Claude Code
Use natural-language commands to work on code and Git workflows from your terminal, IDE, or GitHub.
- Source repo
- anthropics/claude-code
- Stars
- ★ 155k
- Last updated
- 2d ago
- Primary language
- TypeScript
- FA score
- Insufficient evidence
Read the Windows guide: native or WSL, common errors and permissions →
At a glance
- How it runs
- Works with
- Platform-specificClaude Code
- Cost
- Free software; you pay for model usage
- Setup effort
- Low · running in minutes
- You'll need
- Typical use
- A developer working in a local project directory who wants to handle routine coding work through natural-language commands.
- Not a fit if
- Developers who want non-Anthropic models or a multi-provider setup
- Compliance teams needing documented permission boundaries and failure recovery, which the README omits
- Source review
- Insufficient evidence 8 safety controls not found
What does this agent do, and when should you use it?
Claude Code is an agentic coding tool for developers that is described as understanding a codebase and helping with routine development work. It can be used in a terminal, in an IDE, or by tagging @claude on GitHub. The repository states that it executes routine tasks, explains complex code, and handles Git workflows, but does not enumerate its command set or permission model in the supplied material. The repository also includes plugins that extend Claude Code with custom commands and agents. It is tied to Anthropic's Claude Code ecosystem and is installed through an official installer, Homebrew, Windows PowerShell, or WinGet.
From a project directory, the user runs claude and gives natural-language commands for codebase-related work. The README explicitly describes Claude Code as understanding the codebase and being used to execute routine tasks, explain complex code, and handle Git workflows. It is available through the terminal and IDEs, and can be invoked on GitHub by tagging @claude. The repository's plugins directory contains Claude Code plugins that extend functionality with custom commands and agents; the supplied material does not specify the behavior or interface of individual plugins.
- A developer working in a local project directory who wants to handle routine coding work through natural-language commands.
- An engineer onboarding to an unfamiliar repository who needs help understanding complex code.
- A developer who wants assistance with Git workflows while working in the same natural-language coding interface.
- An individual developer who works across a terminal and IDE and wants to use Claude Code in both contexts.
- A GitHub collaborator who wants to involve Claude Code by tagging
@claudein GitHub.
How do you install or deploy this agent?
Recommended macOS/Linux installation:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bashHomebrew alternative:
brew install --cask claude-codeRecommended Windows installation:
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iexWinGet alternative:
winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCodeThen navigate to a project directory and run claude. The README marks npm installation as deprecated; its documented command is npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. The README badge lists Node.js 18+, but the supplied material does not document credentials, account setup, or authentication steps.
How do you use this agent?
Navigate to the target project directory and run claude. Use natural-language commands to ask it to perform routine tasks, explain complex code, or handle Git workflows. For GitHub, the README says it can be used by tagging @claude; it does not provide trigger syntax, authentication requirements, or GitHub configuration steps in the supplied material.
What are this agent's strengths and limitations?
- Explicitly supports three documented entry points: terminal, IDE, and GitHub mentions.
- Targets codebase understanding, complex-code explanation, and Git workflows rather than a generic chat-only workflow.
- Includes a plugin extension mechanism for custom commands and agents.
- Provides documented installation paths for macOS/Linux, Windows, Homebrew, and WinGet.
- Core operation is tied to Anthropic's Claude Code ecosystem, with no documented multi-provider or self-hosted path.
- The supplied README does not define permission boundaries, execution confirmations, or recovery behavior for failed Git operations.
- npm installation is deprecated, so npm-based deployment workflows may need migration.
- The supplied material does not specify authentication, account, pricing, or network-configuration requirements.
How does this agent compare with similar options?
Key facts side by side with the most closely related agents.
| Agent | Source review | Form / cost | Stars | Updated | Language | Full support on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code This agent | Insufficient evidence | CLIFree + model costs | ★ 155k | 2d ago | TypeScript | Claude Code |
| stagewise | 25 · Major gaps | Desktop appFreemium | ★ 6.8k | 2d ago | TypeScript | — |
| CLIO Command Line Intelligence Orchestrator | 69 · Some gaps | CLIFree + model costs | ★ 232 | 1d ago | Perl | OpenAI API · Claude API |
| Ivy Tendril | 56 · Major gaps | Desktop appFree + model costs | ★ 203 | 1mo ago | C# | Codex · Claude Code |
How does FollowAgents rate this agent?
