
clui-cc-claude-overlay
Command Line User Interface for Claude Code — a floating macOS desktop overlay with multi-tab sessions, permission approval UI, voice input, and skills marketplace.
- Installs
- 1.3K
- Last 24h
- —
- Trending rank
- —
- Security
- Not audited
Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills --skill clui-cc-claude-overlay- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads clui-cc-claude-overlay automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Clui CC — Claude Code Desktop Overlay
Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.
Clui CC wraps the Claude Code CLI in a transparent, floating macOS overlay with multi-tab sessions, a permission approval UI (PreToolUse HTTP hooks), voice input via Whisper, conversation history, and a skills marketplace. It requires an authenticated claude CLI and runs entirely local — no telemetry or cloud dependency.
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | 13+ | Overlay is macOS-only |
| Node.js | 18+ | LTS 20 or 22 recommended |
| Python | 3.10+ | Needs setuptools on 3.12+ |
| Claude Code CLI | any | Must be authenticated |
| Whisper CLI | any | For voice input |
# 1. Xcode CLI tools (native module compilation)
xcode-select --install
# 2. Node.js via Homebrew
brew install node
node --version # confirm ≥18
# 3. Python setuptools (required on Python 3.12+)
python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools
# 4. Claude Code CLI
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
# 5. Authenticate Claude Code
claude
# 6. Whisper for voice input
brew install whisper-cli
Installation
Recommended: App installer (non-developer)
git clone https://github.com/lcoutodemos/clui-cc.git
# Then open the clui-cc folder in Finder and double-click install-app.command
On first launch macOS may block the unsigned app — go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.
Developer workflow
git clone https://github.com/lcoutodemos/clui-cc.git
cd clui-cc
npm install
npm run dev # Hot-reloads renderer; restart for main-process changes
Command scripts
./commands/setup.command # Environment check + install deps
./commands/start.command # Build and launch from source
./commands/stop.command # Stop all Clui CC processes
npm run build # Production build (no packaging)
npm run dist # Package as macOS .app → release/
npm run doctor # Environment diagnostic
Key Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
⌥ + Space | Show / hide the overlay |
Cmd + Shift + K | Fallback toggle (if ⌥+Space is claimed) |
Architecture
UI prompt → Main process spawns claude -p → NDJSON stream → live render
→ tool call? → permission UI → approve/deny
Process flow
- Each tab spawns
claude -p --output-format stream-jsonas a subprocess. RunManagerparses NDJSON;EventNormalizernormalizes events.ControlPlanemanages tab lifecycle:connecting → idle → running → completed/failed/dead.- Tool permission requests arrive via HTTP hooks to
PermissionServer(localhost only). - Renderer polls backend health every 1.5 s and reconciles tab state.
- Sessions resume with
--resume <session-id>.
Project structure
src/
├── main/
│ ├── claude/ # ControlPlane, RunManager, EventNormalizer
│ ├── hooks/ # PermissionServer (PreToolUse HTTP hooks)
│ ├── marketplace/ # Plugin catalog fetch + install
│ ├── skills/ # Skill auto-installer
│ └── index.ts # Window creation, IPC handlers, tray
├── renderer/
│ ├── components/ # TabStrip, ConversationView, InputBar, …
│ ├── stores/ # Zustand session store
│ ├── hooks/ # Event listeners, health reconciliation
│ └── theme.ts # Dual palette + CSS custom properties
├── preload/ # Secure IPC bridge (window.clui API)
└── shared/ # Canonical types, IPC channel definitions
IPC API (window.clui)
The preload bridge exposes window.clui in the renderer. Key methods:
// Send a prompt to the active tab's claude process
window.clui.sendPrompt(tabId: string, text: string): Promise<void>
// Approve or deny a pending tool-use permission
window.clui.resolvePermission(requestId: string, approved: boolean): Promise<void>
// Create a new tab (spawns a new claude -p process)
window.clui.createTab(): Promise<{ tabId: string }>
// Resume a past session by id
window.clui.resumeSession(tabId: string, sessionId: string): Promise<void>
// Subscribe to normalized events from a tab
window.clui.onTabEvent(tabId: string, callback: (event: NormalizedEvent) => void): () => void
// Get conversation history list
window.clui.getHistory(): Promise<SessionMeta[]>
Working with Tabs and Sessions
Creating a tab and sending a prompt (renderer)
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
export function useClaudeTab() {
const [tabId, setTabId] = useState<string | null>(null)
const [messages, setMessages] = useState<NormalizedEvent[]>([])
useEffect(() => {
window.clui.createTab().then(({ tabId }) => {
setTabId(tabId)
const unsubscribe = window.clui.onTabEvent(tabId, (event) => {
setMessages((prev) => [...prev, event])
})
return unsubscribe
})
}, [])
const send = (text: string) => {
if (!tabId) return
window.clui.sendPrompt(tabId, text)
}
return { messages, send }
}
Resuming a past session
async function resumeLastSession() {
const history = await window.clui.getHistory()
if (history.length === 0) return
const { tabId } = await window.clui.createTab()
const lastSession = history[0] // most recent first
await window.clui.resumeSession(tabId, lastSession.sessionId)
}
Permission Approval UI
Tool calls are intercepted by PermissionServer via PreToolUse HTTP hooks before execution. The renderer receives a permission_request event and must resolve it.
