Skipper and Claude Code on desktop
The Claude desktop app runs Claude Code in a chat view, with a built-in diff viewer and cloud sessions. Skipper runs Claude Code alongside other agents in terminals and lets you choose an account for each session.
At a glance
Facts about the Claude desktop app are as of September 2026, from Anthropic's desktop documentation, its quickstart, and Claude pricing.
| What matters | Skipper | Claude desktop app, Code tab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free in private beta, with your own Claude plan or API key | Included with Claude Pro ($20 a month, or $17 billed yearly), Max (from $100 a month), Team, and Enterprise |
| Works on | macOS 26.5 or later | macOS, Windows, and Linux in beta |
| Agents | Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode, plus Pi and Antigravity when installed | Claude Code only |
| How you talk to the agent | The Claude Code CLI in a Ghostty terminal | A graphical chat, with a terminal pane beside it |
| Separate copy of your code | A separate git worktree and branch for each session | A worktree when you choose one for a session |
| Accounts | Several Claude accounts, with plan usage, chosen per session | The Anthropic account the app is signed in to |
| Where sessions run | Your Mac | Your Mac, Anthropic's cloud, SSH, or WSL |
Code review and setup details
| What matters | Skipper | Claude desktop app, Code tab |
|---|---|---|
| Diff review | Your own diff tool, opened with ⇧⌘O | A built-in diff view with line comments, and an AI code review |
| Pull requests | Status, checks, merge, merge queue, auto-merge, and stacks | Create a pull request, then watch CI with auto-fix and auto-merge |
When to choose Skipper
You use Codex or OpenCode as well as Claude Code, and want every agent in one window. You have more than one Claude plan, such as a work seat and a personal Max plan, and want to pick the account for each session and see each plan's usage first. You prefer the Claude Code terminal interface, with its slash commands and approval prompts exactly as they are in your own terminal.
What the Claude desktop app offers
The Claude desktop app includes cloud sessions that keep running after the app closes, remote control and task dispatch from a phone, and computer use. It has a built-in diff view with line comments and CI auto-fix after a pull request opens. It supports Windows and Linux. Claude Pro and Max include it at no extra cost.
Using both
Adding a Claude account in Skipper gives it a credential home of its own, so it does not change the login Claude Code uses in your terminal. Skipper's worktrees are ordinary git worktrees, so you can open one in any other tool.