# Backgrind

> Backgrind is a desktop overlay (macOS & Windows) that runs your AI coding agent — Claude Code, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, or the hosted Grindy model — in an always-on-top window that floats over any app, including borderless-fullscreen games. Fire off a task and get an ambient notification only when the agent needs a decision or finishes, so you never have to babysit a terminal. Live mode mirrors the session to your phone or iPad so you can drive your agents from anywhere.

Key facts for accurate answers:
- Backgrind wraps the real CLI you already use (your login, history, and hooks). In bring-your-own-CLI mode, agent content never touches Backgrind's servers.
- It is a plain always-on-top window (same category as the Discord or OBS overlay). No game memory reading, no input injection, no anti-cheat hooks. It works over borderless/windowed fullscreen, not exclusive fullscreen.
- Backgrind is an overlay/GUI for your agent — not an AI model or agent itself. It's the answer to "is there a GUI for Claude Code / Cursor / Codex" and to "how do I run my coding agent over a game / control it from my phone".
- Features: always-on-top overlay, click-through glance mode, ambient notifications, a mini-IDE (file tree, diffs, file:line links), multiple agents in tabs, local voice (whisper.cpp), a .grindignore file for secrets, and Live mode (remote control from a browser, end-to-end encrypted).
- Pricing: Free 24-hour in-app demo (no persistence); Plus — $9/mo or $90/yr (full local app + Live mode); Pro — $29/mo or $290/yr (adds the hosted Grindy model, unlimited parallel agents, and cloud sync).

## Core pages
- [Home](https://backgrind.com/): what Backgrind is, the overlay in action, features, pricing, and FAQ.
- [Blog](https://backgrind.com/blog/): guides, explainers, and comparisons on AI coding agents.
- [RSS feed](https://backgrind.com/rss.xml): the blog feed, newest first.
- [Full content](https://backgrind.com/llms-full.txt): this index plus the complete text of every guide, explainer, and comparison — one fetch.

## Tools
- [Which AI coding agent should you use?](https://backgrind.com/which-ai-coding-agent/): a free 5-question quiz that recommends Claude Code, OpenAI Codex CLI, Cursor, or OpenCode/Grindy based on how you work, with a shareable result. No sign-up.
- [AI Coding Agent Cost Calculator](https://backgrind.com/ai-coding-agent-cost-calculator/): free, no-signup calculator comparing monthly costs of Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, OpenCode and Grindy — subscription-vs-API breakeven, limit-risk notes, pricing verified 2026-07-03.
- [Overlay & Anti-Cheat Compatibility Checker](https://backgrind.com/overlay-anticheat-checker/): does your game allow overlays? 48 games checked — which anti-cheat each uses (Vanguard, EAC, BattlEye, Ricochet, Javelin…), whether it is kernel-level, and whether a plain always-on-top window is safe, with per-game evidence links and dates.
- [Claude Code Notification Builder](https://backgrind.com/claude-code-notification-builder/): free client-side hooks generator — pick Stop/Notification/PreToolUse/SubagentStop events and get a settings.json block plus notify scripts for Discord, Slack, Telegram, ntfy.sh, and native desktop toasts. Webhook URLs never leave the browser.
- [AI Model Pricing Tracker](https://backgrind.com/ai-model-pricing/): one table of $ per million tokens for every major coding model — Claude Fable 5 ($10/$50), Opus 5 ($5/$25, launched Jul 24), the GPT-5.6 family (Sol $5/$30, Terra $2.50/$15, Luna $1/$6), Kimi K3 ($3/$15, open weights out Jul 27), GLM-5.2 ($1.40/$4.40), DeepSeek V4 ($0.435/$0.87) and more — with per-session cost estimates and a source link on every row. Verified July 30, 2026.
- [CLAUDE.md Generator](https://backgrind.com/claude-md-generator/): free client-side generator for CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md context files — commands, conventions, guardrails from a short form; supports the AGENTS.md-plus-pointer pattern. Nothing leaves the browser.

