The desktop app is the standalone alternative to synsc web. Same agent, same modes, same tools, same credentials, just packaged as a native application rather than a browser-served UI. Pick it if you’d rather have the agent in a dedicated window than a browser tab.
For most users, synsc web is the recommended interface. Reach for the desktop app when you specifically want a standalone application, for instance, when keeping the agent in its own window separate from your browser is important to your workflow.
When to pick desktop over web or terminal
| Situation | Recommended |
|---|
| Daily development with multi-tab sessions | Web UI (synsc web) |
| Standalone app outside the browser | Desktop |
| Quick edits, scripts, CI hooks | Terminal (synsc run) |
| Pair programming or screen sharing | Web UI |
| Headless or remote machine | Terminal (no GUI available) |
| You want all three, switching freely | All three, same dashboard account |
Download
Pull the latest release from GitHub Releases:
| Platform | Build |
|---|
| macOS Apple Silicon | synsc-x.y.z-aarch64.dmg |
| macOS Intel | synsc-x.y.z-x86_64.dmg |
| Windows | synsc-x.y.z-x86_64.msi |
| Linux | synsc-x.y.z.AppImage or .deb |
First launch
On first run, the desktop app prompts you to connect to your dashboard. The flow is identical to synsc connect login:
- The app opens cli.syntheticsciences.ai in your default browser.
- You confirm the device code shown in the app window.
- The dashboard issues a Bearer token; the desktop app stores it in OS keychain.
Once connected, the desktop app pulls your credentials and credit balance the same way the rest of Synsci CLI does. You can use the dashboard panel inside the app to manage credentials without leaving the workspace.
Multi-session
The desktop app supports multiple agent sessions in tabs. Each tab is independent, its own working directory, its own model choice, its own context. This is useful when you’re running:
- A long-running training script in one tab while writing analysis in another
- Two
@general searches against different codebases at the same time
- A
build-mode session for development plus a plan-mode session for review
The dashboard sees each tab as its own session record, so you can audit them separately.
File diffs and previews
The desktop app renders file edits as proper side-by-side diffs in the UI rather than as raw text in a stream. For multi-file refactors, the diff panel makes it easier to scan changes before approving them.
Inline previews render:
- Markdown files (with syntax highlighting in code blocks)
- Images attached to chat
- JSON and YAML config files (folded structure)
- Generated charts and plots
Keyboard shortcuts
The most-used shortcuts (mac shown; substitute Ctrl on Windows/Linux):
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|
| Cmd+T | New session tab |
| Cmd+W | Close current tab |
| Tab | Switch between build and plan agents |
| Cmd+K | Open command palette |
| Cmd+, | Open preferences |
| Cmd+J | Toggle bottom drawer (logs, stats) |
Auto-update
The desktop app checks for updates on launch. When a new version is available, you get a prompt and the option to update in place, the app downloads, verifies, and restarts itself. You can disable auto-update in preferences if you’d rather pin to a specific version.
What’s next
- Web UI. The recommended interface,
synsc web runs the same surface as a browser tab.
- Dashboard. The web dashboard you’ll bounce between for credentials and billing.
