ModsCode / Claude Code Mods / Ranking / cheap-worker
cheap-worker
Spin up Claude Code workers from a picker: OpenRouter (any model) or Amazon Bedrock (Claude), as tmux panes or terminal tabs; team messaging between them
Code you can checkTerminal + desktopPaneStatus lineToastBoxButtonInputSvgText
network, draws
What it does
- Draws a pane, the status line, toasts
- Adds /worker, /workers
- Hooks session.receive, session.start
- Keeps its own state between turns
- Calls the network
Good points
- Written in TypeScript
- Has a desktop-specific branch
- Handles errors
Code to start from
A starter ModsCode writes from the drawing it read, and the mod's own lines that draw, where there are any.
Starter (register.tsx)
register.tsx
import type { Register } from 'claude-code'
// Drawn like cheap-worker by Ian Wilson (pane, status, toast), as ModsCode read it from the mod's code:
// https://modscode.com/claude-mods/mods/ianwilson97-cheap-worker/
// Written by ModsCode from that reading, not copied from the mod: use it as you like.
// Each value below stands for one the mod works out at run time; put in your own.
export const register: Register = on => {
// the pane: open it with $.ui.open({ id: 'my-pane', title: "Cheap worker" })
on('ui.render', { component: 'Pane', requestId: 'my-pane' }, async ($, e) => {
const { Box, Text, Button, Input } = $.ui.resolve(e)
const cost = '…'
const length = '…'
const title = '…'
const MODE_WORD = '…'
const model = '…'
const name = '…'
const statLine = '…'
const title2 = '…'
const MODE_WORD2 = '…'
const model2 = '…'
const name2 = '…'
const statLine2 = '…'
const title3 = '…'
const MODE_WORD3 = '…'
const model3 = '…'
const name3 = '…'
const statLine3 = '…'
const title4 = '…'
const MODE_WORD4 = '…'
const model4 = '…'
const name4 = '…'
const statLine4 = '…'
const title5 = '…'
const MODE_WORD5 = '…'
const model5 = '…'
const name5 = '…'
const statLine5 = '…'
const title6 = '…'
const MODE_WORD6 = '…'
const model6 = '…'
const name6 = '…'
const statLine6 = '…'
const length2 = '…'
const hhmm = '…'
const peer = '…'
const text = '…'
const FORCE_AFTER_MS = '…'
return (
<Box flexDirection="column" gap={1} paddingX={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
Workers
</Text>
<Button plain dimColor label="↻" />
</Box>
<Box columnGap={1}>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1} borderStyle="round" borderColor="#3b3f4a" paddingX={1}>
<Text dimColor>
Cost
</Text>
<Text bold>
{`≈$${cost}`}
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1} borderStyle="round" borderColor="#3b3f4a" paddingX={1}>
<Text dimColor>
Tokens
</Text>
<Text bold>
—
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1} borderStyle="round" borderColor="#3b3f4a" paddingX={1}>
<Text dimColor>
Time
</Text>
<Text bold>
—
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column">
<Text dimColor>
{"Running · "}
{length}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" none. Launch one from the worker button."}
</Text>
<Box flexDirection="column" paddingY={0} marginTop={1}>
<Box columnGap={2}>
<Box flexDirection="column" width={8}>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
{title}
</Text>
<Text color="#e8c46a">
◌ closing
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
{MODE_WORD}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" "}
{model}
{" · "}
{name}
</Text>
</Text>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text dimColor>
starting…
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{statLine}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
<Text color="#3b3f4a">
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box columnGap={2} marginLeft={6}>
<Input placeholder={`message ${name}…`} submitLabel="Send" />
<Button plain dimColor label="✕ close" />
</Box>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" paddingY={0} marginTop={1}>
<Box columnGap={2}>
<Box flexDirection="column" width={8}>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
{title2}
</Text>
<Text color="#e8c46a">
◌ closing
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
{MODE_WORD2}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" "}
{model2}
{" · "}
{name2}
</Text>
</Text>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text dimColor>
starting…
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{statLine2}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
<Text color="#3b3f4a">
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box columnGap={2} marginLeft={6}>
<Input placeholder={`message ${name}…`} submitLabel="Send" />
<Button plain dimColor label="✕ close" />
</Box>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" paddingY={0} marginTop={1}>
<Box columnGap={2}>
<Box flexDirection="column" width={8}>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
{title3}
</Text>
<Text color="#e8c46a">
◌ closing
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
{MODE_WORD3}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" "}
{model3}
{" · "}
{name3}
</Text>
</Text>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text dimColor>
starting…
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{statLine3}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
<Text color="#3b3f4a">
