---
url: https://cuonghuunguyen.github.io/features/panes.md
---
# Panes & layout

Changes, Files, Git graph, Terminal, Plan and Artifacts are **panes**. Each one is a tab of the side panel, of the bottom panel or (except Changes) of the main area, and you choose where it lives.

![The workspace with the terminal docked at the bottom](/screenshots/panes.png)

## How to use

1. Right-click a pane tab (Shift+F10 on the keyboard, long press on touch) and pick **Move to bottom panel** or **Move to side panel**.
2. Or open the panel's **⋯** menu (**Side panel actions** or **Bottom panel actions**) and pick **Move … to bottom panel** or **Move … to side panel**.
3. Or drag a pane tab onto another tab or onto a panel. A dashed **Side panel** or **Bottom panel** strip shows where an empty panel is. Esc cancels the drag.
4. To dock the side panel on the other side, use **Move side panel to left** (or **right**) in its **⋯** menu.
5. To undo all of it, pick **Reset layout** in a pane tab's menu, a panel's **⋯** menu or the [command palette](palette).

## The main area

Plan, Files, Git graph and Terminal can also be tabs next to your sessions. Right-click the pane tab and pick **Move to main area**, or drag the tab onto the tab strip or the session area. The pane then opens as a tab in the project's group of the tab strip ("Plan · *session*", "Terminal · *project*"), and keeps showing that project or session while you work in another one. **Move to side panel** or **Move to bottom panel** brings it back, and the tab closes (a toast offers **Undo**). The tab's own menu has the same items. Git graph always takes the whole area.

Drag a pane tab onto the side panel or the bottom panel to move it there.

## The panes

| Pane | Shows |
| --- | --- |
| [Changes](changes), [Files](files), [Git graph](git-graph), [Terminal](terminal) | See their pages. |
| **Plan** | The newest plan of the session, with the same text as the plan card. It is listed only while the session has a plan. While a plan waits for your answer it says so, with **Go to request**. **Open in tab** on a plan card or on the plan approval shows the pane wherever it lives. |
| **Artifacts** | The artifacts the session published (Claude's Artifact tool). Pick one to preview it, or click **Open in tab**. Listed only while the session has published one. |

## One file or one artifact as a tab

* **Open in tab** on a file (a tree row, a Files editor tab, the file dialog, or Alt+Enter in **Open file**) moves that file into its own tab next to its session. It is the same editor. **Move to Files** puts it back. A file is open in one place only.
* **Open in tab** on a published Artifact card shows the page in its own tab at full height. **Move to Artifacts** puts it back. The preview in the card stays.
* Put either one beside the session with **Split right** or **Split down** (see [Split view](split-view)).

## A session in the side or bottom panel

Right-click a session tab and pick **Move to side panel** or **Move to bottom panel** (wide screens). That session, with its timeline, prompt box and requests, stays there while you work in other sessions, for example to watch a worker. It has the same features as a tab: file links, **Quote**, **Open in tab**, image attachments. **Move to main area** in the dock tab's menu brings it back. Opening it from the sidebar, [Focus](focus) or a notification selects its dock tab. It is a normal tab again on a window narrower than 1024px.

## The terminal

The [terminal](terminal) is in the bottom panel by default, under the session and the side panel. The bottom panel resizes (drag the handle above it), maximizes (**Maximize panel** / **Restore panel**) and hides (**Hide bottom panel**). Press Ctrl+\` or use the terminal button in the titlebar to show or hide it.

To keep the terminal in the side panel or the main area, set **Terminal position** in [Settings › Layout › Terminal](../reference/settings#terminal), or move its tab.

## Good to know

* A moved pane keeps its state: open files, running terminals, the loaded graph. Its tab keeps the keyboard focus. The terminal never takes the keyboard until you click into it.
* A panel with no pane is hidden. Git graph, Plan and Artifacts only show when there is something to show. Git graph needs a git folder.
* The layout is kept per browser. The side panel and the bottom panel reopen on the tab you selected last, also after a reload.
* **Reset layout** restores the default layout and forgets the remembered tabs. It does not change sizes.
* On a phone there is no docking: the pane switcher opens on the pane you used last.