Claude Code
ActiveAnthropic · founded 2025
An agentic coding CLI for terminal-first developers.
Claude Code is Anthropic’s terminal-based coding agent. It runs in the CLI, reads the whole repository, executes commands, and is favored by developers who prefer the terminal and want deep agentic control without a GUI editor. It is usage-based, so cost scales directly with how much you use it.
At a glance
- Category
- AI Coding Tools
- Primary use case
- Terminal-based agentic coding
- Entry price
- Varies
- Free plan
- No
- API
- No
- Open source
- No
- Evidence level
- Research / specifications only
- Last checked
- 20 Aug 2026
Pricing
Last checked 20 Aug 2026
| Free plan | None |
|---|---|
| Trial | Included credits with Pro/Max subscription |
| API pricing | Usage-based (per million tokens) |
| Usage limits | Costs scale with token usage |
Usage-based via Anthropic API, or bundled within Claude Pro/Max subscription limits.
What it does
Secondary use cases
- Code review
- Refactoring
- Test writing
Input types
Code, Text
Output types
Code
Models used
Claude Opus / Sonnet
Agent capabilities Automation
Platforms
✓ Web ✓ Windows ✓ macOS ✓ Linux — iOS — Android — Browser extension — API ✓ CLI — VS Code — Self-hosted
Integrations
GitHubGitLabMCPTerminal
Privacy & commercial rights
Data retention
Per Anthropic policy
Trains on your data
No (per stated policy)
Enterprise privacy
Zero-retention options
Self-hosting / local
Not available
SSO
Not disclosed
Compliance
Not disclosed
Commercial use
Permitted — Commercial use permitted
Pros & cons
Pros
- Powerful terminal agent
- Deep repo context
- Pay-per-use flexibility
Cons / trade-offs
- No GUI
- Usage costs can surprise
- Advanced users only
Alternatives to Claude Code
Considering a switch, or comparing before you buy? See the full alternatives guide.