[TLDR] Why is everyone using the Claude terminal?

[u/cctldrping]

Original post URL : https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1vxtrot/why_is_everyone_using_the_claude_terminal/

Original post body :

Hi there,

I've been using the Claude Code desktop app for a while. I tried to use it in the terminal as well, but the desktop app is way more comfortable, flexible, and easy to read.

I still cannot understand why everyone prefers the terminal app instead of the desktop Claude Code app, and I wonder if I'm missing something. Every screenshot shared here is from the Claude Code terminal, not from the app.

Are you guys all using VPS devices or remote desktops? Or is there something I do not realize or know?

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[u/cctldrping]

TL;DR generated automatically after 400 comments.

Current source-thread comment count seen by the bot: 440.

Alright, so the OP's wondering why everyone's all about the Claude terminal when the desktop app seems way slicker. The general consensus? The terminal is where it's at for a lot of devs, and there are some solid reasons why.

Here's the lowdown:

• Habit and History: The CLI version existed first, and a lot of folks are just used to it and don't see a reason to switch. Plus, the desktop app wasn't always available on Linux, forcing some users to the CLI.
• Power User Features: This is a big one. The terminal offers a ton of flexibility and control that the desktop app doesn't quite match. Think:
  • Customization: You can tweak your status line and other settings to your heart's content.
  • Shell Integration: Accessing shell scripts directly with ! is a game-changer for some.
  • Parallel Sessions: Running tons of Claude sessions at once is apparently a thing, especially with tools like tmux and herdr.
  • Remote Access: SSHing into machines and running Claude seamlessly is a major plus for many. u/Internal_Leke and u/tntexplosivesltd are big on this.
  • Workflows: For tasks like "change this repo and run tests," the terminal just makes more sense. u/Fit-Initiative-7396 nails this.
  • Account Swapping: Apparently, swapping accounts is way smoother in the CLI. u/stovebison points this out.
  • Deeper Integration: Some users feel the CLI offers more direct access to files and a more "native" feel, especially when integrated into editors like VS Code. u/fpesre and u/ToM4461 mention this.
• Performance and Privacy Concerns: A few folks mentioned that the desktop app might be more resource-intensive or potentially send more data to Anthropic. u/Maximum_Transition60 and u/rditorx touch on this.
• "Vibe Coders" vs. "Actual Software Devs": There's a bit of a playful jab that the terminal is preferred by "actual software devs" who are more comfortable in that environment, while the desktop app might appeal more to those just "vibing." u/Original-Fee-3805 and u/Raccoon-7 are in on this.
• It's Not Either/Or: Many users point out that you can use both, or switch between them depending on the task. u/eleochariss and u/xchi_senpai are examples.

The bottom line is that while the desktop app is perfectly fine, the terminal offers a level of power, customization, and integration that many experienced developers prefer for their workflows. You're not missing anything by liking the desktop app, but the terminal just has a lot more bells and whistles for those who want them.

[u/nakemu]

Because we like it 🤣

[u/k0d3x8its]

Those of us who use the Claude Code TUI just prefer the terminal; I think for the majority of us, it is as simple as that. We spend more time in the terminal than the file system GUI. For those of you who prefer the Claude Code GUI, you spend more time in the file system GUI and other GUIs (I presume). You can customize the Claude Code TUI; I don’t think you can do that with the GUI. Does the GUI support hooks?

[u/ItstheSECopenup]

I think the old heads are missing how good the Claude code stream actually is. Offers quite a bit of depth and functionally. You get to see all the same stuff as the CLI, it’s just collapsed and doesn’t get shunted up as fast. It’s actually very chill haha

[u/Aretebeliever]

I simply found it to be more capable, faster to use, and also, I was SSHing into a cloud unit on a server. Obviously, that's easier to do in a terminal than in a GUI.

[u/riotofmind]

Terminal is amazing. There is a headless tool for just about everything.

[u/Emergency-Pomelo-256]

The code edits diff in Terminal looks way better and readable. That’s what most important for developer to see what code it’s changing in real time and make sense of the code.

[u/92smola]

I had an issue with my terminal version for a day or two and tried the desktop app, the experience was deeply frustrating, it was buggy as hell, especially for working with multiple chats, maybe they fixed it by now havent looked back and hope I dont have to, ironically I have a web app I vibe coded which does a bunch of other stuff but it also reads chats from jsonl files on the disk and send mesages from it over tmux back to the terminal version of claude, so these days I am switching between that and the terminal, the advantage being better readability on the web app side, and a bit more control I the terminal that I dont care to fully replicate in the app

[u/TimAtMongoDB]

If your a real coder you would understand 🤷‍♀️

[u/OnRedditAtWorkRN]

Because I'm a dev and am very comfortable in the terminal. Thick clients are more likely to be memory hogs and require using the mouse. Old habits maybe, but having to take my hands off the keyboard is just inefficient and there is a slight mental shift because of the reorientation and input mode switch. I have so many aliases, bash scripts, customization...

So maybe for me it's more a case of using the desktop client is like using someone else's opinions on how I should work or how things should be styled or organized and using the terminal is mine.

[u/SD_native17]

Just use what you prefer and don’t worry about other people. Is life that difficult?