions are forgotten. There's no standardization across projects.

The Solution ​

SubFrame is not an IDE in the traditional sense. It's a framework — that's where the name comes from. Within SubFrame, you create projects with a standard structure:

  • AGENTS.md — AI instructions that get read at session start
  • STRUCTURE.json — A module map of your codebase
  • PROJECT_NOTES.md — Decisions and session notes
  • tasks.json — Task tracking

Every project gets the same structure. Every AI session starts with context. Nothing is lost.

SubFrame supports up to 9 terminals simultaneously, with both tab and grid views. You can run Claude Code in one terminal, tests in another, and a dev server in a third — all visible at once.

What SubFrame is NOT ​

  • Not a code editor — there's a file editor for quick edits, but it's not the focus
  • Not a VS Code replacement — if you write code manually, VS Code is still better
  • Not optimized for manual coding — it's optimized for AI-assisted development

Who is SubFrame for? ​

SubFrame is for developers who do daily development with AI coding tools, working terminal-focused. If you find yourself spending most of your time in Claude Code, Codex CLI, or Gemini CLI — and just need a better way to manage your projects and preserve context — SubFrame is for you.

Next Steps ​