Introduction

When using DeepSeek Harness (DSH) with the Web GUI to drive agents to modify code, the common practice is to always operate on the same local directory: parallel tasks easily collide on branches, viewing diffs often requires switching to a terminal or opening additional tabs, and submitting PRs or cross-referencing issues also requires switching back and forth between tools. If you are already using DSH’s dsh --profile web and want to consolidate worktrees, sidebar status, full-page diffs, and GitHub PR/issue references into the same browser tab, the community plugin dsh-better-workspaces (npm package name @ds-hu/dsh-better-workspaces) targets exactly this kind of workflow. The following explains in the order of “what it is → what it can do → how to install → how to use,” with all facts drawn from the GitHub repository README and package metadata.

What Is This

dsh-better-workspaces is published by maintainer ds-hu and classified as a DSH client plugin: it enhances Git workspace capabilities within the DeepSeek Harness Web GUI, including worktree creation and switching, sidebar Git status badges, file and diff conversation views, and paseo-like PR-related operations. The README summarizes its goal in one sentence: complete git worktree operations, full diff review, Pull Request and issue references within the Web GUI, giving each task its own independent branch and directory, without the need to frequently switch tabs or open terminals.

The plugin currently has approximately 5 stars on GitHub; the license is MIT. Technical documentation can be found in the repository’s docs/TECHNICAL.md and docs/adr/.

Core Features

The following capabilities are all from the official README’s feature list, organized by usage path.

1. Workspace Mode Above the Composer

Above the prompt box, you can switch between Local and New worktree: use Local for simple in-place modifications; switch to New worktree for tasks that require independent branches and isolated directories, reducing interference between parallel tasks.

2. Quickly Create Worktrees from Branches or PRs

You can enter a branch name or use the random generation (dice) button in the interface. Worktrees can be based on any local branch, remote branch, or open Pull Request. Clicking Create will create an isolated workspace and immediately prepare a session.

3. Sidebar Session Status and Diff Volume

Each session card in the sidebar displays the current active branch and diff statistics (e.g., +11 −3). If there are open PRs or running CI checks, the status will be displayed on the same line, so you don’t need to run git status in the terminal to get an overview.

4. Full-Page Diff Review Within the Sidebar

Click the ± badge to open the diff drawer. You can switch between uncommitted changes, current session changes, task scope, or comparison against the base branch; it supports expanding by hunk, in-place file editing, and viewing recent commits.

5. Git Operations Without Leaving the Page

In the diff view, you can directly execute Commit, Pull, Push, open PR, merge, update from base, or discard changes; operations that are not applicable will explain the required prerequisite states.

6. Attach GitHub PRs and Issues to Prompts

The GitHub button next to the Composer lists open PRs and issues in the repository; selecting one attaches it to the current prompt.

7. Compact Reference Chips and Full Context

The input box displays references as compact chips; when sent, they automatically expand to full titles, issue/PR bodies, branch information, and URLs, enabling the agent to get accurate context.

The README notes: worktrees, sidebar badges, and diff reviews do not depend on GitHub CLI; an authenticated gh is used for capabilities such as the PR/issue selector.

Installation and Activation

The official installation command (npm) is as follows. After installation, you need to restart dsh --profile web once for it to take effect.

dsh plugin --profile web add @ds-hu/dsh-better-workspaces

You can also install it within the DSH Web GUI:

  1. Open Plugins in the sidebar.
  2. Click Add plugin.
  3. Enter @ds-hu/dsh-better-workspaces and select Official npm registry as the source.
  4. Click Install, then Enable now after completion; if prompted to restart, restart dsh --profile web.

Environment Requirements

  • DeepSeek Harness: ≥ 0.2.0
  • Node.js: ≥ 20.19
  • Tools: git, pnpm (must be in PATH)
  • GitHub CLI (optional): authenticated gh for the PR/issue selector; other Git enhancement features work without it.

The README states compatibility with Linux, macOS 13+, Windows 10+, and all operations are completed within the current browser tab.

The plugin is injected into the Web platform as a DSH client (dsh.client.platform is web in package.json). Before installation, it is recommended to review the source code and license yourself and understand that the plugin executes Git and network-related operations with the permissions of the current dsh process.

Typical Usage

The Quick Workflow provided in the README can be reproduced as follows:

  1. Start a session: Open any git workspace in DeepSeek Harness.
  2. Select scope: Choose Local for quick in-place edits; choose New worktree for isolated branches.
  3. Develop and review: Use the GitHub selector to reference issues, check progress through sidebar badges, and click ± for line-by-line diff review.
  4. Deliver: Commit, Push, or directly open a Pull Request in the diff view.

Use Cases and Considerations

Who it’s for: Teams or individuals already developing in the DSH Web GUI who want to use worktrees to isolate parallel tasks and complete diff reviews and common Git/GitHub actions in the same interface.

Ecosystem note: DSH adopts an “everything is a plugin” extension approach; community directory sites (such as the plugin page on SkillHub) are independently collected and have no official affiliation with DeepSeek/HH. This article does not refer to it as an “official app store.”

Security and permissions: Before installing third-party plugins, please read the security model description in the repository’s docs/TECHNICAL.md; all Git and optional gh calls occur in the context of the local DSH process.

Conclusion

dsh-better-workspaces consolidates worktree switching, sidebar Git badges, full-page diffs, and PR/issue references into the DSH Web GUI, reducing the need to switch back and forth between terminals and browsers. For more information, you can visit the SkillHub directory page and the GitHub repository.