> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.nimbalyst.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.nimbalyst.com/getting-started/readme.md).
# Why Nimbalyst?
[Nimbalyst](https://nimbalyst.com/) is **the open-source visual workspace for building with Codex, Claude Code, and more**.
Get higher bandwidth with less context switching. Manage your agents, edit the work visually, and track tasks.
Work across markdown, Calc Sheets, mockups, diagrams, diffs, code, and more without leaving the workflow or rebuilding context.
Nimbalyst stores your files and data locally in an open format. The full source is on GitHub at [github.com/nimbalyst](https://github.com/nimbalyst), where you can read the code, file issues, or contribute.
### One integrated, higher-bandwidth workflow
Building with agents is a whole workflow. It moves through plans, source files, mockups, diagrams, data, tasks, sessions, reviews, commits, and pull requests. Nimbalyst keeps that work together so people and agents can move through it as one connected process.
* **Integrated workflow:** Plan the work, run agents, edit the result, track status, review changes, and connect the commit without rebuilding context in another tool.
* **Integrated file types:** Work in purpose-built visual editors for markdown, code, mockups, diagrams, spreadsheets, data models, and more while the same agents stay in context.
* **Less context switching:** Stop bouncing among a terminal, editor, document app, diagram tool, and task tracker or copying the same context into each one.
* **Higher bandwidth:** Visual interfaces expose more of the work at once, so people understand, direct, and review agent output faster than they can through a text-only workflow.
### Files Mode
Work with Claude Code and Codex in interactive, WYSIWYG markdown docs, Calc Sheets, mermaid diagrams, excalidraw drawings, html mockups, data models, CSV files, in-app browser previews, mind maps, sessions, and code.
Focus on one file:
* Edit the file in the center panel. See red/green diffs from your coding agent and review, accept them.
* Work with your agent in the right panel to edit this file or explore other files, research the web.
* Navigate and manage your files in the left panel file manager
### Agent Mode
* *Session Management:* organize, find, and continue your AI conversations. Track the files changed by a session and coordinate your stepping through and approving each one.
* *Coding support:* All the power of Claude Code and Codex plus file tracking, diff visualization, code editing, and / command support with Github status tracking.
### Task Mode
*Status & Item Tracking:* AI track and update status, bugs, to-dos, decisions, ideas directly in your markdown associated with the plan/work.
### Team Collaboration
Every teammate runs the open-source Nimbalyst app on their own machine with the Codex, Claude Code, or other agents they use locally. After signing in to Nimbalyst Teams, they can promote local files into a shared team workspace and keep working with those agents.
People and their agents can edit shared files together in real time or contribute asynchronously. Shared Trackers work the same way: teammates and their agents update one team board from their own Nimbalyst installations. Only files and Tracker items explicitly shared with the team enter this collaboration flow; everything else stays outside the team workspace.
Shared team data flows through Nimbalyst's Cloudflare sync service. It is encrypted in transit and at rest and isolated per team.
Nimbalyst for Teams is coming soon and currently in early access. Pricing is TBD per user/month. [Join the waitlist](https://nimbalyst.com/waitlist/) for pricing and feature announcements.
Start with the [Team Collaboration Overview](/team-collaboration/overview.md), then [Set Up a Team](/team-collaboration/setup-teams.md).
### Open Approach
* Open source: the Nimbalyst app itself is open source at [github.com/nimbalyst](https://github.com/nimbalyst)
* Open storage of content and status in markdown, code, html,
* Future-proof - Your files will be readable in any text editor, forever
* Portable - Move between different markdown tools without conversion
* Version Control Friendly - Works perfectly with Git and other VCS
* LLM-friendly - Work with Claude Code, Codex, and any AI
* Open storage of workflow and config in coding agent / commands
* Open storage of your files in your file tree or Github
### Ways to Use Nimbalyst
1. As an AI-integrated fast, local, WYSIWIG markdown editor
2. To mockup your UI in html, edit it with AI, provide this as context to your coding agent
3. As a planning tool to help you create and manage features, plans, to-dos, and ideas
4. To code with Claude Code or Codex
5. As a manager of your coding agent sessions integrating your plans with your agentic coding
6. To organize your work
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.nimbalyst.com/getting-started/readme.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.