Let Claude Code invoke itself.
Run agents on schedules, chat with them on Discord, and resume any session in your terminal. herdctl is an open-source orchestration layer that turns Claude Code into autonomous agents.
# Install herdctl globally
npm install -g herdctl
# Initialize with example agents
herdctl init
# Start your agent fleet
herdctl startHow herdctl works
Your fleet in a few YAML files
One herdctl.yaml defines your fleet. Each agent gets its own directory with a herdctl-agent.yaml. Secrets live in .env.
version: 1
fleet:
name: my-dev-fleet
description: Development agents
defaults:
model: sonnet
max_turns: 50
agents:
- path: ./agents/pr-reviewer
- path: ./agents/docs-writer
- path: ./agents/monitor
overrides:
docker:
enabled: trueRun agents in Docker containers
AI agents are inherently risky - they can be manipulated or confused into doing things they shouldn't. Docker isolation is the gold standard for containing that risk, and herdctl makes it dead simple.
name: my-agent
# Enable Docker isolation - that's it!
docker:
enabled: true
# Lock down what tools the agent can use
allowed_tools:
- Read
- Glob
- Grep
- Edit
- Write20-minute overview
Watch a complete walkthrough of herdctl's core features: fleet management, scheduled agents, Discord integration, and session continuity.
Key Features
Define agents that wake themselves up on schedules or triggers. Cron expressions, intervals, or one-off jobs - all from YAML config.
schedules:
daily_review:
type: cron
expression: "0 9 * * *"
prompt: |
Review all open PRs...If Claude Code can do it, your herdctl agent can do it. Same tools, same MCP servers. Lock down permissions per-agent.
allowed_tools:
- Read
- Edit
- WebSearch
- Bash(git)
- Bash(ssh)Connect agents to Discord (Slack coming soon). Message your agents from your phone and they continue working.
chat:
discord:
bot_token_env: MY_BOT_TOKEN
guilds:
- id: "${GUILD_ID}"
channels: ...Every job creates a real Claude SDK session. Resume that exact session in your terminal with claude --resume. Full context preserved.
# List recent sessions
herdctl sessions
# Resume in your terminal
claude --resume session-idCLI runtime uses your Claude Max subscription (much cheaper). SDK runtime uses API pricing*. Choose per-agent.
# Use Claude Max tokens
runtime: cli
# Or use Anthropic API
runtime: sdkTrigger actions on job completion. Post to Discord, run shell scripts, call webhooks - all configurable per-agent.
hooks:
after_run:
- type: discord
channel_id: "${CHANNEL}"
when: 'job.scheduleName'What can you build with herdctl?
Any task that's repetitive, time-sensitive, or benefits from continuous monitoring is a candidate for automation.
Review all open PRs every morning at 9am. Leave thoughtful comments, suggest improvements, flag security issues. Trigger via Discord: 'Hey, can you review PR #47?'
Point an agent at your codebase - it honors your CLAUDE.md, uses your slash commands, connects to your MCP servers. Chat with it on Discord from your phone.
Scan your codebase weekly for undocumented functions. Generate JSDoc comments, update README files, create examples. Review its own output before committing.
Daily scans of competitor websites, pricing pages, and feature announcements. Get notified when something changes. Weekly summary reports to your team.
Monitor prices across retailers. When your target price is hit, get notified on Discord. The agent could even complete the purchase while you sleep.
Monitor Reddit, Hacker News, Twitter for mentions of your product. Surface questions, complaints, and feature requests. Draft responses automatically.
Building herdctl in public
Follow along as I build and evolve herdctl. Technical deep-dives, design decisions, and lessons learned.
herdctl now supports running Claude Code Agents in Docker containers, significantly expanding your options for locking your agents down. It also added support for the claude code CLI runtime, ensuring your can use your inexpensive Claude Max Plan tokens.
herdctl is an orchestration layer for Claude Code. It lets your agents run on a schedule, as part of a fleet, and puts them right in your discord or slack channel.
Get started in under 5 minutes. Open source, free forever.
* The Claude Agents SDK does not officially support using your Claude Max account, but as of the time of writing it was nevertheless possible to set a CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN environment variable and have the Agents SDK use your Max account. Long may it last.