Platforms and integrations
Compare the places you can run Claude Code (CLI, desktop, IDEs, web, mobile), the tools you can connect it to, and the options for working away from your desk.
Every Claude Code surface runs the same engine, but each one suits a different way of working. I live in the terminal for most build work, switch to the desktop app when I want to review a big diff visually, and use the mobile app to keep an eye on long cloud tasks. This page helps you choose and shows how the pieces connect.
Where to run it
| Platform | Good for | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| CLI | Terminal workflows, scripting, remote servers | The complete feature set, non-interactive mode and the Agent SDK, computer use on macOS (Pro and Max), third-party providers |
| Desktop | Visual review, parallel sessions, managed setups | Diff viewer, live app preview, computer use and Dispatch on Pro and Max |
| VS Code | Staying in your editor | Inline diffs, integrated terminal, file and selection context |
| JetBrains | IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and the rest | Diff viewer, selection sharing, the CLI running in the IDE terminal |
| Web | Long tasks that need little steering, or work that should continue while you are offline | Runs in Anthropic's cloud by default and keeps going after you disconnect |
| Mobile | Starting and checking on work away from your computer | Cloud sessions in the Claude app for iOS and Android, Remote Control of local sessions, Dispatch to Desktop on Pro and Max |
A few practical notes on the differences:
- The CLI is the most complete. Scripting and the Agent SDK only exist there.
- Third-party providers (Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud, Microsoft Foundry) work in the CLI, in VS Code and in JetBrains, which simply runs the CLI in the IDE terminal. Enterprise Desktop deployments support Google Cloud's Agent Platform, and Desktop also works with gateway providers. For Bedrock or Foundry on the desktop, use Claude Desktop on 3P, which runs the Code tab against those providers. Feature availability has the full matrix.
- Desktop and the IDE extensions give up some CLI-only features in exchange for visual review and editor integration.
- The web runs in the cloud, so closing your laptop does not stop the task. For a large body of work, a project lets Claude coordinate many cloud sessions and report back.
- Mobile is a thin client onto those cloud sessions, or onto a local session through Remote Control, and can hand tasks to Desktop with Dispatch.
You can mix surfaces on one project. Settings, project memory and MCP servers are shared across the local surfaces, so a CLAUDE.md you tuned in the terminal applies in VS Code too.
Connecting your tools
| Integration | What it does | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Drives your own browser with your logged-in sessions | Testing a web app, filling forms, automating sites with no API |
| Computer use | Opens apps and controls your screen on macOS | Native apps, simulators, GUI-only tools |
| GitHub Actions | Runs Claude in CI | Automated reviews, issue triage, scheduled maintenance |
| GitLab CI/CD | The same for GitLab | CI-driven automation on GitLab |
| Code review | Reviews every pull request automatically | Catching bugs before a human looks |
| Slack | Responds to @Claude in channels under your own account | Turning bug reports into pull requests, on Pro and Max |
| Claude Tag | Runs @Claude as your organisation's shared identity, with admin-managed access | Team-wide access on Team and Enterprise, instead of per-user Slack sessions |
For anything else, MCP servers and connectors (see desktop) can link almost any system: an issue tracker, a document store, a data warehouse or your own internal APIs.
Working away from your terminal
Several features keep work moving when you are not at the keyboard. They differ in what starts the work and where it runs.
| Feature | Triggered by | Runs on | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dispatch | Messaging a task from the Claude mobile app | Your machine, via Desktop | Pair the mobile app with Desktop | Delegating with almost no setup |
| Remote Control | Steering a running session from claude.ai/code or the mobile app | Your machine (CLI, Desktop or VS Code) | Run claude remote-control or /remote-control | Keeping in-progress work on track from another device |
| Channels | Events pushed from a chat app such as Telegram or Discord, or your own server | Your machine (CLI) | Install a channel plugin or build one (reference) | Reacting to CI failures or chat messages |
| Slack | Mentioning @Claude in a channel | Anthropic's cloud | Install the Slack app with Claude Code on the web enabled (Pro and Max) | Pull requests and reviews from team chat |
| Self-hosted environments | Starting a cloud session and choosing your organisation's environment | Your organisation's infrastructure | Deploy runners (Team and Enterprise) | Cloud sessions that must stay inside your network |
| Scheduled tasks | A schedule | The CLI, Desktop or the cloud via routines | Pick a frequency | Recurring jobs such as a daily review |
Where to start
If you are unsure, install the CLI and run it in a project folder. If you would rather avoid the terminal entirely, the desktop quickstart gives you the same engine with a graphical interface.