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Get started with Claude Code on the web

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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Get started with Claude Code on the web

Run Claude Code in the cloud from your browser or phone. Connect a GitHub repository, submit a task, and review the PR without local setup.

Claude Code on the web is in research preview for Pro, Max, and Team users, and for Enterprise users with premium seats or Chat + Claude Code seats.

Claude Code on the web runs on Anthropic-managed cloud infrastructure instead of your machine. Submit tasks from claude.ai/code in your browser or the Claude mobile app.

You'll need a GitHub repository to get started. Claude clones it into an isolated virtual machine, makes changes, and pushes a branch for you to review. Sessions persist across devices, so a task you start on your laptop is ready to review from your phone later.

Claude Code on the web works well for:

For work that needs your local config, tools, or environment, running Claude Code locally or using Remote Control is a better fit.

How sessions run

When you submit a task:

  1. Clone and prepare: your repository is cloned to an Anthropic-managed VM, and your setup script runs if configured.
  2. Configure network: internet access is set based on your environment's access level.
  3. Work: Claude analyzes code, makes changes, runs tests, and checks its work. You can watch and steer throughout, or step away and come back when it's done.
  4. Push the branch: when Claude reaches a stopping point, it pushes its branch to GitHub. You review the diff, leave inline comments, create a PR, or send another message to keep going.

The session doesn't close when the branch is pushed. PR creation and further edits all happen within the same conversation.

Compare ways to run Claude Code

Claude Code behaves the same everywhere. What changes is where code executes and whether your local config is available. The Desktop app offers both local and cloud sessions, so its answers below depend on which you choose:

On the web Remote Control Terminal CLI Desktop app
Code runs on Anthropic cloud VM Your machine Your machine Your machine or cloud VM
You chat from claude.ai or mobile app claude.ai or mobile app Your terminal The Desktop UI
Uses your local config No, repo only Yes Yes Yes for local, no for cloud
Requires GitHub Yes, or bundle a local repo via --remote No No Only for cloud sessions
Keeps running if you disconnect Yes While terminal stays open No Depends on session type
Permission modes Auto accept edits, Plan Ask, Auto accept edits, Plan All modes Depends on session type
Network access Configurable per environment Your machine's network Your machine's network Depends on session type

See the terminal quickstart, Desktop app, or Remote Control docs to set those up.

Connect GitHub and create an environment

Setup is a one-time process. If you already use the GitHub CLI, you can do this from your terminal instead of the browser.

Go to claude.ai/code and sign in with your Anthropic account.

After signing in, claude.ai/code prompts you to connect GitHub. Follow the prompt to install the Claude GitHub App and grant it access to your repositories. Cloud sessions work with existing GitHub repositories, so to start a new project, create an empty repository on GitHub first.

After connecting GitHub, you'll be prompted to create a cloud environment. The environment controls what network access Claude has during sessions and what runs when a new session is created. See Installed tools for what's available without any configuration.

The form has these fields:

* **Name**: a display label. Useful when you have multiple environments for different projects or access levels.
* **Network access**: controls what the session can reach on the internet. The default, `Trusted`, allows connections to [common package registries](https://code.claude.com/en/claude-code-on-the-web#default-allowed-domains) like npm, PyPI, and RubyGems while blocking general internet access.
* **Environment variables**: optional variables available in every session, in `.env` format. Don't wrap values in quotes, since quotes are stored as part of the value. These are visible to anyone who can edit this environment.
* **Setup script**: an optional Bash script that runs before Claude Code launches. Use it to install system tools the cloud VM doesn't include, like `apt install -y gh`. The result is [cached](https://code.claude.com/en/claude-code-on-the-web#environment-caching), so the script doesn't re-run on every session. See [Setup scripts](https://code.claude.com/en/claude-code-on-the-web#setup-scripts) for examples and debugging tips.

For a first project, leave the defaults and click **Create environment**. You can [edit it later or create additional environments](https://code.claude.com/en/claude-code-on-the-web#configure-your-environment) for different projects.

Connect from your terminal

If you already use the GitHub CLI (gh), you can set up Claude Code on the web without opening a browser. This requires the Claude Code CLI. /web-setup reads your local gh token, links it to your Claude account, and creates a default cloud environment if you don't have one.

Organizations with Zero Data Retention enabled cannot use /web-setup or other cloud session features. If the GitHub CLI isn't installed or authenticated, /web-setup opens the browser onboarding flow instead.

In your shell, authenticate the GitHub CLI if you haven't already:

```bash theme={null}
gh auth login
```

In the Claude Code CLI, run /login to sign in with your claude.ai account. Skip this step if you're already signed in.

In the Claude Code CLI, run:

```text theme={null}
/web-setup
```

This syncs your `gh` token to your Claude account. If you don't have a cloud environment yet, `/web-setup` creates one with Trusted network access and no setup script. You can [edit the environment or add variables](https://code.claude.com/en/claude-code-on-the-web#configure-your-environment) afterward. Once `/web-setup` completes, you can start cloud sessions from your terminal with [`--remote`](https://code.claude.com/en/claude-code-on-the-web#from-terminal-to-web) or set up recurring tasks with [`/schedule`](https://code.claude.com/en/routines).

