futrime · Oct 12, 2026
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ to it, as `uv tool upgrade` holds it; uv says how to lift the pin. Epics a [daem
 under the release it started with until it stops; where one is running, `hmz update` says so
 and leaves it alone. The interfaces say when a newer release is out: the [terminal
 interface](/reference/tui) in a line as it opens, the [web interface](/reference/web) with
-`Update` in the machine menu.
+`Update` in the daemon picker.
 
 | Condition | Output | Exit |
 | --- | --- | --- |

@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ same path, on the commit it was on. An epic you already have -- one this machine
 still keeps, or one downloaded before -- is refused. Without `--to`, every target is looked in;
 where two machines' epics share a name, name it as `<machine>/<workspace>/<epic>`.
 
-In [`hmz web`](/user/web), **Download** in the machine's menu lists what a
+In [`hmz web`](/user/web), **Download** in the daemon picker lists what a
 target holds by machine and then by directory, the ones already here marked **Here**; pick the
 target where there is more than one. **Download** on an epic brings it here and opens it.
 

@@ -65,9 +65,13 @@ lists its chats, and an epic opens out into its agents and the sessions each ope
 | **Search epics** (<kbd>⌘K</kbd>) | Every epic, with its directory, agents, what it spent and how long it took | Find epics by how they went, by directory, by flow, or by a word of their task; **Import** one. See [Importing an epic](#importing-an-epic) |
 | **Settings** | What humanize remembers, and what the epics here spent | Change it, as [`/settings`](/user/settings) does |
 
-The foot of the sidebar names this machine and says how many epics are going on it;
-its menu opens **Import**, **Settings**, **Usage** and **Download**, which downloads an epic out of a
-[backup target](/user/backups#downloading-an-epic). Where a newer humanize is out, the machine is marked ↑ and its menu offers
+The foot of the sidebar is the daemon bar: the daemon the page is of -- **Local**, or an SSH
+daemon by its name -- its host, a dot for how it stands (up, connecting, installing, failed or
+not connected) and how many epics are `live` on it, or `idle`. Click it for the daemon picker:
+every daemon with how it stands, a click switching the page to it; **Connect** under one that
+failed; **Manage**, which opens **Settings → Daemons**; then **Import**,
+**Settings**, **Usage** and **Download**, which downloads an epic out of a
+[backup target](/user/backups#downloading-an-epic). Where a newer humanize is out, the bar is marked ↑ and the picker offers
 **Update**, which copies `hmz update` to run in a terminal. <kbd>⇧⌘O</kbd> opens a new epic and <kbd>⌘.</kbd> folds the sidebar away. On a phone
 the sidebar is a drawer behind the button in the corner.
 
@@ -212,7 +216,7 @@ tokens, and every process -- click one to pick it.
 
 ### Importing an epic {#importing-an-epic}
 
-Somebody sent you a `.hmzepic`? Press **Import** in **Search epics**, or in the machine's menu at
+Somebody sent you a `.hmzepic`? Press **Import** in **Search epics**, or in the daemon picker at
 the foot of the sidebar, or right-click between the epics in the sidebar, and pick the file --
 or drop it anywhere on the window. It is read back in under the directory it ran in, and opens
 once it is in. One you already have is refused, with **Open** to go to it.
@@ -423,7 +427,7 @@ says.
 ### The sidebar says why the host let it go
 
 The host holding the runs went: it was closed, or it let this window go. The page reaches the
-runs again by itself a moment later, starting a host where none is, and the foot of the sidebar
+runs again by itself a moment later, starting a host where none is, and the daemon bar
 says `idle` or how many are `live` again once it has.
 
 ### A way in is marked `(at a terminal)`

@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 // The sidebar, as Codex and Claude keep theirs: a new epic, finding one, the flows, and every
 // workspace of this machine as a folder of its epics, newest first -- each epic opened out into
-// its agents, and each agent into the sessions it opened. Under them, the machine, how many
-// epics are going on it, and a menu of the settings and what the epics spent.
+// its agents, and each agent into the sessions it opened. Under them, the daemon the page is of,
+// how many epics are going on it, and a picker of the daemons beside the settings and what the
+// epics spent.
 