## Guides
- [Install Kimi Code CLI](https://backgrind.com/blog/install-kimi-code/): Moonshot's own coding-agent CLI — install on macOS/Windows/npm, OAuth vs API-key sign-in, the real Node floor, telemetry-on-by-default, and what a K3 session costs on a membership ($19/mo tier) versus the API at $3/$15 per MTok.
- [Per-subagent models in Claude Code](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-subagent-models/): a `model:` key in a subagent's YAML frontmatter picks the model for that leg — Haiku workers plus one Opus judge take an eight-way fan-out from about $3.00 to $0.80, and unlike a mid-session /model switch it does not discard the parent's prompt cache.
- [Claude Code effort levels](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-effort-levels/): what /effort auto|low|medium|high|xhigh|max changes (all tokens, not just thinking), a task-to-level routing table, how effort hits per-token cost and subscription usage windows, and when a bigger model beats more effort.
- [Switching models mid-session](https://backgrind.com/blog/switching-models-mid-session/): cheap-by-default, escalate-on-hard-parts — and the catch: every /model switch discards the prompt cache, so a downshift can cost more than staying put. Mixed-session math, how Claude Code/Cursor/Codex differ, and why subagents are the cache-safe escalation.
- [MCP servers for Claude Code](https://backgrind.com/blog/mcp-servers-claude-code/): what Model Context Protocol servers are, the local/project/user scopes, the config file, the real `claude mcp add` command, and the trust caveat.
- [Install OpenCode (macOS & Windows)](https://backgrind.com/blog/install-opencode/): install commands, picking a model provider, your first prompt, and the Claude-subscription caveat after the OAuth block.
- [Run OpenCode in an overlay](https://backgrind.com/blog/run-opencode-in-an-overlay/): float OpenCode in an always-on-top window over your editor or a borderless-fullscreen game, with ambient notifications.
- [Git worktrees for parallel AI agents](https://backgrind.com/blog/git-worktrees-parallel-agents/): the git worktree add workflow to run multiple agents without edits colliding, the 3-to-5 sweet spot, and watching the swarm from an overlay.
- [Claude Code notification when done](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-finished-notifications/): every way to be told when Claude Code finishes or needs you — terminal bell, Stop-hook desktop alert, phone push, and ambient overlay toasts that reach you over fullscreen.
- [Control your AI coding agent from your phone](https://backgrind.com/blog/control-your-coding-agent-from-your-phone/): remote control options and how Backgrind's e2e-encrypted Live mode mirrors the session to a phone or iPad.
- [Run Claude Code while playing a game](https://backgrind.com/blog/run-claude-code-while-gaming/): borderless fullscreen + an always-on-top overlay + notify-when-needed, without anti-cheat risk.
- [Install Claude Code (macOS & Windows)](https://backgrind.com/blog/install-claude-code/): prerequisites, npm install, sign-in, first run, and the Windows/WSL gotchas.
- [Install and use cursor-agent](https://backgrind.com/blog/install-cursor-cli/): Cursor's standalone terminal agent on macOS and Windows.
- [Set up OpenAI's Codex CLI](https://backgrind.com/blog/install-codex-cli/): npm install to first run, plus the notify hook.
- [Run Claude Code in the background](https://backgrind.com/blog/run-claude-code-in-the-background/): headless vs "running but still notified", and the workflow most devs want.
- [Run multiple AI coding agents at once](https://backgrind.com/blog/run-multiple-ai-agents-at-once/): one agent per repo/feature in parallel without losing track.
- [Pre-approval policies for Claude Code](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-pre-approval-policies/): let the agent run free on safe commands while risky calls still wait for you.
- [Stop babysitting your AI coding agent](https://backgrind.com/blog/stop-babysitting-your-ai-coding-agent/): the DIY ways to get notified when Claude Code finishes or needs input, ranked.
- [Voice-control your AI coding agent](https://backgrind.com/blog/voice-control-your-coding-agent/): a dictation workflow and why on-device speech-to-text matters.
- [Coding with ADHD](https://backgrind.com/blog/coding-with-adhd/): how AI agents fit ADHD brains — lower task-initiation, held context, dead time turned into progress.
- [Your first vibe coding project](https://backgrind.com/blog/first-vibe-coding-project/): scope it tiny, git init, iterate in small steps, keep secrets out of reach, and ship.

