FAQ
Before you install
Section titled “Before you install”How is it different from Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor?
Section titled “How is it different from Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor?”Those run in a terminal or an editor. Bica is a web page for running many agents side by side and reviewing their work, and its runs keep going when you close the tab. It runs its own agent on Pi Durable, an open-source agent engine, and doesn’t drive Claude Code underneath. See What is Bica.
Which systems does it run on?
Section titled “Which systems does it run on?”macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel) and Linux (x64 or arm64). There is no Windows build. See Install.
Can I use my Claude or ChatGPT plan?
Section titled “Can I use my Claude or ChatGPT plan?”Yes. Sign in with your plan in Settings → Providers, or add an API key. Plans are meant for the provider’s own apps, so a provider may stop allowing this, while an API key is the official route. See Providers and models.
What does it cost?
Section titled “What does it cost?”Bica itself costs nothing. You pay for the models, through a plan you already have or an API key billed per call. Each session shows what it would cost at API prices, even on a plan. See Context and spend.
Safety
Section titled “Safety”Is it safe to leave running?
Section titled “Is it safe to leave running?”Bica has no login, so it only listens on your own machine. Other devices reach it through Tailscale, a private network between your own devices. Never use tailscale funnel, which would put it on the public internet. See Keep it private.
Does the agent ask before running commands?
Section titled “Does the agent ask before running commands?”No. There are no approval prompts and no sandbox: the agent runs commands and edits files as your user. It is told to leave git alone unless you ask and to check with you before anything destructive, but nothing enforces that. See Tools run without asking.
Using it
Section titled “Using it”Can I use it from my phone?
Section titled “Can I use it from my phone?”Yes. Give Bica a private HTTPS address with tailscale serve, open it on the phone, and add it to the home screen. See Use it from your phone.
Where is my data?
Section titled “Where is my data?”On your machine, in ~/.bica and in your repos. Only the calls to the model leave it. See Where your data lives.
How do I update?
Section titled “How do I update?”Stop Bica, download the new binary over the old one, start it again, and reload the open tabs. Runs that were going continue. See Update and uninstall.