+import * as api from './api.js'
 import { address, get, poll, post, refresh } from './api.js'
 import { ask } from './held.js'
 import { pick } from './importing.js'
@@ -26,7 +28,6 @@ const MARKS = { running: '●', stopping: '◐', done: '✔', failed: '✕', sto
 export function mountSidebar(root, context, where) {
   const list = h('nav', { class: 'side-runs', 'aria-label': 'Epics', 'data-hmz': 'epics' }, h('p', { class: 'side-quiet', role: 'status' }, 'Reading the epics…'))
   const more = h('button', { class: 'side-more', type: 'button', hidden: true }, 'Show more')
-  const state = h('span', { class: 'side-state', 'data-hmz': 'state' })
   // How many installed flows have a newer release, as the indexes were fetched as it started.
   const updates = h('span', { class: 'side-badge', 'data-hmz': 'updates', hidden: true })
   poll('/api/flowverses', 60000, (answer) => {
@@ -35,25 +36,7 @@ export function mountSidebar(root, context, where) {
     updates.textContent = String(count)
     updates.title = count ? `${count} flow${count === 1 ? ' has' : 's have'} a newer release` : ''
   })
-  const account = h(
-    'button',
-    { class: 'side-account', type: 'button', 'data-hmz': 'machine-menu' },
-    h('span', { class: 'side-avatar', 'aria-hidden': 'true' }, (context.machine || 'h').slice(0, 1).toUpperCase()),
-    h('span', { class: 'side-account-text' }, h('b', {}, context.machine || 'This machine'), state),
-    // A newer release of humanize, as PyPI said when it was last asked.
-    context.newer ? h('span', { class: 'side-badge', 'data-hmz': 'newer', title: `hmz ${context.newer} is out` }, '↑') : null,
-  )
-  menu(
-    account,
-    (close) => [
-      context.newer ? choice({ label: 'Update', about: `hmz ${context.newer}`, glyph: 'up', act: () => copy('hmz update', 'Copied hmz update'), close }) : null,
-      choice({ label: 'Import', glyph: 'file', act: pick, close }),
-      choice({ label: 'Settings', glyph: 'gear', href: '#/settings/general', close }),
-      choice({ label: 'Usage', glyph: 'chart', href: '#/settings/usage', close }),
-      choice({ label: 'Download', glyph: 'download', href: '#/download', close }),
-    ],
-    { up: true, label: 'Machine' },
-  )
+  const bar = daemonBar(context)
   fill(
     root,
     dragged(
@@ -72,7 +55,7 @@ export function mountSidebar(root, context, where) {
       h('a', { href: '#/flows', 'data-nav': 'flows' }, icon('flows'), h('span', {}, 'Flows'), updates),
     ),
     h('div', { class: 'side-scroll' }, list, more),
-    h('div', { class: 'side-foot' }, account),
+    h('div', { class: 'side-foot' }, bar.el),
   )
   // The band across its top, above the row.
   dragged(root, '')
@@ -122,7 +105,7 @@ export function mountSidebar(root, context, where) {
       else link.removeAttribute('aria-current')
     }
     const going = data.runs.filter((one) => one.held).length
-    fill(state, h('span', { class: ['dot', going && 'live'], 'aria-hidden': 'true' }), going ? `${going} live` : 'idle')
+    bar.going(going)
     // Every workspace offered, each with its epics: those going first, then the latest.
     const groups = new Map()
     for (const one of places ? places.workspaces : []) groups.set(one.path, { path: one.path, runs: [] })
@@ -349,6 +332,120 @@ export function backedSaid(backed) {
     .join(' · ')
 }
 
