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Comparison

Canopy vs terminal-only Claude Code

Terminal-only Claude Code is enough for one focused branch. Canopy adds a worktree sidebar and Inspector for multi-branch sessions.

Terminal-only Claude Code is direct and flexible

Running Claude Code in a terminal is the baseline workflow. It is lightweight, scriptable, and familiar. If you work on one branch at a time and already know where every session is running, a terminal-only setup may be enough.

Canopy adds a session sidebar

Canopy keeps the CLI workflow and adds a worktree sidebar, session status, cost and token tracking, browser capture, task links, and local diff review. It is useful when several branches or agent sessions are active.

When terminal-only is enough

Canopy fits developers and teams who run AI coding agents across multiple branches. A terminal-only workflow fits developers who prefer manual session management, shell scripts, or one focused branch at a time.

Related pages

Claude Code GUI See how Canopy wraps the Claude Code CLI in a desktop workspace.Terminal feature Use Canopy terminal tabs, splits, and persistent sessions.Multiple sessions Run several Claude Code sessions across git worktrees.FAQ Short answers about Canopy, Claude Code, and local-first behavior.