splash

SplashCompareClaude Code Desktop

Splash and Claude Code Desktop, compared.

Splash and Claude Code Desktop run several coding agent sessions at once, each in its project folder or a git worktree. Claude Code Desktop is the Code tab of Anthropic’s Claude app, a graphical interface for Claude Code with cloud and SSH sessions. Splash is a free, open-source app that drives agents from several vendors over the Agent Client Protocol.

Checked 9 October 202640 sourcesNot affiliated with Anthropic

Splash

Helge Sverre

A desktop app for running several coding agents at once, each session in its project folder or its own git worktree. It drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol.12

splash.computer

Claude Code Desktop

Anthropic

Anthropic’s graphical interface for Claude Code, in the Code tab of the Claude desktop app. It runs parallel sessions with optional git worktrees on your computer, over SSH, in WSL or in Anthropic’s cloud.34

code.claude.com

Side by side

SplashClaude Code Desktop
The basics
What it is Desktop app, plus a headless server you open in a browser15 The Code tab of the Claude desktop app, which also holds Chat and Cowork; Claude Code comes included34
Release status v0.2.1, early development16 Desktop 2.31226.0 in the apt repository; Linux support is beta. The bundled Claude Code has its own version number; the newest Claude Code release is 2.1.295 (8 October 2026)7839
License Open source (MIT)10 Proprietary and closed source; Claude Code’s repository reserves all rights, and the terms forbid reverse engineering1112
Price Free13 Free app; signed in to claude.ai, the Code tab needs Pro ($20 a month, or $17 a month billed yearly), Max (from $100 a month), Team or Enterprise. A 3P setup bills through its provider instead1441516
Platforms macOS 14+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 11 x64, Ubuntu 24.04 x6417 macOS 11+ (universal build), Windows 10+ on x64 and ARM64, Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+ on x64 and arm64 (beta)3818
Agents
Agents Ships launch commands for 20 agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Goose, OpenCode1920 Claude Code; the docs describe no way to add other agents321
How it runs agents Agent Client Protocol over stdio, natively or through a pinned adapter for the vendor’s CLI192 Starts its own signed Claude Code binary, which the app downloads and updates; 3P settings go in through its environment and launch options. The docs don’t name the protocol22233
Agent sign-in Who pays for the model You install and sign in to each agent’s CLI yourself; Splash runs it with that login20 OAuth or SSO to a claude.ai plan; a third-party (3P) setup uses Bedrock, Google Cloud, Foundry, a gateway or an Anthropic API key8241625
Account required Splash has no accounts; splash-server asks for a token it keeps in its data folder265 A claude.ai account on a paid plan by default; a 3P setup can skip Anthropic sign-in341622
Permission requests When an agent asks before it acts Yes: Shown in the transcript and answered with the 1–9 keys; pending ones wait in Needs attention27 Yes: Manual, Accept edits, Plan, Auto (a classifier checks actions) and Bypass permissions modes; Bypass must be turned on first3
Working in parallel
Isolation per session Yes: The project folder, or a git worktree on its own branch per session27 Yes: Optional git worktree per session, kept in .claude/worktrees/ by default; archiving the session removes it3
Setup scripts and dev servers No: A worktree is a plain git checkout; Splash runs no setup scripts or dev servers2728 Yes: Dev servers set up in .claude/launch.json and previewed in a Browser pane; .worktreeinclude copies gitignored files like .env into worktrees; setup scripts run in cloud sessions329
Terminal Yes: A terminal in the session folder27 Yes: Built-in terminal with tabs in the session folder, for local and SSH sessions; not yet in WSL330
What needs you Yes: One queue for permission requests, connection failures and finished turns, kept across restarts2731 Partly: The sidebar groups sessions by project and filters them by status, project or environment; the docs don’t list the statuses3
Notifications Yes: Notifies when a background session needs permission or finishes a turn; can be turned off3233 Yes: OS notification when a session you aren’t viewing finishes; Dispatch sessions push to your phone when done or awaiting approval3
Review and shipping
Review changes Yes: Latest response, failed tools and every changed file as a diff, with a box to send feedback27 Yes: Comment on diff lines and send them as one batch; /code-review findings can be fixed singly or all together3
Files and diffs Partly: File tree, git changes and diff tabs; files open read-only, with no editor2734 Yes: Diff viewer for changed files and an integrated file editor; Manual mode lets you approve or reject every edit3
GitHub Yes: Issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories, through the gh CLI2735 Yes: Watches an open PR’s CI through gh; can fix failing checks, answer review comments and squash-merge once checks pass3
Issue trackers Partly: GitHub (github.com), through the gh CLI; no Linear or Jira2735 Partly: No tracker view; in local and SSH sessions, connectors such as Linear, GitHub and Notion let Claude create issues3
MCP servers Partly: Read-only list of MCP servers from Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Pool and Glue config files2736 Yes: MCP servers from config files or the Connectors screen, plus plugins, skills and hooks shared with the CLI3
Where it runs
Cloud execution No: Agents run as child processes on your computer, or on your own server with splash-server15 Yes: Cloud sessions on Anthropic’s infrastructure keep going after the app closes; they use plan limits, with no compute fee3
Remote access Yes: splash-server runs on the machine with your code; you use it in a browser over an SSH tunnel. Single user.5 Yes: SSH sessions on Linux or macOS hosts; Remote Control shows local sessions on web and mobile, admin-enabled on Team and Enterprise337
Mobile app No: No mobile app; builds cover macOS, Windows, Ubuntu and a headless server17 Yes: Claude for iOS and Android follows cloud and Remote Control sessions; Pro and Max can Dispatch work from a phone213
Auto-update No: Download new versions from GitHub Releases; the app does not update itself1738 Yes: Updates itself on launch on macOS and Windows and keeps its bundled Claude Code current; on Linux, the app updates through apt3238
History and search
Existing agent history Conversations started outside the app Yes: Browse, preview and import conversations agents list over ACP, including ones started outside Splash2731 Yes: Resumes Claude Code CLI sessions from the same computer in a local session, searchable by title, folder or branch3
Search transcripts Yes: Search titles, folders and saved transcript text, archived sessions included27 Not documented: Not documented; the docs describe sidebar filters, and /resume finding CLI sessions by title, folder or branch3
Fork a conversation Partly: Experimental: fork the current conversation when the agent supports it, not from an earlier message2731 Yes: Sessions can be forked, except in WSL; side chats ask about the session without adding to it303

