# Perch or agent notifications?

Canonical: https://perched.fyi/alternatives/notifications/
Updated: 2026-10-23

A notification tells you that something happened. A session shelf gives you a place to look for what is waiting now. The useful choice depends on what you keep missing in your current workflow.

## An alert and a state view answer different questions


Notifications and a Perch session shelf

| Question | A notification | Perch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What just happened? | An alert can announce an event | Supported activity appears as session state |
| What is waiting now? | Depends on the alerting tool and history | Needs you groups supported waiting events |
| Where is the original context? | Follow the alert’s destination | Open the session’s app |
| Can I answer here? | Depends on the tool | Supported opt-in actions differ by provider |
| Does a completion mean correct code? | No | No |

## When an alert is enough

If the only thing you need is a cue to return to one agent, your current notification setup may be enough. You can leave the review in the original app.

Notification behavior varies across agents and operating-system settings. This comparison is about the workflow, not a claim that every agent has the same alerts or history.


## When you need a place to return to

With several sessions, you may want a current list rather than a sequence of past alerts. Perch keeps supported sessions grouped by state. Its combined completion notice can announce several turns together, and sounds are optional.

You can inspect waiting work when you are ready to decide. Perch still relies on provider events; it cannot show Cursor awaiting permission through passive hooks that do not expose that state.


## Keep the decision separate from the signal

Whether you arrive through an alert or a shelf, read the request before responding. A useful cue gets you to a review. It does not make the review unnecessary.


## Related reading
- [Reduce the checking loop around your coding agents](https://perched.fyi/blog/reduce-agent-context-switching/)
- [Approve, answer and reply from Perch](https://perched.fyi/guides/answering-agents/)
- [A coding-agent monitor for developers on Mac](https://perched.fyi/use-cases/developers/)