diff --git a/apps/code/20260130-000000/src/server/index.tsx b/apps/code/20260130-000000/src/server/index.tsx
index 89bd590..6b3deaf 100644
--- a/apps/code/20260130-000000/src/server/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/code/20260130-000000/src/server/index.tsx
@@ -216,9 +216,12 @@ const fileMemoryScript = `
   var version = params.get('version') || 'current';
   if (!app) return;
   var key = 'code-app:' + app + ':' + version + ':file';
-  if (file) {
-    localStorage.setItem(key, file);
+  if (params.has('file')) {
+    // Explicit file param (even empty) - save it
+    if (file) localStorage.setItem(key, file);
+    else localStorage.removeItem(key);
   } else {
+    // No file param - restore saved location
     var saved = localStorage.getItem(key);
     if (saved) {
       var url = '/?app=' + encodeURIComponent(app);
@@ -318,7 +321,7 @@ function PathBreadcrumb({ appName, filePath, versionParam }: BreadcrumbProps) {
   return (
     <Breadcrumb>
       {crumbs.length > 0 ? (
-        <BreadcrumbLink href={`/?app=${appName}${versionParam}`}>{appName}</BreadcrumbLink>
+        <BreadcrumbLink href={`/?app=${appName}${versionParam}&file=`}>{appName}</BreadcrumbLink>
       ) : (
         <BreadcrumbCurrent>{appName}</BreadcrumbCurrent>
       )}
diff --git a/apps/versions/20260130-000000/index.tsx b/apps/versions/20260130-000000/index.tsx
index db23e44..4c780ab 100644
--- a/apps/versions/20260130-000000/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/versions/20260130-000000/index.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { join } from 'path'
 import type { Child } from 'hono/jsx'
 
 const APPS_DIR = process.env.APPS_DIR!
+const TOES_URL = process.env.TOES_URL!
 
 const app = new Hype({ prettyHTML: false })
 
@@ -181,8 +182,7 @@ app.get('/', async c => {
         {versions.map(v => (
           <VersionItem>
             <VersionLink
-              href="#"
-              onclick={`window.parent.postMessage({type:'navigate-tool',tool:'code',params:{app:'${appName}',version:'${v.name}'}}, '*'); return false;`}
+              href={`${TOES_URL}/tool/code?app=${appName}&version=${v.name}`}
             >
               {formatTimestamp(v.name)}
             </VersionLink>
diff --git a/docs/TOOLS.md b/docs/TOOLS.md
index ca9b11f..9bc4970 100644
--- a/docs/TOOLS.md
+++ b/docs/TOOLS.md
@@ -45,19 +45,17 @@ const appPath = join(APPS_DIR, appName, 'current')
 
 Not `APPS_DIR/appName` directly.
 
-## talking to the parent
+## linking to tools
 
-**Navigate to another tool:**
+Use `/tool/:name` URLs to link directly to tools with params:
 
-```js
-window.parent.postMessage({
-  type: 'navigate-tool',
-  tool: 'code',
-  params: { app: 'my-app', version: '20260130-000000' }
-}, '*')
+```html
+<a href="/tool/code?app=my-app&version=20260130-000000">
+  View in Code
+</a>
 ```
 
-**Resize your iframe:**
+## resize iframe
 
 ```js
 window.parent.postMessage({
diff --git a/src/client/index.tsx b/src/client/index.tsx
index 9b10094..7a1782c 100644
--- a/src/client/index.tsx
+++ b/src/client/index.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { render as renderApp } from 'hono/jsx/dom'
 import { Dashboard } from './components'
-import { apps, selectedApp, selectedTab, setApps, setSelectedApp, setSelectedTab } from './state'
+import { apps, selectedApp, selectedTab, setApps, setSelectedApp } from './state'
 import { initModal } from './components/modal'
-import { initToolIframes, updateToolIframes, setNavigateToolHandler, navigateToTool } from './tool-iframes'
+import { initToolIframes, updateToolIframes } from './tool-iframes'
 import { initUpdate } from './update'
 
 const render = () => {
@@ -19,15 +19,6 @@ initModal(render)
 initUpdate(render)
 initToolIframes()
 
-// Handle tool-to-tool navigation via postMessage
-setNavigateToolHandler((tool, params) => {
-  const tools = apps.filter(a => a.tool)
-  navigateToTool(tool, params, tools, (tab) => {
-    setSelectedTab(tab)
-    render()
-  })
-})
-
 // Set theme based on system preference
 const setTheme = () => {
   const prefersDark = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches
diff --git a/src/client/tool-iframes.ts b/src/client/tool-iframes.ts
index 96fdea3..39a05ae 100644
--- a/src/client/tool-iframes.ts
+++ b/src/client/tool-iframes.ts
@@ -12,13 +12,6 @@ let currentTool: string | null = (window as any).__currentTool ?? null
 // Get the stable container (outside Hono-managed DOM)
 const getContainer = () => document.getElementById('tool-iframes')
 