// Renderer: listen for permission requests
window.clui.onTabEvent(tabId, async (event) => {
if (event.type !== 'permission_request') return
const { requestId, toolName, toolInput } = event
// Show your approval UI, then:
const approved = await showApprovalDialog({ toolName, toolInput })
await window.clui.resolvePermission(requestId, approved)
})
// Main process: PermissionServer registers a hook with claude -p
// The hook endpoint receives POST requests from Claude Code like:
// { "tool": "bash", "input": { "command": "rm -rf dist/" }, "session_id": "..." }
// It holds the request until the renderer resolves it.
Voice Input
Voice input uses Whisper locally. It is installed automatically by install-app.command or via brew install whisper-cli. No API key is needed — transcription runs entirely on-device.
// Triggered from InputBar component via IPC
window.clui.startVoiceInput(): Promise<void>
window.clui.stopVoiceInput(): Promise<{ transcript: string }>
Skills Marketplace
Install skills (plugins) from Anthropic's GitHub repos without leaving the UI.
// Fetch available skills (cached 5 min, fetched from raw.githubusercontent.com)
const skills = await window.clui.marketplace.list()
// [{ id, name, description, repoUrl, version }, ...]
// Install a skill (downloads tarball from api.github.com)
await window.clui.marketplace.install(skillId: string)
// List installed skills
const installed = await window.clui.marketplace.listInstalled()
Network calls made by the marketplace:
| Endpoint | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
raw.githubusercontent.com/anthropics/* | Skill catalog (5 min cache) | No — graceful fallback |
api.github.com/repos/anthropics/*/tarball/* | Skill tarball download | No — skipped on failure |
Theme Configuration
// src/renderer/theme.ts — dual palette with CSS custom properties
// Toggle via the UI or programmatically:
window.clui.setTheme('dark' | 'light' | 'system')
Custom CSS properties are applied to :root and can be overridden in renderer stylesheets:
:root {
--clui-bg: rgba(20, 20, 20, 0.85);
--clui-text: #f0f0f0;
--clui-accent: #7c5cfc;
--clui-pill-radius: 24px;
}
Adding a Custom Skill
Skills are auto-loaded from ~/.clui/skills/. A skill is a directory with a skill.js entry:
// ~/.clui/skills/my-skill/skill.js
module.exports = {
name: 'my-skill',
version: '1.0.0',
description: 'Does something useful',
// Called when the skill is activated by a matching prompt
async onPrompt(context) {
const { prompt, tabId, clui } = context
if (!prompt.includes('my trigger')) return false // pass through
await clui.sendMessage(tabId, `Handled by my-skill: ${prompt}`)
return true // consumed — don't forward to claude
},
}
Troubleshooting
Self-check
npm run doctor
Common issues
App blocked on first launch → System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway
node-pty fails to compile
xcode-select --install
python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools
npm install
claude not found
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
claude # authenticate
which claude # confirm it's on PATH
Whisper not found
brew install whisper-cli
which whisper-cli
Port conflict on PermissionServer The HTTP hook server runs on localhost only. If another process occupies its port, restart with:
./commands/stop.command
./commands/start.command
setuptools missing (Python 3.12+)
python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools
Overlay not showing
- Try the fallback shortcut:
Cmd + Shift + K - Check that Clui CC has Accessibility permission: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
Tested Versions
| Component | Version |
|---|---|
| macOS | 15.x Sequoia |
| Node.js | 20.x LTS, 22.x |
| Python | 3.12 (+ setuptools) |
| Electron | 33.x |
| Claude Code CLI | 2.1.71 |
References
- Claude Code docs
- Architecture deep-dive
- Troubleshooting guide
- MIT License
FAQ
What does the clui-cc-claude-overlay skill do?