Where they differ

How agents connect

Claude Code Desktop runs one agent, Claude Code. The app downloads a signed Claude Code binary, keeps it updated and starts it as a process; its docs don’t describe the protocol between them or mention ACP. Splash launches each agent in its registry as a subprocess and speaks the Agent Client Protocol with it over stdio.3222339192

Accounts and billing

With a claude.ai sign-in, the Code tab needs a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, and usage draws on the same pool as Claude chat. A 3P setup can skip that sign-in, sending inference and billing to Bedrock, Google Cloud, Foundry, a gateway or a Console organization. Splash is free and has no accounts; agents use their own CLI logins.4151625132620

Where sessions run

Claude Code Desktop runs sessions on your computer, inside WSL on Windows, on SSH hosts where it installs Claude Code, or in Anthropic’s cloud; the Claude mobile apps can follow cloud and local sessions. Splash runs agents as child processes on your computer, or on a machine of yours as splash-server, used in a browser through an SSH tunnel.3302115

License and platforms

Claude Code Desktop is proprietary and ships for macOS 11+, Windows 10+ on x64 and ARM64, and, in beta, Ubuntu and Debian. Splash is open source under MIT and ships for macOS 14+, Windows 11 x64 and Ubuntu 24.04 x64, plus a headless server.1218381017

Around the session

Claude Code Desktop adds tools around each session: dev servers with a Browser pane where Claude checks its edits, CI monitoring with auto-fix and auto-merge, scheduled tasks, computer use (a research preview on Pro and Max), and Team and Enterprise admin policies. Splash adds tools for the conversations: a Needs attention queue, a review screen, transcript search, and importing sessions started elsewhere.3402731

Which one fits

Splash may suit you if

  • You want to run agents from several vendors side by side through one protocol.
  • You want a free, MIT-licensed app that needs no account.
  • You want permission requests, failures and finished turns gathered in one queue.
  • You want to search past transcripts and import conversations your agents started elsewhere.

Claude Code Desktop may suit you if

  • You work with Claude Code and want the app to bundle it and keep it updated.
  • You want cloud sessions that keep going after you close the app, and to follow them from your phone.
  • You want dev server previews, line comments on diffs, and Claude watching PR checks, fixing failures and merging.
  • You use Windows on ARM64 or WSL, or want sessions on SSH hosts that the app sets up for you.

Sources

Facts about Claude Code Desktop come from its public website, documentation and repositories as they read on 9 October 2026; we haven't confirmed each one by running Claude Code Desktop. Facts about Splash link to its source. Products change, so check the linked pages before deciding. Something wrong or out of date? Open an issue.

  1. 1 Splash README Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  2. 2 Agent Client Protocol agentclientprotocol.com · agentclientprotocol.com · checked 2026-10-09
  3. 3 Desktop application Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  4. 4 Get started with the desktop app Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  5. 5 Splash README: Run as a web app over SSH Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  6. 6 Splash releases Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  7. 7 claude-desktop apt Packages index (amd64) Anthropic · downloads.claude.ai · checked 2026-10-09
  8. 8 Claude Desktop on Linux (beta) Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  9. 9 Claude Code changelog Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  10. 10 LICENSE Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  11. 11 LICENSE.md anthropics/claude-code on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  12. 12 Consumer Terms of Service Anthropic · anthropic.com · checked 2026-10-09
  13. 13 Download Splash splash.computer · splash.computer · checked 2026-10-09
  14. 14 Download Claude Anthropic · claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  15. 15 Plans & pricing Anthropic · claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  16. 16 Claude Desktop on 3P: Overview Anthropic · claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  17. 17 Splash README: Download the app Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  18. 18 Install Claude Desktop Anthropic · support.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  19. 19 src/agents/registry.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  20. 20 Splash README: Agents Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  21. 21 Platforms and integrations Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  22. 22 Installation and setup (Claude Desktop on 3P) Anthropic · claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  23. 23 Code in Claude Desktop on 3P Anthropic · claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  24. 24 Authentication Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  25. 25 Deploy Claude Desktop on 3P with the Claude API Anthropic · claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  26. 26 Splash README: Build from source Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  27. 27 Splash README: Features Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  28. 28 src/worktree.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  29. 29 Configure cloud environments Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  30. 30 Claude Code Desktop in WSL Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  31. 31 Splash README: Existing sessions and review Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  32. 32 app/src/components/settings/General.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  33. 33 app/src/lib/system.ts Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  34. 34 app/src/components/FileTab.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  35. 35 Splash README: GitHub view Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  36. 36 src/agents/customize.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  37. 37 Feature availability Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  38. 38 app/src/components/settings/About.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  39. 39 Claude Code Docs index (llms.txt) Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09
  40. 40 Schedule recurring tasks in Claude Code Desktop Anthropic · code.claude.com · checked 2026-10-09