--- title: "Cork vs Superset: worktrees separate files, Cork prevents the clash · Cork" description: "Cork vs Superset: Superset runs many coding agents in parallel worktrees; Cork coordinates those agents so their changes do not collide on merge." canonical: "https://corkcli.com/blog/cork-vs-superset" last_updated: "2026-11-14" published: "2026-10-03" author: "Kevin Vera" --- # Cork vs Superset: worktrees separate files, Cork prevents the clash Cork vs Superset: Superset runs many coding agents in parallel worktrees; Cork coordinates those agents so their changes do not collide on merge. By Kevin Vera · October 3, 2026 · [Comparisons](https://corkcli.com/blog/c/comparisons) · 7 min read How is Cork different from Superset? Superset is a desktop workspace for running Claude Code, Codex and other CLI agents in parallel, each in its own git worktree with its own branch and terminals. Cork does not run agents: it is the [coordination layer](https://corkcli.com/blog/coordination-layer-ai-coding-agents) underneath them, so parallel AI coding agents and the people running them do not overwrite each other, and each agent starts with what the others already learned. Superset's own README says it plainly: worktrees "separate working files; they do not sandbox processes or prevent merge conflicts." That gap is exactly what Cork covers, which makes the two complementary. ## Cork vs Superset at a glance | Topic | Cork | Superset (as of October 2026) | |---|---|---| | What it is | Coordination layer for multiple AI coding agents and their people | Workspace app for orchestrating coding agents, plus CLI, SDK and MCP server; source-available (Elastic License 2.0) | | Where agents run | Wherever they already run (your machine, terminal, editor) | Local workspaces; remote access on Pro | | Agents covered | Claude Code, Codex and Cursor via hooks; any MCP client via MCP | 30+ CLI agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor Agent, OpenCode, Gemini CLI | | Isolation model | Agents can share one working copy; Cork coordinates edits | One git worktree and branch per task | | What is shared | Briefings, live change notices, notes, agent messages | Workspaces and review flows; Linear and Slack on Pro | | Conflict handling | Write gate, [semantic lint](https://corkcli.com/blog/semantic-lint), landing that rebases and reruns tests | Separation by worktree; Superset notes worktrees do not prevent merge conflicts | | Install | `curl -fsSL https://corkcli.com/install.sh \| sh` | Desktop app for macOS; Linux AppImage experimental; Windows not yet | | Pricing | Free (local, and 10 agent hours a month in the cloud); $20 a month per 100 agent hours, pooled | Free; Pro $20/user/mo ($15 yearly); Enterprise custom | ## What is Superset? Superset (superset.sh) describes itself as "one workspace for Claude Code, Codex, and any coding agent." Each task gets a git worktree with its own branch and terminals. Its GitHub README lists 30+ supported agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor Agent, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and [Devin](https://corkcli.com/blog/cork-vs-devin), plus any custom CLI agent. Beyond the desktop app, Superset offers a CLI, a TypeScript SDK and an MCP server, integrations with IDEs such as VS Code, Cursor, Xcode and JetBrains, and, on the Pro plan, scheduled automations, remote access and a mobile app. The desktop app runs on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), with an experimental Linux AppImage; Windows is not yet available. The code is on GitHub under the Elastic License 2.0, which allows use, forking and self-hosting but not reselling Superset as a service. The README promises: "The desktop app is free forever." ## What is Cork? Cork (corkcli.com, by Lithometric) keeps several AI coding agents, and the people running them, from overwriting each other on one codebase, and hands each agent what the others already learned. It does not run agents or host machines: Claude Code, Codex and Cursor keep running where they already run, and Cork coordinates them. Hooks in Claude Code, Codex and Cursor run the protocol with no extra model calls, and an MCP server (https://mcp.corkcli.com) works with any MCP client. - **Briefing:** each agent is handed the exact signatures, callers and recent changes of the code it is about to touch, so it searches less. - **Live awareness:** when another agent renames or re-signatures code yours depends on, your agent hears it on its next step. - **[Write gate](https://corkcli.com/blog/write-gate):** an edit against code another agent is changing right now is held until your agent has their version. - **Semantic lint:** a teammate's rename or signature change becomes a lint rule your agents are checked against. - **Landing:** `git push` becomes one step that rebases onto teammates' commits, reruns the tests and pushes. - **Messaging and tools:** agents can message each other or whoever is working on a function; MCP tools include get_symbol, blast_radius, recap and remember/recall. In Cork's benchmark (12 Claude Code agents at once on one repository, hard tasks), agents with Cork used 53% fewer tokens than the same agents without it. ## Where Superset stands out - **Built for scale on one machine.