Orca v1.4.214: Jupyter notebooks run in a real kernel, and ZCode joins

In this Orca release, a Jupyter notebook opens looking like a notebook.

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Jupyter notebooks run in a real kernel, chat shows its context window, and ZCode joins the agents.

The Markdown is rendered now. Each code cell sits in its own box, and you click a cell to start editing it.

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01 · Notebooks

Notebooks open as notebooks, and a click edits a cell

Markdown

rendered in place

Code

each cell in its own box

Editing

click the cell

Running a cell used to start a fresh Python every time. Now each notebook gets its own Jupyter kernel. Variables carry over between cells, plots show inline, and you can interrupt or restart it.

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01 · Notebooks

Cells run in a persistent Jupyter kernel

Variables

carry over between cells

Plots

show inline

Kernel

interrupt or restart it

If your Python refuses installs, the way Homebrew's does, Orca offers to create a private virtual environment with ipykernel in it. The dialog shows the install while it runs.

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01 · Notebooks

When pip is locked out, Orca builds a .venv for you

Opening the Python picker used to run interpreters that came with the repository. Now Orca waits for your yes on the Run Notebook Code prompt before it runs any of them.

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01 · Notebooks

Workspace Python waits until you trust the notebook

Now agents and chat.

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02 · Agents and chat

02

Agents and chat

In a Claude chat, a small ring in the composer fills up as the conversation uses the context window. Hover it, and a card breaks down what is taking the space.

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02 · Agents and chat

The composer shows how full the context window is

Hover a message you sent and a copy button appears. Older messages load before you scroll to the top. And the model picker for Codex and Claude shows the moment a chat opens.

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02 · Agents and chat

Copy what you sent, and scroll back without a button

Sent messages

a copy button on hover

Scrolling up

older messages load before the top

New chat

the Codex and Claude model picker shows at once

Codex 0.157 and newer failed to start in the account folders Orca manages, because a socket path ran too long. That is fixed, and Codex starts cleanly.

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02 · Agents and chat

Codex 0.157 and newer starts in Orca-managed homes

The “path must be shorter than SUN_LEN” failure is fixed.

ZCode, the coding agent from Z.ai, is now a first-class harness. A ZCode pane gets the status dot, the action required badge and the finish notification, like a Claude or Codex pane.

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02 · Agents and chat

ZCode joins Orca as a first-class agent

Orca now tracks subagent and background work across Codex, Claude, Pi and Grok. Each child record says what it is doing right now, how it ended, and when.

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02 · Agents and chat

Subagent work says what it is doing and how it ended

Tracked for

Codex, Claude, Pi and Grok

Each record

what it is doing, how it ended, and when

If you use Cursor, Orca now shows how much of your monthly Cursor plan is left, next to the other usage meters. It reads the Cursor sign-in already on your computer.

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02 · Agents and chat

Cursor usage sits beside the Claude, Codex and Grok meters

It reads the Cursor sign-in already on your computer.

Terminals and workspaces.

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03 · Terminal and workspaces

03

Terminal and workspaces

Single terminal panes get a close button. Terminals Orca opens inside WSL have the Orca command line ready. And a remounted SSH tab keeps the shell its old pane was starting.

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03 · Terminal and workspaces

Single terminal panes get a close button

Single pane

a close button in the header

WSL

the Orca CLI is ready in managed terminals

SSH

a remounted tab keeps the shell it was spawning

Quick Open, the Explorer's name filter and text search no longer need ripgrep installed. Orca ships its own copy for local workspaces, WSL and SSH hosts.

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03 · Terminal and workspaces

Search works without installing ripgrep

Orca ships its own copy for local workspaces, WSL and SSH hosts.

Profile state moves from JSON files to SQLite, written in the background. Creating or removing a terminal waits for a confirmed save, so what Orca reports survives a restart.

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03 · Terminal and workspaces

Your profile now saves to SQLite in the background

Creating or removing a terminal waits for a confirmed save.

And on your phone.

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04 · Orca Mobile

04

Orca Mobile

Your phone now lists each paired desktop by the name the machine reports. On Android, Live input echoes each letter as you type. And the streamed browser pane restarts whenever you return to the app.

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04 · Orca Mobile

Your phone lists each desktop by its real name

Pairing

each desktop shows the name it reports

Android

Live input echoes each letter as you type

Browser pane

restarts each time you return to the app

Orca runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, and you can download it from onorca.dev.

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Orca runs on macOS, Windows and Linux

onorca.dev/download