Claude Code
Claude as a command-line agent that reads, edits and runs code in a real working tree.
What it does
Claude Code runs in the terminal and operates on the repository in front of it: reading files, editing them, running tests and build commands, and driving git and gh. It is the same model as the desktop app with a different surface — a shell session instead of a chat window.
Project behaviour is configured by a CLAUDE.md at the repository root, so a project’s own conventions — branching rules, build commands, traps to avoid — apply automatically instead of being re-explained every session.
Notes
- The Homebrew cask installs a self-updating binary;
claude updatealso works. - Skills and plugins live under
~/.claude/, so they follow the user rather than the repository.
Alternative to
| Alternative | Type | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Codex CLI and Gemini CLI | Free | The same terminal-agent shape from OpenAI and Google |
| Aider | Open source | Model-agnostic, Git-commit-centric |
| Cursor or Windsurf | Freemium | The editor-shaped version of the same idea |
| GitHub Copilot CLI | Freemium | Narrower, focused on shell commands and Git |
Install
brew install --cask claude-code