** Many agents at once, each with its own worktree, branch and terminals. - **Programmable.** CLI, TypeScript SDK, MCP server and scheduled automations let you script agent work. - **Free desktop app, low paid tier.** Parallel agents on your own machine stay free; Pro is $20 per user per month. - **Remote and mobile.** Pro adds remote access and a mobile app. - **Honest docs.** Superset is upfront that worktrees do not prevent merge conflicts. ## Where Cork wins - **Prevents the conflicts worktrees cannot.** Cork tells each agent about other agents' live changes to code it depends on, on its next step, rather than at merge. - **Edits against live work are held.** The write gate stops one agent writing over code another is changing. - **Checked landings.** `git push` rebases onto teammates' commits and reruns tests; semantic lint flags stale uses of renamed or re-signatured symbols. - **Agents arrive informed.** Briefings cut searching; in Cork's benchmark, agents used 53% fewer tokens. - **Works with any launcher and OS you already use.** Cork is not tied to one desktop app. ## Can you use both? Yes, and Superset's own README makes the case. Run multiple Claude Code agents, Codex and others in Superset worktrees; install Cork underneath so those agents see each other's renames and signature changes as they happen, hold edits against live work, and land through a rebase and test run. Superset handles where agents run; Cork handles how their work fits together. Cork's hooks are installed for your user account, so they apply to the Claude Code, Codex and Cursor sessions an app like this starts, unless the app replaces your user settings; try it on one repo first. ## Pricing compared **Superset (as of October 2026):** Free at $0 (1 user, local workspaces, desktop app, CLI). Pro is $20 per user per month, or $15 per user per month billed yearly, adding unlimited users, remote access, automations, Linear and Slack integrations and the mobile app. Enterprise is custom with SAML SSO, SCIM, audit logs and an SLA. **Cork:** Cork Free is unlimited agents and repos on one machine, no account, all data on the machine. Cloud Free (with an account) is 10 agent hours a month per account (30 bonus hours the first month), unlimited repos and agents, 30-day history. Beyond that you pay for agent hours, not seats: $20 a month per unit of 100 hours, pooled across the workspace, graduated to $17 (units 11 to 50) and $15 (51 and up), with 15% off a year. Every member is a player, with teammates' machines, prompt-to-code matching by meaning, shared knowledge and 90-day history. Enterprise starts from about 100 units. ## Bottom line Superset is a strong, scriptable home for running many coding agents in parallel. It isolates files, but by its own account it does not prevent merge conflicts. Cork is the layer that does that coordination and briefs every agent. Use Superset to run agents and Cork to keep them from colliding. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Cork an alternative to Superset? Not a replacement. Superset runs and organizes agents; Cork coordinates agents that something else runs. Keep Superset for launching, terminals and automations. ### Does Superset prevent merge conflicts between agents? No, by its own description. Superset's README says worktrees "separate working files; they do not sandbox processes or prevent merge conflicts." ### Does Cork work with agents launched from Superset? Cork installs with one command for every repo on the machine and works through Claude Code, Codex and Cursor hooks plus an MCP server, so it coordinates those agents wherever you launch them. ### Is Superset open source? It is source-available under the Elastic License 2.0 as of October 2026, which allows use and self-hosting but is not an OSI-approved open-source license. ### Does Cork run agents remotely like Superset Pro? No. Cork does not provide cloud VMs, sandboxes, an editor, live terminal sharing or app previews. It coordinates the agents you already run. ## Sources Checked October 2026: - - - - ## Related reading - [Cork vs Xirp: run many agents, or keep many agents from colliding](https://corkcli.com/blog/cork-vs-xirp): Cork vs Xirp: Spotify's Xirp runs parallel coding agent sessions in worktrees on macOS. Cork coordinates those agents so they stop overwriting each other. - [Cork vs git worktrees: separate folders, or agents that know about each other](https://corkcli.com/blog/cork-vs-git-worktrees): Cork vs git worktrees for parallel AI coding agents: worktrees isolate files while agents work, Cork coordinates them so the work still fits at merge. - [Cork vs Vibe Kanban: a board for agents vs a guard for shared code](https://corkcli.com/blog/cork-vs-vibe-kanban): Cork vs Vibe Kanban: Vibe Kanban plans and runs coding agents in worktrees from a kanban board. Cork keeps parallel agents from colliding at merge. - [Cork vs Conductor: running parallel agents vs keeping them from colliding](https://corkcli.com/blog/cork-vs-conductor): Cork vs Conductor: Conductor runs parallel coding agents in isolated Mac workspaces; Cork coordinates the agents so their work does not collide. 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