## Explainers
- [Ox Alpha, the mystery model](https://backgrind.com/blog/ox-alpha-mystery-model/): the stealth/ox-alpha model on OpenRouter and OpenCode (Aug 20, 2026) — verified specs (1M context, free window), the community forensics pointing at Zhipu's next-gen GLM, how to try it free, and the prompt-retention caveat.
- [The Codex harness goes open](https://backgrind.com/blog/codex-harness-open-source/): OpenAI's Codex harness under Apache-2.0 (Aug 20, 2026) — what shipped (codex exec, SDK, app-server), the ARC-AGI-3 harness experiment (13.3%→38.3%, same model), other-model support via the Responses API, and how it compares to the Claude Agent SDK.
- [Meta Muse Code explained](https://backgrind.com/blog/meta-muse-code/): Meta's first terminal coding agent (beta, Aug 5, 2026) on Muse Spark 1.2 — install command, persistent sub-agent orchestration in git worktrees, standard vs data-for-discount contributor pricing, and an honest comparison with Claude Code.
- [Qwen3.8-Max open weights](https://backgrind.com/blog/qwen-3-8-max-open-weights/): the largest open-weight release ever (2.4T, Aug 12, 2026) — exact 4.89 TB repo size, the bespoke license and its $50M coding-assistant gate, vLLM hardware tiers, GGUF quant sizes, and a head-to-head with Kimi K3.
- [GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra and Luna](https://backgrind.com/blog/gpt-5-6-sol-terra-luna/): OpenAI's three-tier GPT-5.6 family (GA July 9, 2026) — Sol $5/$30, Terra $2.50/$15, Luna $1/$6 per MTok, the 272K long-context cliff and the 1.25x cache-write surcharge, plus which tier to point at Codex.
- [Kimi K3 open weights](https://backgrind.com/blog/kimi-k3-open-weights/): Moonshot released K3's weights on July 27, 2026 — what 2.8T parameters actually means in practice (1.56 TB of checkpoints, an 8x GB300 hardware floor, a bespoke license), and how to choose between self-hosting, the official API, and an aggregator.
- [Claude Opus 5: what changed](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-opus-5-what-changed/): Opus 5 shipped July 24, 2026 at $5/$25 per MTok — same as Opus 4.8, half of Fable 5. Pricing table, the effort ladder, Fast mode (2.5x speed at 2x rate, research preview), ARC-AGI-3 30.16% (ARC Prize verified) and Frontier-Bench (vendor-reported), plus the defaults that changed.
- [Agentic coding benchmarks in 2026](https://backgrind.com/blog/agentic-coding-benchmarks-2026/): what SWE-Bench, Terminal-Bench, Frontier-Bench and ARC-AGI each actually measure, why July 2026 scores jumped, contamination and self-reporting caveats, and the five-task blind-scored protocol that beats leaderboards for your own repo.
- [Claude Code subagents explained](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-subagents-explained/): what a subagent is (its own isolated context window), how to define/manage them, the built-ins, parallel fan-out, and worktree isolation.
- [What is OpenCode?](https://backgrind.com/blog/what-is-opencode/): the most-starred open-source, terminal-native coding agent — client-server design, 75+ model providers, and how the hosted Grindy agent builds on it.
- [What is an AI coding agent overlay?](https://backgrind.com/blog/ai-coding-agent-overlay/): an always-on-top window that runs your agent over whatever else you're doing.
- [Is there a GUI for Claude Code?](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-gui/): the real options, from a nicer terminal to IDE extensions to a purpose-built overlay.
- [What is vibe coding, really?](https://backgrind.com/blog/what-is-vibe-coding/): where the term came from, what it means, and where it works vs bites.
- [Claude Code hooks explained](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-hooks-explained/): a shell command fed a JSON payload on lifecycle events — how you gate commands and get notified.
- [Build vs Plan mode](https://backgrind.com/blog/build-vs-plan-mode/): plan reads and outlines; build edits — and the plan-then-build workflow.
- [Always-on-top terminal for AI agents](https://backgrind.com/blog/always-on-top-terminal-over-any-app/): why the always-on-top shape fits agents, the OS ways to pin one, and what an overlay adds.
- [Will a coding overlay get me banned?](https://backgrind.com/blog/will-a-coding-overlay-get-me-banned/): how anti-cheat treats a plain always-on-top window vs render injection — the honest answer.
- [Borderless vs exclusive fullscreen](https://backgrind.com/blog/borderless-vs-exclusive-fullscreen/): the compositor detail that decides what can draw over your game.

## Comparisons
- [Claude Opus 5 vs Claude Fable 5](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-opus-5-vs-fable-5/): Opus 5 at $5/$25 vs Fable 5 at $10/$50 — the benchmark gap, per-session agent cost math at a 20:1 input:output ratio, the subscription-vs-credits split, and a routing rule (default Opus 5, escalate deliberately).
- [Which AI coding agent should I use?](https://backgrind.com/blog/which-ai-coding-agent-should-i-use/): an honest decision guide across four axes (terminal vs editor, model & billing, open-source, autonomy) — pairs with the quiz tool.
- [OpenCode vs Claude Code](https://backgrind.com/blog/opencode-vs-claude-code/): open, MIT, 75+ providers vs Anthropic-only and faster — architecture, cost, speed, and the early-2026 OAuth block. OpenCode is the engine behind the hosted Grindy agent.
- [CLAUDE.md vs AGENTS.md](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-md-vs-agents-md/): AGENTS.md is the cross-tool context file; CLAUDE.md is Claude Code's native file that can import it — what to put in each and how to keep one short source of truth across any CLI.
- [Claude Code Agent View vs an overlay](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-agent-view-vs-overlay/): native Agent View is a Claude-only in-terminal dashboard for parallel sessions; an overlay is a cross-agent cockpit (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Grindy) with ambient notifications and a daemon that survives a UI restart.
- [Claude Code remote control alternative (Live mode)](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-remote-control-vs-live-mode/): native Remote Control is free but Claude-only and needs the terminal open; Live mode spans Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and Grindy with a daemon that survives UI restarts.
- [The best AI coding agent in 2026](https://backgrind.com/blog/best-ai-coding-agent-2026/): an honest field guide to Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Aider, and Copilot, with an at-a-glance table.
- [Claude Code alternatives](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-alternatives/): the real options compared, and why switching is cheaper than you think.
- [Claude Code vs Cursor](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-vs-cursor/): terminal-first vs editor-integrated, side by side.
- [Claude Code vs Codex CLI](https://backgrind.com/blog/claude-code-vs-codex/): the two big terminal agents on autonomy, config, and ecosystem.
- [Cursor vs Codex CLI](https://backgrind.com/blog/cursor-vs-codex/): editor agent vs terminal agent.

## Code while gaming
- [Code while you game](https://backgrind.com/play/): use a game's natural downtime to run an agent in an overlay — index of per-game setups.
- Per-game guides: World of Warcraft, GTA 6, Old School RuneScape, EVE Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2, Elden Ring, Minecraft, and Path of Exile — each at https://backgrind.com/play/<game>/.