Start a task

With GitHub connected and an environment created, you're ready to submit tasks.

From claude.ai/code or the Code tab in the Claude mobile app, click the repository selector below the input box and choose a repository for Claude to work in. Each repository shows a branch selector. Change it to start Claude from a feature branch instead of the default. You can add multiple repositories to work across them in one session.

The mode dropdown next to the input defaults to Auto accept edits, where Claude makes changes and pushes a branch without stopping for approval. Switch to Plan mode if you want Claude to propose an approach and wait for your go-ahead before editing files. Cloud sessions don't offer Ask permissions, Auto mode, or Bypass permissions. See Permission modes for the full list.

Type a description of what you want and press Enter. Be specific:

* Name the file or function: "Add a README with setup instructions" or "Fix the failing auth test in `tests/test_auth.py`" is better than "fix tests"
* Paste error output if you have it
* Describe the expected behavior, not just the symptom

Claude clones the repositories, runs your setup script if configured, and starts working. Each task gets its own session and its own branch, so you don't need to wait for one to finish before starting another.

Pre-fill sessions

You can prefill the prompt, repositories, and environment for a new session by adding query parameters to the claude.ai/code URL. Use this to build integrations such as a button in your issue tracker that opens Claude Code with the issue description as the prompt.

Parameter Description
prompt Prompt text to prefill in the input box. The alias q is also accepted.
prompt_url URL to fetch the prompt text from, for prompts too long to embed in a query string. The URL must allow cross-origin requests. Ignored when prompt is also set.
repositories Comma-separated list of owner/repo slugs to preselect. The alias repo is also accepted.
environment Name or ID of the environment to preselect.

URL-encode each value. The example below opens the form with a prompt and a repository already selected:

text theme={null} https://claude.ai/code?prompt=Fix%20the%20login%20bug&repositories=acme/webapp

Review and iterate

When Claude finishes, review the changes, leave feedback on specific lines, and keep going until the diff looks right.

A diff indicator shows lines added and removed across the session, for example +42 -18. Select it to open the diff view, with a file list on the left and changes on the right.

Select any line in the diff, type your feedback, and press Enter. Comments queue up until you send your next message, then they're bundled with it. Claude sees "at src/auth.ts:47, don't catch the error here" alongside your main instruction, so you don't have to describe where the problem is.

When the diff looks right, select Create PR at the top of the diff view. You can open it as a full PR, a draft, or jump to GitHub's compose page with a generated title and description.

The session stays live after the PR is created. Paste CI failure output or reviewer comments into the chat and ask Claude to address them. To have Claude monitor the PR automatically, see Auto-fix pull requests.

Troubleshoot setup

No repositories appear after connecting GitHub

The Claude GitHub App needs explicit access to each repository you want to use. On github.com, open Settings → Applications → Claude → Configure and verify your repo is listed under Repository access. Private repositories need the same authorization as public ones.

The page only shows a GitHub login button

Cloud sessions require a connected GitHub account. Connect via the browser flow above, or run /web-setup from your terminal if you use the GitHub CLI. If you'd rather not connect GitHub at all, see Remote Control to run Claude Code on your own machine and monitor it from the web.

"Not available for the selected organization"

Enterprise organizations may need an admin to enable Claude Code on the web. Contact your Anthropic account team.

/web-setup returns "Unknown command"

/web-setup runs inside the Claude Code CLI, not your shell. Launch claude first, then type /web-setup at the prompt.

If you typed it inside Claude Code and still see the error, your CLI is older than v2.1.80 or you're authenticated with an API key or third-party provider instead of a claude.ai subscription. Run claude update, then /login to sign in with your claude.ai account.

"Could not create a cloud environment" or "No cloud environment available" when using --remote or ultraplan

Remote-session features create a default cloud environment automatically if you don't have one. If you see "Could not create a cloud environment", automatic creation failed. {/ max-version: 2.1.100 /}If you see "No cloud environment available", your CLI predates automatic creation. In either case, run /web-setup in the Claude Code CLI to create one manually, or visit claude.ai/code and follow the Create your environment step above.

Setup script failed

The setup script exited with a non-zero status, which blocks the session from starting. Common causes:

To debug, add set -x at the top of the script to see which command failed. For non-critical commands, append || true so they don't block session start.

Session keeps running after closing the tab

This is by design. Closing the tab or navigating away doesn't stop the session. It continues running in the background until Claude finishes the current task, then idles. From the sidebar, you can archive a session to hide it from your list, or delete it to remove it permanently.

Next steps

Now that you can submit and review tasks, these pages cover what comes next: starting cloud sessions from your terminal, scheduling recurring work, and giving Claude standing instructions.