Why each dimension lost points
Evidence only includes README, LICENSE, SECURITY, and two GitHub Actions workflows. No source code, documentation, or tests to assess least privilege, user confirmation, data flow, sensitive data handling, dependency security, external effects, rollback, or source attribution. Therefore all trust criteria score 0.
No source code or tests to assess self-consistency, dependency availability, or failure messages. Therefore all reliability criteria score 0.
No documentation or code to assess audience, scenarios, capability boundaries, trigger precision, or environment fit. Therefore all adaptability criteria score 0.
README provides installation instructions and links to documentation, but lacks detailed information architecture, examples, FAQ, known limitations, versioning changelog, and maintenance responsibility. License is proprietary but full terms not provided. Therefore information architecture, install notes, naming stability, examples and FAQ, known limitations, license, versioning changelog, and maintenance responsibility all score 0.
No evidence of output usability, marginal value, or cost-benefit. Therefore all effectiveness criteria score 0.
No evidence to support claim traceability, cross-source corroboration, or fact-inference separation. Therefore all verifiability criteria score 0.
- Not found in source: least-privilege scopingGrant only what the task needs: a dedicated account or read-only token, scoped to specific directories and repos.
- Not found in source: confirmation before actingTurn on (or add) a confirmation step before it acts, and try it in a sandbox or test environment before real data.
- Not found in source: data-flow disclosureWatch which external services it contacts (proxy or firewall logs) and keep sensitive data out until you know where it goes.
- Not found in source: sensitive-data handlingUse dedicated, low-privilege, revocable API keys — never production credentials — and keep secrets out of logs.
- Not found in source: dependency securityPin versions and run a dependency audit (npm audit, pip-audit) before installing; prefer running it in a container.
- Not found in source: disclosed external effectsEstablish which external systems it writes to, sends to or changes, and verify with test accounts or repos before production.
- Not found in source: rollback or recovery pathBack up first, or work on a git branch or snapshot, so its changes can be undone.
- Not found in source: verifiable attributionInstall from the official repo or registry and check the publisher and URL to avoid look-alike packages.
- Repository contains only metadata files, no source code or tests, preventing meaningful static assessment.
- Installation scripts in README (curl | bash and irm | iex) pose supply chain risks, but script contents are not provided.
- License is proprietary with full terms not included; users must consult external links.
Recent releases
Latest entries from the project's GitHub Releases. Notes are quoted from upstream as written, not rewritten or tested by FollowAgents.
-
Release notes excerpt
What's changed - Added a record of your answer when Claude Code asks to turn on the mods it writes in a session - Added assume_role on mantle upstreams of the Claude apps gateway, for a role in another AWS account and for per-developer AWS cost attribution - Added an effort option to a mod's $.model.fork, so a quick side job can run at low whatever effort the session uses; the result reports the effort sent - Added the date a stored claude.ai sign-in ends to claude auth status (loginExpiresAt) and to claude -p JSON results (credential_expires_at) …View on GitHub ↗ -
Release notes excerpt
What's changed - Added a warning to /schedule when a new cloud scheduled task gets connectors you did not ask for, with how to remove them - Added a check that asks before a web or shell tool call sends your account email address to the network - Added onFailure: "block" for Agent SDK hook callbacks, so a callback that fails blocks the action instead of letting it run - Added a notice in Claude Desktop's Code tab when your organization's remote managed settings haven't loaded for the session, and another once they do …View on GitHub ↗ -
Release notes excerpt
What's changed - Added CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ULTRATHINK, which turns the ultrathink keyword off - Added pooled group budgets to the Claude apps gateway: one monthly budget that a group's members share, on top of each member's own limit, set with pooled_budget on the spend limits admin API - Added CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_LOOPED_CROSS_CERT_DROP to keep system cross-certificates that certify each other in a loop, for servers whose private CA needs one …View on GitHub ↗
FAQ
What runtime is documented?
How do I start it for the first time?
claude.Where can it be used?
@claude mention.What data does it collect?
/bug. It also describes limited retention for sensitive information, restricted session-data access, and a policy against using feedback for model training.How are bugs reported?
/bug command within Claude Code or file a GitHub issue.