A workflow guide from the team building Shepherd. Instructions and default macOS shortcuts checked against Shepherd 0.5.6 source on September 9, 2026. Your custom bindings may differ.
A useful coding layout often needs three things: the agent conversation, the process serving the app, and a terminal for tests or Git commands. Keeping those tasks visible helps you notice a failed build without leaving the conversation.
Start in the right workspace
Select This Mac or your configured server, then open the project as a workspace. A workspace gives the terminals their project context. Use ⌘N to add a workspace and ⌘S to open the workspace picker.
Before running commands, check the terminal’s working directory. A familiar project name does not guarantee that you selected the intended checkout. If the project has multiple worktrees, choose the one containing the changes you want to review.
Build a three-pane layout
Start your coding agent in the first terminal. Press ⌘D, or click Split right, to create a terminal beside it. Run your project’s development command in that pane. With the right pane focused, press ⌘⇧D, or click Split down, and use the lower pane for tests.
For example, a project with npm scripts might run npm run dev above and npm test below. These are project commands rather than Shepherd-specific commands; use the equivalents in your repository.
Drag a divider to adjust the amount of space each pane receives. Give the agent enough width to read its response, and keep the server output large enough to spot errors.
Move focus and zoom a pane
Click a pane to focus it, or use ⌘⌥ with an arrow key. Input goes to the focused terminal, so verify the focus before submitting a command. Use ⌘⇧B to zoom the focused pane and press it again to return to the split view.
Use ⌘B to toggle the left sidebar when you need more room. Hiding navigation is separate from zooming the pane; neither is a command to stop a running process.
Use tabs for another task
Press ⌘T for a new terminal tab. Use ⌘⇧] and ⌘⇧[ to move through tabs, or ⌘1 through ⌘9 to jump to a numbered tab.
Keep tightly related tasks in one split view and use another tab when the work can be checked independently. For a running web page, the new-tab button’s context menu provides a browser option; for feedback attached to an agent, ask the agent to open a browser review.
Workspace and pane shortcuts
The shortcuts below are the macOS defaults: ⌘ Command, ⇧ Shift, ⌥ Option, and ⌃ Control. Open Settings with ⌘, and choose Shortcuts to inspect app bindings. To customize one, click its field, press the new combination, and save the settings. ⌘⇧/ opens shortcut help. Browser comment-editor shortcuts are contextual controls rather than configurable app commands.
| Action | Default shortcut |
|---|---|
| New workspace | ⌘N |
| Workspace picker | ⌘S |
| Server picker | ⌘⇧S |
| New temporary terminal | ⌘⇧T |
| New terminal at a worktree | ⌘Y |
| Split right / down | ⌘D / ⌘⇧D |
| Focus left / down / up / right | ⌘⌥← / ↓ / ↑ / → |
| Zoom the focused pane | ⌘⇧B |
| Toggle the left sidebar | ⌘B |
| New tab | ⌘T |
| Next / previous tab | ⌘⇧] / ⌘⇧[ |
| Select tab 1–9 | ⌘1–9 |
| Next / previous server | ⌘⌥. / ⌘⌥, |
| Close the current view | ⌘W |
| Close the focused pane | ⌘⇧X |
| Close the terminal tab | ⌘⇧W |
These commands do not require a tmux-style prefix sequence. Closing a view, closing a pane, and closing a whole terminal tab have different scopes; check the focused target before using a close shortcut.
Return to the same task
The layout is a way to see the work, while terminal-session continuity is a separate responsibility. A persistent terminal does not make a stopped development server restart itself, nor does a restored layout prove a command succeeded. Read the relevant output when you return.
See terminal control with MCP to let an agent create this layout as part of a concrete task, or tmux alternatives to compare the broader workflows.
Your next workspace
Put it to work.
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