#thinslice vs Conductor

Conductor is a macOS app for running Claude Code and Codex in parallel git worktrees. Closed source.

thinslice is a CLI that binds each git worktree to its own bag of runtime state — dedicated Postgres, Redis, ports, and config — so parallel agents never collide on shared infrastructure. Works with any agent, on macOS, Linux, and Windows.

#Why pick thinslice

Conductor isolates parallel agents in git worktrees. thinslice does that and goes one layer deeper. Pick thinslice if you want:

• Each worktree to get its own Postgres and Redis — no shared database collisions between agents
• Per-worktree port allocation so two dev servers never fight for the same port
• Linux and Windows support alongside macOS
• A CLI you can script — spawn a fresh worktree with cloned state and hand it to any agent
• Works with Claude Code, Codex, or any other CLI agent
• Detach and reattach state across sessions — no Docker, no VMs

#Architecture

thinslice runs as a CLI on your machine. Each slice new or slice tmp creates a git worktree and provisions an isolated state bag — its own database, cache, and port assignments — that travels with that worktree. You can clone state from an existing slice (--from current). The agent then gets a realistic environment, and your main branch is untouched.

Conductor's desktop app is the host. Agents run inside it. Services (databases, dev servers) are shared across worktrees.

#Runtime isolation

thinslice provisions each worktree with its own Postgres cluster, Redis instance, and port range. Two agents can run migrations, seed data, or start dev servers at the same time. They do not interfere. The state bag is persistent: detach it when the agent is done, and reattach it later to resume where you left off.

Conductor isolates code via git worktrees but does not provision per-worktree databases or ports.

#Agent compatibility

thinslice is agent-agnostic. It sets environment variables (database URL, port, config path) that any CLI agent reads. Use Claude Code, Codex, or any other tool — thinslice makes the environment consistent.

Conductor runs Claude Code and Codex.

Both tools launch the official CLIs as subprocesses with your own credentials. Neither extracts tokens or proxies model calls.

#CLI

thinslice is a CLI first:

# Create a worktree with its own db, redis, and ports
slice new feature/add-search

# Spawn a throwaway worktree cloned from the current slice, hand it to Claude Code
slice tmp --from current claude -p "add full-text search to the products table"

# List all slices and their state
slice ls

# Attach to an existing slice
slice attach feature/add-search

slice tmp --from current clones the current state bag into a fresh worktree so the agent starts with real data and a working dev environment. When the agent exits, thinslice discards the throwaway.

Conductor does not have a CLI.

#Change the tool itself

thinslice ships as a collection of shell scripts. The files that run are the files you installed. There is no compiled binary and no build step between you and the tool.

If you want a command to work differently, ask your coding agent to edit the installed scripts. The change is live on the next run. Most tools stop you at this point: fork the repository, install the toolchain, build, and then test. thinslice also includes a built-in path to send your change upstream.

Conductor is a closed-source desktop app. You cannot change how it works.

#Worktrees and services

Both tools isolate parallel agents in git worktrees.

thinslice also gives each worktree its own database and port allocation. When two agents run their dev servers at the same time, each gets its own port — say 3001 and 3002 — instead of a collision. Migrations and seed data run in isolated Postgres clusters, so agents cannot corrupt each other's data.

#Platforms

thinslice runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows. Conductor runs on macOS only.

#Comparison