Workspace Templates: Spin Up Multi-Agent Environments in One Keystroke

February 2026 • 5 min read

You sit down to work. You need Claude Code in one pane, a dev server in another, and a git log running on the side. So you open three terminals, cd into the right directories, type in commands, arrange windows, resize panes... and by the time you're ready to actually code, ten minutes have evaporated and your momentum is gone.

Workspace Templates solve this. One keystroke, and your entire multi-agent development environment materializes — panes arranged, commands running, everything exactly where it should be.

What Are Workspace Templates?

A Workspace Template is a saved configuration that defines:

• How many panes to create and how to arrange them
• What commands to auto-run in each pane (like launching Claude Code or starting a dev server)
• The workspace name for quick identification

Think of it like a snapshot of your ideal work setup that you can deploy instantly, every time you start a session.

Built-in Templates

Beam ships with three built-in templates designed for the most common AI-assisted development workflows:

How to Use Templates

Method 1: Template Picker

Press ⌘⇧N to open the Template Picker. You'll see all available templates listed with their descriptions. Click one, and Beam instantly creates a new workspace with the template's layout and runs the configured commands.

Method 2: Quick Switcher

Press ⌘P to open the Quick Switcher. Start typing a template name — like "Full Stack" — and it appears in the results. Hit Enter and you're working. This is the fastest path from zero to coding.

Real-World Workflows

The Solo Full-Stack Developer

You're building a web app with a React frontend and a Node API. Every morning, you hit ⌘⇧N → Full Stack, and Beam gives you:

• Pane 1: Claude Code, ready for instructions
• Pane 2: Your frontend dev server
• Pane 3: Your backend API server

You tell Claude to build a new feature, watch the frontend hot-reload in real time, and check the API logs — all visible at once, no switching.

The AI-First Prototyper

You're rapidly prototyping ideas. Use the Claude Code template to get a clean two-pane setup: Claude in the left pane, a shell for testing in the right. Iterate fast, then spin up a new template when you're ready to build out the full stack.

The Multi-Agent Power User

You're using Claude Code for architecture, OpenAI Codex for boilerplate, and OpenClaw for code review. Create a workspace from each agent's template, and use ⌘⌥←→ to fly between agent workspaces. Each agent gets its own organized space.

Templates + Other Beam Features

Templates become even more powerful when combined with Beam's other capabilities:

• Saved Layouts — Once you tweak a template to your liking, save the entire layout with ⌘S. Next time, restore the exact arrangement instantly.
• Resizable Panes — Templates set up the initial layout, but you can drag dividers to resize panes. Give Claude Code 70% of the screen when you're deep in conversation, or shrink it when you need to focus on output.
• Quick Switcher — With ⌘P, you can jump between template-created workspaces, other workspaces, and saved layouts. Everything is one search away.
• Named Tabs — After a template creates your panes, double-click tab names to label them: "Claude: API", "Dev Server", "Tests". This makes the Quick Switcher even faster.

Pro Feature

Workspace Templates are part of Beam Pro ($10/month). The free tier gives you a great single-workspace experience, but templates — along with unlimited workspaces, split panes, and AI agent quick-start — unlock the full multi-agent workflow that makes Beam special.

Summary

• Workspace Templates create pre-configured multi-pane environments instantly
• Built-in templates for Claude Code, Full Stack, and OpenClaw workflows
• Access via ⌘⇧N (Template Picker) or ⌘P (Quick Switcher)
• Templates auto-run commands in each pane — no manual setup
• Combine with saved layouts, resizable panes, and named tabs for the ultimate workflow