Command Line User Interface for Claude Code — a floating macOS desktop overlay with multi-tab sessions, permission approval UI, voice input, and skills marketplace.
How do I install clui-cc-claude-overlay?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/reason-machines/trending-skills --skill clui-cc-claude-overlay in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/clui-cc-claude-overlay/ (personal) or .claude/skills/clui-cc-claude-overlay/ (project).
Which AI agents can use clui-cc-claude-overlay?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is clui-cc-claude-overlay safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains clui-cc-claude-overlay?
It is published by reason-machines in reason-machines/trending-skills. It has 1,313 recorded installs.
More from reason-machines/trending-skills
openclaw-control-center
reason-machines/trending-skills
Local-first, security-first control center for OpenClaw agents — visibility dashboard with readonly defaults, token attribution, collaboration tracing, and safe write operations.
inkos-multi-agent-novel-writing
reason-machines/trending-skills
Multi-agent CLI system for autonomous novel writing, auditing, and revision with human review gates
claude-hud-statusline
reason-machines/trending-skills
A Claude Code plugin that displays a real-time HUD showing context usage, active tools, running agents, and todo progress in your terminal statusline.
understand-anything-knowledge-graph
reason-machines/trending-skills
Turn any codebase into an interactive knowledge graph using Claude Code skills — explore, search, and ask questions about any project visually.
agency-agents-ai-specialists
reason-machines/trending-skills
A collection of specialized AI agent personalities for Claude Code, Cursor, Aider, Windsurf, and other AI coding tools — covering engineering, design, marketing, sales, and more.
agent-browser-automation
reason-machines/trending-skills
Headless browser automation CLI for AI agents using native Rust binary with Chrome DevTools Protocol
Popular frontend & design skills
setup-matt-pocock-skills
mattpocock/skills
Configure this repo for the engineering skills: set up its issue tracker, triage label vocabulary, and domain doc layout. Run once before first use of the other engineering skills.
frontend-design
anthropics/skills
Guidance for distinctive, intentional visual design when building new UI or reshaping an existing one. Helps with aesthetic direction, typography, and making choices that don't read as templated defaults.
hyperframes-animation
heygen-com/hyperframes
All animation knowledge for HyperFrames — atomic motion rules, multi-phase scene blueprints, scene transitions, broader motion-design techniques, AND the seven runtime adapters (GSAP default, plus Lottie, Three.js, Anime.js, CSS keyframes, Web Animations API, TypeGPU). Use for any motion or animation task: pick 2-4 rules and compose, or load a blueprint, or look up runtime-specific API (e.g. GSAP eases / Lottie player / Three.js mixer). Also covers auditing an existing composition's choreography (animation map) and 24 named text-animation effects. HyperFrames-native: single paused timeline, seek-safe, deterministic.
prototype
mattpocock/skills
Build a throwaway prototype to answer a design question. Use when the user wants to sanity-check whether a state model or logic feels right, or explore what a UI should look like.
hyperframes-core
heygen-com/hyperframes
The HyperFrames composition contract — build one renderable project. Use for composition structure, the data- timing attributes, class="clip", tracks, sub-compositions, variables, framework-owned media playback, deterministic-render rules, and validation. Read before writing composition HTML.
vercel-react-best-practices
vercel-labs/agent-skills
React and Next.js performance optimization guidelines from Vercel Engineering. This skill should be used when writing, reviewing, or refactoring React/Next.js code to ensure optimal performance patterns. Triggers on tasks involving React components, Next.js pages, data fetching, bundle optimization, or performance improvements.