4.10 CLI & Desktop Together

Course: Claude Code - Essentials Section: Claude Desktop App Video Length: 2-5 minutes Presenter: Daniel Treasure

Opening Hook

Claude Code runs everywhere: your terminal, VS Code, the desktop app, and the web. They're all the same underlying tool, but they shine in different situations. This video is about understanding when to use which—and how to leverage all of them in your daily workflow.

Key Talking Points

1. The Same Tool, Different Surfaces (The Foundation)

All Claude Code environments share the same capabilities: file reading, editing, bash execution, git operations, MCP integration
But each surface is optimized for a different workflow
The choice isn't about power—it's about fit

What to say: "Whether you're in the terminal or the desktop app, you're talking to the same Claude Code. The difference is the interface. Choose the interface that matches how you work."

What to show on screen: Show two screens side-by-side: one with the terminal CLI and one with the desktop app. Highlight that both are showing Claude Code interactions (even though the visual layout is different).

2. CLI Strengths (The Terminal Native)

Explain what makes the CLI powerful: - Speed: Already open in your editor/terminal, no context switching - Composability: Pipe outputs, chain commands, integrate with shell scripts - Lightweight: Works on remote machines, cloud environments, CI/CD - Keyboard-driven: Full terminal control, no mouse needed - Scripting: Can be automated with loops, conditions, and other shell utilities

What to say: "If you live in the terminal, the CLI is natural. You're already there. Just type claude and you're in a session. No app switching, no UI learning curve."

What to show on screen: Show a terminal with the CLI running. Highlight fast task execution. Maybe show a quick one-liner like claude "fix the type error" or claude -c to continue a session.

3. Desktop App Strengths (The Visual Interface)

Explain what makes the desktop app special: - Rich context: Images, screenshots, file browser, visual organization - Session management: Multiple projects side-by-side, easy session switching - Visibility: Approval dialogs are clear, file diffs are side-by-side, nothing hidden - Guided exploration: UI walks you through features (good for learning) - Comfort: Some developers prefer a focused app window over terminal clutter

What to say: "If you're managing multiple projects, debugging a UI bug, or just learning Claude Code, the desktop app gives you more visual breathing room. It's a place where Claude becomes a coworker, not just a command."

What to show on screen: Show the desktop app with a multi-panel layout. Highlight session management or file browser. Show a side-by-side diff or approval dialog.

4. CLI vs Desktop: Decision Framework

Give concrete decision guidance:

Use CLI when: - You're already in the terminal (fastest path) - You're scripting or automating (pipes, loops, scheduled tasks) - Working on a remote machine or server (no GUI available) - Running in CI/CD pipelines - You prefer keyboard-first workflows

Use Desktop App when: - You need to work with images, screenshots, or visual debugging - Managing multiple unrelated projects (session switching) - Reading or reviewing large files (visual file browser helps) - You want approval dialogs and confirmations to be very visible - You're learning Claude Code (the UI is more guided)

What to say: "There's no wrong choice. Most developers end up using both: CLI for quick fixes while coding, desktop app for bigger planning sessions or when visuals matter."

What to show on screen: Display a comparison chart or bullet list showing when to use each. Make it scannable.

5. Hybrid Workflows (The Real Use Case)

Give examples of realistic, mixed workflows: - Start a task in the desktop app for planning, switch to CLI for implementation - Use CLI for daily work, desktop app for weekly retrospectives or refactoring - CLI for one-off fixes, desktop app for complex multi-day projects - All from the same account, sharing sessions and history

What to say: "The real power is that they're the same tool. You can start a task in the desktop app, pause, switch to your terminal, and continue with claude -c. Your context carries over seamlessly."

What to show on screen: Show a session being started in one environment (CLI or desktop), then continued in another. Highlight that the conversation history is preserved.

6. Connecting CLI to Other Environments

Quick mention of integration points: - CLI can launch IDE integrations: claude --ide - Desktop app can open the terminal - Both can access the same session history and saved work - Settings are shared (with precedence rules)

What to say: "As you get comfortable, you'll discover more ways to integrate Claude Code into your toolchain. The CLI is your foundation, and everything else builds on it."

What to show on screen: Just mention the integration points conceptually. Don't try to demo all of them—too much for one video.

Demo Plan

This is a decision-making and workflow video, not a feature demo. The goal is strategic, not tactical.

Open a terminal and show a CLI session starting (claude)
Ask Claude a quick question (e.g., "what's the main function in this project?")
Show the response and demonstrate it's conversational but text-focused
Exit the CLI session
Open the desktop app on the same project
Resume the same session using the session switcher or /resume command
Show the context carried over (same conversation history, same understanding)
Show how the desktop app presents the same information differently (maybe with file browser visible, or approval dialog clearly shown)
Point out that the underlying Claude Code is identical—just the interface changed

This should take 2-3 minutes and demonstrate: - CLI and desktop are the same tool - Sessions persist across environments - Context is preserved - Choose based on your workflow, not capability

Code Examples & Commands

CLI commands shown:

# Start a new session
claude

# One-off query
claude "what's the main function?"

# Continue previous session
claude -c

# Resume specific session
claude -r "my-project-name"

Not shown (but mentioned as context):

# IDE integration (mentioned, not demoed)
claude --ide

# Print mode for automation
claude -p "analyze this error"

Gotchas & Tips

Sessions persist across environments: If you start in the CLI, you can continue in the desktop app with claude -r <session-id>. Context carries over
Settings override can differ: Desktop app settings don't automatically sync to CLI. Keep critical settings in project .claude/settings.json for consistency
Approval UX differs: Desktop app shows approval dialogs visually. CLI shows them in the terminal. Same function, different presentation
History is shared: If you approve an action in the desktop app, the CLI in the same session remembers it
Model switching works across: If you change the model in settings, it applies to your next message in any environment
Performance note: CLI is generally faster for text-only tasks. Desktop app adds latency for visual rendering, but it's negligible

Lead-out

"You now understand the full Claude Code ecosystem. You can start in your IDE, hop to the terminal, use the desktop app for planning, and seamlessly move between them. Next up: one more powerful feature—Cowork mode, where Claude can work autonomously on your files. It's not just for coding."

Reference URLs

Prep Reading

Section 1 (Overview) and Section 3 (CLI Reference) of docs-research.md
Understand the strengths of each environment from the official docs
Review actual use cases from recent articles (Joe Njenga, Anthropic team workflows)
Consider your own workflow: where would you naturally use CLI vs desktop?

Notes for Daniel: This is a strategic video. You're helping viewers understand choice and tradeoffs, not learning a feature. The tone should be practical: "Here's how to think about which tool to use." Don't oversell the desktop app or undersell the CLI. They coexist and complement each other. The key insight is: same power, different interface.

Quick Reference