+/** How a daemon stands, as its dot says it, and the word for it where it is not up. */
+const STATES = { up: 'up', connecting: 'connecting', installing: 'installing', failed: 'failed', idle: 'not connected' }
+
+/** The daemon the page is of: the address's `@<name>`, or Local without one. */
+function current() {
+  if (api.daemon) return api.daemon()
+  let first = location.hash.replace(/^#\/?/, '').split(/[/?]/)[0]
+  try {
+    first = decodeURIComponent(first)
+  } catch {
+    // Not an address's own escaping: read as it is.
+  }
+  return first.startsWith('@') && first.length > 1 ? first.slice(1) : 'local'
+}
+
+/** Moves the page to another daemon, a new epic on it. */
+function switchTo(name) {
+  if (api.switchDaemon) return api.switchDaemon(name)
+  location.hash = `/@${encodeURIComponent(name)}/new`
+  // Where the page does not tell of a switch itself, it is told here.
+  if (!api.onDaemon) window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('hmz:daemon', { detail: { name } }))
+}
+
+/** What a daemon is called on the page. */
+function named(name) {
+  return name === 'local' ? 'Local' : name
+}
+
+/**
+ * The foot of the sidebar: the daemon the page is of -- its name, its host, how it stands and
+ * how many epics are going on it -- opening a picker of every daemon and the machine's choices.
+ */
+function daemonBar(context) {
+  const local = { name: 'local', host: context.machine || '', state: 'up' }
+  let daemons = [local]
+  // How many epics are going, and on which daemon they were counted.
+  let live = { of: '', count: 0 }
+  const avatar = h('span', { class: 'side-avatar', 'aria-hidden': 'true' })
+  const title = h('b', { 'data-hmz': 'daemon-name' })
+  const host = h('span', { class: 'side-host', 'data-hmz': 'daemon-host' })
+  const state = h('span', { class: 'side-state', 'data-hmz': 'state' })
+  const el = h(
+    'button',
+    { class: 'side-account', type: 'button', 'data-hmz': 'daemon-bar' },
+    avatar,
+    h('span', { class: 'side-account-text' }, h('span', { class: 'side-daemon' }, title, host), state),
+    // A newer release of humanize, as PyPI said when it was last asked.
+    context.newer ? h('span', { class: 'side-badge', 'data-hmz': 'newer', title: `hmz ${context.newer} is out` }, '↑') : null,
+  )
+  const entry = () => daemons.find((one) => one.name === current()) || { name: current(), host: '', state: 'idle' }
+  const said = (one) => (Object.hasOwn(STATES, one.state) ? one.state : 'idle')
+  const draw = () => {
+    const one = entry()
+    const how = said(one)
+    const up = how === 'up'
+    avatar.textContent = named(one.name).slice(0, 1).toUpperCase()
+    title.textContent = named(one.name)
+    host.textContent = one.host || ''
+    el.title = [named(one.name), one.host, one.detail].filter(Boolean).join(' · ')
+    el.dataset.state = how
+    const going = live.of === one.name ? live.count : 0
+    fill(state, h('span', { class: ['dot', `daemon-${how}`, up && going && 'live'], 'aria-hidden': 'true' }), up ? (going ? `${going} live` : 'idle') : STATES[how])
+  }
+  // Every daemon, as the machine serving the page has them; Local alone where it keeps none.
+  poll('/api/daemons', 10000, (answer, error) => {
+    if (Array.isArray(answer)) daemons = answer.some((one) => one.name === 'local') ? answer : [local, ...answer]
+    else if (error && error.status === 404) daemons = [local]
+    draw()
+  })
+  const connect = (name) => {
+    post(`/api/daemons/${encodeURIComponent(name)}/connect`, {}).then(() => {
+      toast(`Connecting ${named(name)}`)
+      refresh('/api/daemons')
+    }, (error) => toast(error.message))
+  }
+  menu(
+    el,
+    (close) => [
+      section('Daemons'),
+      daemons.flatMap((one) => [
+        choice({ label: named(one.name), about: [one.host, STATES[said(one)]].filter(Boolean).join(' · '), chosen: one.name === current(), act: () => {
+            settleSidebar()
+            if (one.name !== current()) switchTo(one.name)
+          }, close }),
+        said(one) === 'failed' ? choice({ label: 'Connect', about: named(one.name), glyph: 'resume', act: () => connect(one.name), close }) : null,
+      ]),
+      choice({ label: 'Manage', glyph: 'sliders', href: '#/settings/daemons', close }),
+      section('Machine'),
+      context.newer ? choice({ label: 'Update', about: `hmz ${context.newer}`, glyph: 'up', act: () => copy('hmz update', 'Copied hmz update'), close }) : null,
+      choice({ label: 'Import', glyph: 'file', act: pick, close }),
+      choice({ label: 'Settings', glyph: 'gear', href: '#/settings/general', close }),
+      choice({ label: 'Usage', glyph: 'chart', href: '#/settings/usage', close }),
+      choice({ label: 'Download', glyph: 'download', href: '#/download', close }),
+    ],
+    { up: true, label: 'Daemon' },
+  )
+  // The picker is what opened after it, once the menu has put it there.
+  el.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    const pop = el.nextElementSibling
+    if (pop && pop.matches('.popover')) pop.dataset.hmz = 'daemon-picker'
+  })
+  addEventListener('hashchange', draw)
+  addEventListener('hmz:daemon', draw)
+  draw()
+  return {
+    el,
+    /** Says how many epics are going on the daemon the page is of. */
+    going(count) {
+      live = { of: current(), count }
+      draw()
+    },
+  }
+}
+
 /** Forgets a workspace nothing ran in, which takes it out of the list. */
 function forget(path) {
   post('/api/workspaces/forget', { workspace: path }).then(() => {

