First Session
Launch cc-deck and explore the sidebar with your first Claude Code sessions.
Start Zellij with cc-deck
zellij --layout cc-deck
You should see a terminal pane on the right and the cc-deck sidebar on the left. The sidebar starts empty since no Claude Code sessions are running yet.
Start a Claude Code Session
In the terminal pane, start Claude Code:
claude
The sidebar picks up the new session within a few seconds. It shows the session name, working directory, and activity status.
Open More Sessions
Press n in navigation mode (or use your Zellij tab shortcut) to create a new tab.
Start another Claude Code session there.
The sidebar now shows both sessions across tabs, each with its own status indicator.
Navigate Between Sessions
Press kbd:[Alt+s] to enter navigation mode. The sidebar highlights the current session with an amber cursor.
Use these keys to navigate:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
kbd:[j] / kbd:[k] |
Move cursor down / up. |
kbd:[Enter] |
Switch to the selected session’s tab. |
kbd:[Esc] |
Cancel and return to the original tab. |
kbd:[g] / kbd:[G] |
Jump to first / last session. |
kbd:[/] |
Search sessions by name. |
Press kbd:[Alt+s] again to cycle the cursor down without entering navigation mode first.
Smart Attend
Press kbd:[Alt+a] to jump to the session that most needs your attention.
The attend algorithm prioritizes:
-
Sessions waiting for permission approval
-
Sessions that just finished
-
Idle sessions
Pressing kbd:[Alt+a] repeatedly cycles through all sessions that need attention, skipping sessions that are actively working.
Session Actions
While in navigation mode, you can act on the selected session:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
kbd:[r] |
Rename the session. |
kbd:[p] |
Pause the session (excluded from attend cycling). |
kbd:[d] |
Delete the session. |
kbd:[?] |
Show all keyboard shortcuts. |
What the Status Icons Mean
The sidebar shows icons next to each session:
| Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|
● |
Claude Code is actively working. |
⚠ |
Session needs your input (permission request or notification). |
○ |
Session is idle or just started. |
✓ |
Session finished its task. |
⏸ |
Session is paused (you toggled it with |
Next Steps
-
Keyboard Navigation for the complete keybinding reference
-
Smart Attend for the full priority algorithm
-
Session Management for pause, rename, search, and delete
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Configuration for custom keybindings and layouts