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box columnGap={2} marginLeft={6}>
<Input placeholder={`message ${name}…`} submitLabel="Send" />
<Button plain dimColor label="✕ close" />
</Box>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column">
<Box>
<Button plain dimColor label={`▾ Finished · ${length}`} />
</Box>
<Box columnGap={2} marginTop={1}>
<Box flexDirection="column" width={8}>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
{title4}
</Text>
<Text color="#57ab5a">
✓
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
{MODE_WORD4}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" "}
{model4}
{" · "}
{name4}
</Text>
</Text>
<Box justifyContent="flex-end">
<Text dimColor>
{statLine4}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
<Text color="#3b3f4a">
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box columnGap={2} marginTop={1}>
<Box flexDirection="column" width={8}>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
{title5}
</Text>
<Text color="#57ab5a">
✓
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
{MODE_WORD5}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" "}
{model5}
{" · "}
{name5}
</Text>
</Text>
<Box justifyContent="flex-end">
<Text dimColor>
{statLine5}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
<Text color="#3b3f4a">
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box columnGap={2} marginTop={1}>
<Box flexDirection="column" width={8}>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
<Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
<Text>
▀
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text bold>
{title6}
</Text>
<Text color="#57ab5a">
✓
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
{MODE_WORD6}
</Text>
<Text dimColor>
{" "}
{model6}
{" · "}
{name6}
</Text>
</Text>
<Box justifyContent="flex-end">
<Text dimColor>
{statLine6}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text>
<Text>
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
<Text color="#3b3f4a">
━━━━━━━━
</Text>
</Text>
</Box>
</Box>
</Box>
<Box flexDirection="column">
<Box justifyContent="space-between">
<Text dimColor>
{"Messages · "}
{length2}
</Text>
<Button plain dimColor label="clear" />
</Box>
<Text>
<Text color="#e5534b">
←
</Text>
{` ${hhmm} ${peer}: ${text}…`}
</Text>
<Text>
<Text color="#e5534b">
←
</Text>
{` ${hhmm} ${peer}: ${text}…`}
</Text>
<Text>
<Text color="#e5534b">
←
</Text>
{` ${hhmm} ${peer}: ${text}…`}
</Text>
</Box>
<Text dimColor>
{"watch live: tmux new -A -s cw · ✕ sends /exit, force-closes after "}
{FORCE_AFTER_MS}
s
</Text>
</Box>
)
})
on('session.start', async ($, e, next) => {
const length = '…'
const to = '…'
const reason = '…'
const from = '…'
const body = '…'
await $.ui.status(`workers: ${length} running`)
await $.ui.toast(`Not delivered to ${to}: ${reason}`)
await $.ui.toast(`✉ ${from}: ${body}…`)
return next(e)
})
}
The mod's own code
Its licence text was not found at the commit read, so only the places in the source are linked.
How to build this: Pane (panel), Add a slash command
What its code calls
networkruns programswrites filesenv varsremembersships serverscalls tools
What its code shows
Read from the source at commit 31bd171f339b on 2026-10-11. The first group decides whether a mod is listed; the rest is for you to weigh. A later commit is not read until the next crawl.
| Decides the listing: code you can check | |
|---|---|
| Entry read | Every module hooks/hooks.json names was read.cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx |
| Parses | Every file parses as TypeScript or JavaScript.2 files parsed |
| All its code is in the mod | Every import is a file of the mod or the engine's own module; no packages, no require.all its code is in the mod |
| Readable | No minified lines, no eval or new Function, no import of a computed path, no encoded blobs.no minified code, no eval, no encoded blobs |
| Calls in the open | Network and programs are reached as $.http.fetch and $.process.run in place, never passed around.every call outside goes through $ in the open |
| For you to weigh before installing | |
| Where it draws | The terminal, the desktop app, both, or nothing (hooks only: a guard or a prompt rewriter), as its code says. Shown, never a reason to leave a mod out.draws in the terminal and the desktop app, the same in both |
| Install line | Whether its repository's own .claude-plugin/marketplace.json lists it, so it installs from that marketplace with the lines on its page.listed in its repository's .claude-plugin/marketplace.json: installs from there |
| Programs on Windows | Whether every program it starts through $.process exists on Windows (tail, date, open, osascript, /usr/… do not).cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:160 mkdir (not on Windows); cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:162 chmod (not on Windows); cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:249 grep (not on Windows); cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:285 kill (not on Windows) |
| Network | Whether every fetch names its https host in the code.https://openrouter.ai |