-// Callback for tool navigation requests
-let onNavigateTool: ((tool: string, params: Record<string, string>) => void) | null = null
-
-export function setNavigateToolHandler(handler: (tool: string, params: Record<string, string>) => void) {
-  onNavigateTool = handler
-}
-
 // Listen for messages from iframes
 function setupMessageListener() {
   if ((window as any).__toolIframeMessageListener) return
@@ -40,13 +33,6 @@ function setupMessageListener() {
         }
       }
     }
-
-    if (type === 'navigate-tool') {
-      const { tool, params } = event.data
-      if (tool && onNavigateTool) {
-        onNavigateTool(tool, params || {})
-      }
-    }
   })
 }
 
@@ -99,45 +85,6 @@ function buildCacheKey(toolName: string, params: Record<string, string>): string
   return parts.join(':')
 }
 
-// Navigate to a tool with specific params (called from postMessage handler)
-export function navigateToTool(
-  toolName: string,
-  params: Record<string, string>,
-  tools: Array<{ name: string; port?: number; state: string }>,
-  onSelectTab: (tab: string) => void
-) {
-  const tool = tools.find(t => t.name === toolName)
-  if (!tool || tool.state !== 'running' || !tool.port) return
-
-  const container = getContainer()
-  if (!container) return
-
-  const cacheKey = buildCacheKey(toolName, params)
-
-  // Create iframe if needed
-  let cached = iframes.get(cacheKey)
-  if (!cached || cached.port !== tool.port) {
-    const iframe = document.createElement('iframe')
-    iframe.src = buildToolUrl(tool.port, params)
-    iframe.dataset.toolName = toolName
-    iframe.dataset.appName = params.app ?? ''
-    iframe.style.cssText = `width: 100%; border: none;`
-    cached = { iframe, port: tool.port }
-    iframes.set(cacheKey, cached)
-    container.appendChild(iframe)
-  }
-
-  // Switch to that tab
-  onSelectTab(toolName)
-
-  // Force show this specific iframe
-  currentTool = cacheKey
-  ;(window as any).__currentTool = cacheKey
-  for (const [key, { iframe }] of iframes) {
-    iframe.style.display = key === cacheKey ? 'block' : 'none'
-  }
-}
-
 // Update which iframe is visible based on selected tab and tool state
 export function updateToolIframes(
   selectedTab: string,
diff --git a/src/server/apps.ts b/src/server/apps.ts
index 97618a2..94c1c72 100644
--- a/src/server/apps.ts
+++ b/src/server/apps.ts
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ async function runApp(dir: string, port: number) {
 
   const proc = Bun.spawn(['bun', 'run', 'toes'], {
     cwd,
-    env: { ...process.env, PORT: String(port), NO_AUTOPORT: 'true', APPS_DIR },
+    env: { ...process.env, PORT: String(port), NO_AUTOPORT: 'true', APPS_DIR, TOES_URL: `http://localhost:${process.env.PORT || 3000}` },
     stdout: 'pipe',
     stderr: 'pipe',
   })
diff --git a/src/server/index.tsx b/src/server/index.tsx
index 3da04a4..8c5151a 100644
--- a/src/server/index.tsx
+++ b/src/server/index.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { initApps } from '$apps'
+import { allApps, initApps } from '$apps'
 import appsRouter from './api/apps'
 import syncRouter from './api/sync'
 import { Hype } from '@because/hype'
@@ -8,6 +8,18 @@ const app = new Hype({ layout: false })
 app.route('/api/apps', appsRouter)
 app.route('/api/sync', syncRouter)
 
+// Tool URLs: /tool/code?app=todo&file=README.md -> redirect to tool port
+app.get('/tool/:tool', c => {
+  const toolName = c.req.param('tool')
+  const tool = allApps().find(a => a.tool && a.name === toolName)
+  if (!tool || tool.state !== 'running' || !tool.port) {
+    return c.text(`Tool "${toolName}" not found or not running`, 404)
+  }
+  const params = new URLSearchParams(c.req.query()).toString()
+  const url = params ? `http://localhost:${tool.port}?${params}` : `http://localhost:${tool.port}`
+  return c.redirect(url)
+})
+
 console.log('🐾 Toes!')
 initApps()