lil_sk8ers

lil_sk8ers is a customized dockside AI companion app built around two streetwear skaters cruising on transparent skateboard loops above your macOS dock.

Thank you to the lil agents creator for the inspiration to flow.

Get your agents into flow skate. Make them lil_sk8ers.

This fork keeps the original interaction model intact while reshaping the visual identity around two new characters, a dual-provider AI path, and a stronger direction for a future control surface.

what changed in this fork

• Replaced Bruce and Jazz with two new skaters: AXO and Mudbug
• Swapped the original walking loops for realistic skateboard motion in transparent video
• Added a provider switch so the app can route chats to Claude Code or OpenAI (Codex)
• Added a live session meter with reset controls so the popover shows active usage while you chat
• Updated onboarding, menu labels, and README copy to match the new lil_sk8ers world
• Added packaged preview renders and a downloadable macOS app archive to the repo

meet the lil_sk8ers

AXO

AXO is an axolotl in teal streetwear with a gold-accent board, built as the softer and more playful skater in the pair. AXO sets the tone for the dock: friendly, relaxed, expressive, and always ready to spin up a conversation with Claude or Codex.

Mudbug

Mudbug is a lobster in warm orange streetwear with a darker board and cooler accent linework. Mudbug plays as the heavier, punchier counterpart to AXO: same vibe, same gear, more edge.

current experience

• Animated skaters rendered from transparent .mov loops
• Click a skater to open a dockside terminal chat
• Watch live session stats for Codex or Claude Code while the chat is open
• Switch providers from the menu bar: Claude Code or OpenAI (Codex)
• Four visual themes: Peach, Midnight, Cloud, Moss
• Thinking bubbles and completion sounds
• First-run onboarding
• Auto-updates via Sparkle

build and run

requirements

• macOS Sonoma (14.0+)
• Claude Code CLI and/or a local codex CLI install

local build

Open the included Xcode project in Xcode and hit Run.

packaged download

A downloadable archive is included at:

dist/lil_sk8ers-2.0-axo-mudbug-macos.zip

interface direction

The next obvious step for lil_sk8ers is a proper graphical control panel instead of treating the menu bar as the only switchboard.

a strong next UI pass could include

• A compact floating dashboard with a clear Claude / Codex segmented toggle
• Live skater cards showing idle, thinking, and responding states
• Clickable character portraits so users choose which skater opens the chat
• A visual session rail showing recent prompts, completions, and active provider
• A richer token/usage dashboard with provider-specific telemetry beyond the compact live strip
• Theme, sound, and display controls grouped into a single skater console
• Future deck, outfit, and motion-pack swaps without changing the underlying app logic

the product idea

Instead of a hidden utility, lil_sk8ers can evolve into a small character-driven AI surface on the desktop:

• part assistant switcher
• part dock toy
• part ambient chat UI

The core interaction is already there. The next layer is making provider choice and skater identity feel intentional, visual, and fun.

privacy

lil_sk8ers runs entirely on your Mac and sends no personal data anywhere on its own.

• Your data stays local. The app plays bundled animations and calculates dock geometry to position the skaters. No project data, file paths, or personal information is collected by the app itself.
• AI providers. Conversations are handed to the local CLI you select. Any upstream processing is governed by the provider you choose.
• No accounts. No login, no analytics, no in-app user database.
• Updates. Sparkle checks for updates using your app version and macOS version.

license

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.