| Programs | Whether every program it starts is named in the code and is not a shell, an interpreter or a network tool.cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:83 zsh (a shell or interpreter); cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:112 zsh (a shell or interpreter); cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:140 a program named at run time; cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:143 a program named at run time; cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:144 a program named at run time |
| Reads and sends | Whether it both reads something of yours (files, environment variables, the transcript, settings) and reaches outside (the network, an MCP server, another session, telemetry).reads environment variables, files and reaches the network, another session |
| Keys in the source | Whether the source holds what looks like an API key or a private key.no keys in the source |
| Licence | An open licence (MIT, Apache-2.0, BSD, ISC, Unlicense, 0BSD, CC0) with its text lets ModsCode show its code; otherwise the code is linked.no licence |
| Settings hooks | Hooks declared in hooks/hooks.json or plugin.json beside the module: a command (a shell when it has no args), an HTTP request, an MCP tool or a model prompt at an event. They run outside $.no settings hooks: its function hooks alone |
| Servers it ships | MCP servers (a program, or a URL; a headersHelper is a shell command; a .mcpb bundle is unpacked at run time), LSP servers, monitors (a shell command for the whole session) and bin/ (on the PATH of the Bash tool).bin/: crew on the Bash tool's PATH |
| Skills, commands, agents | What its Markdown declares beyond text: allowed-tools granted for the turn, hooks added when a skill is invoked, a command run before Claude reads the skill.no skills, commands, agents or workflows |
| Tools and MCP | Whether every tool it calls through $.tool.call and $.mcp.call is named in the code, and none is a shell (Bash through the tool runs a shell without $.process).cheap-worker/hooks/register.tsx:167 a tool named at run time |
| Asks of the model | Completions it runs ($.model.complete, fork, classify), subagents it spawns, prompts it submits as you, and the tools, commands and agents it adds.adds command worker, adds command workers |
| Events it hooks | By what a hook there can do: gates (refuse a tool call, a prompt, a setting, another plugin), shapes (what the model reads: the system prompt, tool descriptions, each request), reads (your input, the events of the settings hooks, every event with *), and the rest.gates: command.run (worker, workers) · reads: session.receive · also: session.start, ui.render (PromptHint, Pane) · timers: clock.after, clock.every |
| Reads, by name | The environment variables and files it names, and whether it reads the transcript, settings.json, the prompt box or the mouse selection.env: CMUX_WORKSPACE_ID, CMUX_BUNDLED_CLI_PATH, HOME; files: its own folder/bin/crew, …/.local/bin/crew, a path computed at run time, its own folder/assets/providers-svg/ope…, its own folder/assets/providers-px.json (+1) |
| Writes, by name | The files and environment variables it names, and whether it changes settings, the prompt box, the clipboard, the conversation (a row the model reads) or another session.files: …/.local/bin/crew; another session |
This is a reading of the code text, not a security review: it does not run the mod, and it cannot see what a program the mod starts does. The check before installing is yours. How mods are chosen
Install it
Check it yourself before you install it. Mods run unsandboxed, with your permissions, and ModsCode does not vouch for what this code does. Read its code (or run claude plugin validate . in its folder), weigh what it reaches, and install the commit you read.
From its marketplace
Its repository is its marketplace. Add that marketplace (in the terminal with these commands, or in the desktop app's plugin settings) and install the mod from it:
/plugin marketplace add ianwilson97/claude-mods/plugin install cheap-worker@ianwilson-mods/reload-pluginsThis installs the marketplace's latest commit, which may not be the one read here (31bd171f339b). Compare them before you install. /reload-plugins loads it into a session that is already open.
Try the commit ModsCode read
No marketplace needed. In a terminal, clone the repository, check out the commit read, validate the mod, and load it for one session:
git clone https://github.com/ianwilson97/claude-modsgit -C claude-mods checkout 31bd171f339bdffada25ced58457c1912da3a55fclaude plugin validate claude-mods/cheap-workerclaude --plugin-dir claude-mods/cheap-workerThe validate line lists the events the mod hooks and what it asks Claude Code to do, without running it. The last line loads the mod for this session only and writes nothing to your settings. If the author has rewritten history, the commit may no longer exist.
Ask Claude about it
With the ModsCode connector added, Claude can read this mod's code and what it reaches, and build on them. Ask it like this:
Read the ModsCode mod "ianwilson97-cheap-worker" with its code and make me one like itSearch them from Claude: the MCP connector
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Badge for your README
If this is your mod, paste this into your README. It links to this page.
README.md
[](https://modscode.com/claude-mods/mods/ianwilson97-cheap-worker/)