terax-ai vs bb
Two of the top projects in Editors and IDEs, side by side: who leads on each score part and who each one suits, then setup, license, activity and what each review found.
terax-ai
Terminal-first desktop workspace with editor, git panel and agentic AI side-panel
bb
Agentic IDE with desktop app, web app, CLI and HTTP API
Verdict
terax-ai ranks higher, 65 to 59. Of the 3 score parts we measure for both, terax-ai leads on 1, bb on none and 2 are even.
- Adoptionterax-ai leads by 38 points, 52 to 14: a wide gap.
- FreshnessEven at 100.
- MaintenanceWe do not score bb on this; terax-ai has 59.
- Easy to runWe do not score bb on this; terax-ai has 50.
- Agent-readyEven at 70.
Pick terax-ai if you are
Developers wanting a local terminal and editor with BYOK or local-model agents
- Many BYOK providers plus Ollama, LM Studio and MLX for local models
- API keys go to the OS keychain; no telemetry or account
Pick bb if you are
Developers who want a self-run agentic IDE with a scriptable CLI and API
- Same functionality across desktop app, web app, CLI and HTTP API
- Starts with one command: `npx bb-app@latest`
| What we compare | terax-ai | bb |
|---|---|---|
| Score parts, out of 100 | ||
| Adoption | 52, popular | 14, niche |
| Freshness | 100, active | 100, active |
| Maintenance | 59, fair | Not scored for this kind |
| Easy to run | 50, easy | Not scored for this kind |
| Agent-ready | 70, partly | 70, partly |
| Facts from GitHub and the README | ||
| Stars | 9.3k | 4.2k |
| License | Apache-2.0 (permissive) | MIT (permissive) |
| Last commit | Oct 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Last release | Jul 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Docker | No | No |
| GPU | Optional | Not stated |
| arm64 or Apple Silicon | Mentioned | Not stated |
terax-ai
Terax is a desktop app built on Tauri 2, Rust and React 19 that combines a PTY terminal, CodeMirror editor, file explorer, git graph and web preview. Its AI side-panel runs agents with approval-gated bash and file edits against your own API keys or local Ollama, LM Studio and MLX models. About 7-8 MB on disk, with no telemetry or account.
Who it is for: Developers wanting a local terminal and editor with BYOK or local-model agents
Strengths
- Many BYOK providers plus Ollama, LM Studio and MLX for local models
- API keys go to the OS keychain; no telemetry or account
- AI edit diffs can be accepted or rejected hunk by hunk
- Runs on macOS, Linux and Windows, with WSL workspaces
Weaknesses
- README says v0.9.0 will replace xterm.js with libghostty and WebGPU, so internals will change
- Language server support is opt-in and needs configuration
- Desktop install only; no Docker or server mode
- Author notes development time went to another product (Zephium)
- GPU optional
- Needs Rust (build from source), Node 22+ and pnpm (build from source), Tauri platform prerequisites (build from source)
- Models: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Groq, xAI
bb
bb is an agentic IDE written in TypeScript that runs work in threads you can follow live, steer, or hand off to another agent. It is driven through an Electron desktop app, a web UI on port 38886, a `bb` CLI or an HTTP API, and it uses the provider CLI you have already authenticated. It is marked as in active development, with workflows still changing.
Who it is for: Developers who want a self-run agentic IDE with a scriptable CLI and API
Strengths
- Same functionality across desktop app, web app, CLI and HTTP API
- Starts with one command: `npx bb-app@latest`
- Reuses your already authenticated provider CLI instead of separate API setup
- Opt-out telemetry (`BB_TELEMETRY=false`) that the README says excludes message content
Weaknesses
- Desktop app supports only Apple Silicon macOS; Linux and Windows builds are alpha
- README says workflows and surfaces are still evolving
- Server API is unauthenticated and permits command execution; remote modes need a trusted network
- Native add-ons need install scripts allowed on npm 12 or later
- Needs Node.js, npm, authenticated provider CLI, Git for Windows (native Windows)
- Models: provider CLIs (unspecified)
- port 38886
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