Where to use Claude Code

Claude Code runs on four primary surfaces. The same underlying engine powers all of them — your CLAUDE.md files, settings and MCP servers work everywhere. You pick the surface that fits your current workflow, and can switch mid-session.

Terminal — the primary surface

This is where Claude Code was born and remains the most powerful. You get:

+Full CLI access — any flag, any command, full pipe support+Direct integration with your shell environment and PATH+Headless mode with -p for scripts and CI/CD+Remote access via claude remote-control (phone, tablet, another machine)

If you're comfortable in a terminal, this is where you'll spend most of your time.

VS Code and Cursor — inline diffs in your editor

The extension brings Claude Code directly into your editor:

+Chat panel opens side-by-side with your code+@filename or @foldername to reference specific files in your prompt+Inline diff preview — see changes before accepting them+Accept or reject individual chunks, not the whole file+Conversation history persists in the sidebar across sessions

Best for: code reviews, targeted edits, and understanding unfamiliar code while staying in your editor.

Desktop App — parallel sessions and visual review

The Desktop App runs on your machine and adds:

+Multiple parallel Claude sessions, each isolated in its own git worktree+Visual diff review with a clean side-by-side interface+No terminal required — good for non-CLI workflows+Transfer sessions to/from Terminal with /desktop and /teleport

Best for: large refactors where you want to review all changes visually before committing, or when running multiple agents simultaneously.

Web — no install, long background tasks

https://claude.ai/code runs entirely in your browser:

+No local installation needed+Tasks keep running even if you close the tab+Ideal on a new machine, travel, or when you're without your dev environment+You can start a task on web and /teleport it to your local terminal later

Best for: long-running tasks you can kick off and walk away from, or when you're on a machine without Claude Code installed.

1# Terminal — full power, run anything
2claude "find all TODO comments and create GitHub issues for each"
3tail -f app.log | claude -p "alert me if any 500 errors appear"
4
5# VS Code — open the Claude panel
6# Cmd+Shift+P → "Claude Code: Open"
7# Then: @src/auth/login.ts what does this file do?
8
9# Switching between surfaces mid-task:
10/teleport    # move web session → your local terminal
11/desktop     # move terminal session → Desktop App for visual review

Shared context across all surfaces:

Your configuration follows you everywhere:

+CLAUDE.md — project instructions and context+~/.claude/settings.json — personal preferences and tool permissions+MCP server connections — external tool integrations+Skills — custom slash commands you've defined

You configure once; every surface picks it up automatically.

When to use which surface:

If you're new to Claude Code, start in the Terminal. It's the most capable surface and everything else builds on the same concepts. Once you're comfortable, add VS Code for the inline diff workflow.

Pick the surface you'll use most and set it up now: • VS Code users → Cmd+Shift+X → search "Claude Code" → Install → open a project → Cmd+Shift+P → "Claude Code: Open" • Terminal users → open a project directory → run claude "what are the main files in this project?" Do one of these before moving to the next module.

Which surface gives you the most control and power with Claude Code?