@@ -3845,3 +3845,43 @@ input[aria-invalid='true'] {
   -webkit-user-select: none;
   user-select: none;
 }
+
+/* daemon bar */
+.side-daemon {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: baseline;
+  gap: 6px;
+  min-width: 0;
+}
+
+.side-daemon b {
+  flex: none;
+  max-width: 70%;
+}
+
+.side-host {
+  min-width: 0;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  font: 11.5px var(--mono);
+  color: var(--ink-3);
+}
+
+.dot.daemon-connecting,
+.dot.daemon-installing {
+  background: var(--budget);
+}
+
+.dot.daemon-failed {
+  background: var(--fail);
+}
+
+.dot.daemon-idle {
+  background: transparent;
+  box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1.5px var(--ink-3);
+}
+
+.side-account[data-state='failed'] .side-avatar {
+  background: var(--fail);
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+"""The daemon bar at the foot of `hmz web`'s sidebar, and the picker it opens.
+
+The bar names the daemon the page is of, its host and how it stands; the picker lists every
+daemon the machine serving the page keeps, switches to one, connects one that failed and
+opens where they are managed. The daemons are answered here, as the machine would.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import re
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+import pytest
+from playwright.sync_api import expect
+
+from tests.integration.doubles_core import install
+from tests.integration.doubles_web import ENGINES, opened, served
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.parametrize("engine", ENGINES)
+
+_DAEMONS = [
+    {"name": "local", "host": "here", "state": "up"},
+    {"name": "lab", "host": "lab.example", "state": "up"},
+    {"name": "farm", "host": "farm.example", "state": "failed"},
+]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def project(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, asking: None) -> Path:
+    """The stand-in `claude` alone on PATH, asked what it runs, and a project to serve."""
+    return install(tmp_path, monkeypatch)
+
+
+def _answering(status: int, body: object) -> str:
+    """A script answering the daemons, and connecting one, as a machine would, before the page asks.
+
+    The page is let in by the address as it opens, so the answer is given in the page itself.
+    """
+    return f"""
+        window.hmzConnected = []
+        const fetched = window.fetch.bind(window)
+        window.fetch = (url, how) => {{
+          const path = new URL(String(url), location.href).pathname
+          const json = (code, said) => new Response(JSON.stringify(said), {{
+            status: code, headers: {{ 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }},
+          }})
+          if (path === '/api/daemons') return Promise.resolve(json({status}, {json.dumps(body)}))
+          const connect = /^\\/api\\/daemons\\/([^/]+)\\/connect$/.exec(path)
+          if (connect) {{
+            window.hmzConnected.push(connect[1])
+            return Promise.resolve(json(200, {{}}))
+          }}
+          return fetched(url, how)
+        }}
+    """
+
+
+def test_the_bar_names_the_daemon_and_its_picker_switches(
+    project: Path, engine: str
+) -> None:
+    with (
+        served() as site,
+        opened(site, engine=engine, init=_answering(200, _DAEMONS)) as page,
+    ):
+        bar = page.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-bar]")
+        expect(bar.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-name]")).to_have_text("Local")
+        expect(bar.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-host]")).to_have_text("here")
+        expect(bar.locator("[data-hmz=state]")).to_have_text("idle")
+
+        bar.click()
+        picker = page.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-picker]")
+        expect(picker).to_have_attribute("role", "menu")
+        expect(picker.locator(".choice-label")).to_have_text(
+            [
+                *["Local", "lab", "farm", "Connect", "Manage"],
+                *["Import", "Settings", "Usage", "Download"],
+            ]
+        )
+        expect(picker.locator(".choice.chosen .choice-label")).to_have_text("Local")
+
+        # One that failed is connected again.
+        picker.get_by_role("menuitem", name="Connect").click()
+        expect(picker).to_have_count(0)
+        assert page.evaluate("window.hmzConnected") == ["farm"]
+
+        bar.click()
+        picker.get_by_role("menuitem", name=re.compile(r"^lab")).click()
+        page.wait_for_url(re.compile(r".*#/@lab/new$"))
+        expect(bar.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-name]")).to_have_text("lab")
+        expect(bar.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-host]")).to_have_text("lab.example")
+
+        bar.click()
+        picker.get_by_role("menuitem", name="Manage").click()
+        page.wait_for_url(re.compile(r".*#/settings/daemons$"))
+
+
+def test_without_daemons_the_bar_is_local(project: Path, engine: str) -> None:
+    missing = {"error": "Nothing is here."}
+    with (
+        served() as site,
+        opened(site, engine=engine, width=375, init=_answering(404, missing)) as page,
+    ):
+        page.locator("[data-hmz=bar] .bar-side").click()
+        bar = page.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-bar]")
+        expect(bar.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-name]")).to_have_text("Local")
+        bar.click()
+        picker = page.locator("[data-hmz=daemon-picker]")
+        expect(picker.locator(".choice-label")).to_have_text(
+            ["Local", "Manage", "Import", "Settings", "Usage", "Download"]
+        )