Interface Overview
Crab Desktop uses a three-panel layout with a vertical activity bar for navigation.
Layout
Crab Desktop uses a three-panel layout:
- Top Bar — shows the repository name, current branch, and sync status
- Activity Bar (left edge) — vertical icon strip for switching between views
- Main Content Area (center) — changes depending on the active view (file tree, diff, terminal, commit graph, etc.)
- Status Bar (bottom) — displays agent health, active jobs, branch name, and LSP status
Activity Bar
The vertical bar on the left provides access to all views. Icons are ordered by frequency of use:
| Icon | View | Shortcut | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| LayoutDashboard | Dashboard | Cmd+1 | Repository overview and metrics |
| Files | Explorer | Cmd+2 | File tree browser |
| Search | Search | Cmd+3 | Full-text search and replace |
| DotInSquare | Changes | Cmd+4 | Stage, unstage, commit |
| Package | Large Files | Cmd+5 | Hydration and tracking |
| GitBranch | Branches | Cmd+6 | Branch management |
| FolderTree | Worktrees | Cmd+7 | Parallel worktrees |
| GitGraph | Timeline | Cmd+8 | Commit history graph |
| Workflow | Workflows | — | Pipeline DAG editor |
| Terminal | Terminal | Ctrl+` | Integrated terminal |
| GitPullRequest | Pull Requests | — | PR management |
| SSH | SSH Remote | — | Remote connections |
| HeartPulse | Health | — | Diagnostics |
| Settings | Settings | Cmd+, | Preferences |
Top Bar
Shows at a glance:
- Repository name — click to switch repos
- Current branch — click to open Branches view
- Sync status — ahead/behind indicators with push/pull buttons
Status Bar
The bottom bar displays:
- Agent health — green dot when the sidecar is running
- Active jobs — count of in-progress operations
- Branch name — current HEAD
- LSP status — language server indicator
Command Palette
Press Cmd+Shift+P to open the Command Palette — a fuzzy-searchable list of 200+ commands. This is the fastest way to access any action without memorizing shortcuts.
Quick Open
Press Cmd+K to fuzzy-search files by name. Start typing and select a file to open it in the editor pane.
Panels and Splits
Many views use a split layout (list on the left, detail on the right). Panel sizes are adjustable by dragging the divider and persist across sessions.
Keyboard-First Design
Every action in Crab Desktop is accessible via keyboard. See Keyboard Shortcuts for the complete reference.