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Claude Code runs one engine across terminal, IDE, desktop app and web
Anthropic's docs list five surfaces for Claude Code and recommend the native installer on macOS, Linux and WSL, with separate commands for Windows PowerShell, Homebrew and WinGet. Settings, CLAUDE.md files and MCP servers carry across every surface.
Why it matters
If you use the desktop app you already have Claude Code: the docs say it is included, so no separate CLI install is needed.
Sources: Claude Code docs, overview · Last checked 2026-09-30
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