Working with Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent, but in Octarine it can also act as an AI provider for the Writing Assistant and Ask Octarine. If you already use Claude Code on your machine, Octarine can use that signed-in account instead of asking you to paste an Anthropic API key.

When To Use Claude Code

Use Claude Code when you want Claude models available through the account you already use for Claude Code, especially for longer synthesis, careful rewrites, or agent-style Ask Octarine sessions.

It is a good fit for:

• Asking broad questions in Ask Octarine that need the full agent path.
• Summarizing or rewriting larger notes with stronger reasoning.
• Keeping auth tied to your local Claude Code CLI instead of managing another provider key in Octarine.

If you would rather use an Anthropic API key, use the Anthropic provider in Configuring AI instead. The API provider also supports web search in Ask Octarine, which Claude Code does not.

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Install the Claude Code CLI using Anthropic's official setup instructions:

Claude Code setup

After installation, make sure the claude command is available from your terminal.

claude --version

Octarine looks for claude on your PATH and in the usual install locations, including the native installer's ~/.local/bin and ~/.claude/local, Homebrew, and global npm folders.

Step 2: Sign In

Sign in from your terminal:

claude auth login

You can also start sign-in from Octarine: open Settings -> AI -> Accounts -> Claude Code and click Open Claude Code login. Octarine opens a terminal window running the same command. Finish signing in there, then come back to Octarine.

See Anthropic's Claude Code authentication docs for the sign-in options available to your account.

Step 3: Connect Claude Code In Octarine

Open Settings -> AI -> Accounts and choose Claude Code.

Octarine checks the local CLI with claude auth status. You do not need to paste an API key; credentials stay with the Claude Code CLI and never enter Octarine.

Click Refresh status. When the connection is working, the page shows a Connected badge and the authentication method Claude Code reports. If the page says the CLI was not found or is not signed in, finish the earlier steps and refresh again.

Step 4: Pick A Claude Code Model

Once Claude Code is connected, Octarine lists the models available through your Claude Code account under Claude Code in the model picker. Choose one from the Ask Octarine model selector or the Writing Assistant's model menu.

Using Claude Code With Ask Octarine

Claude Code is treated as tool-capable in Ask Octarine, so it can use the full agent flow: search notes, read relevant files, follow links, and answer from the workspace context it gathered.

This is useful for messy questions such as:

• "What did I decide about the launch plan across my project and daily notes?"
• "Find the thread where I changed my mind about pricing."
• "Create a short brief from @Projects/Mobile and last week's Daily Desk."

Web search is not available with Claude Code models. Use a provider that supports it, such as Codex or an Anthropic API key, when your question needs current outside context.

Using Claude Code With Writing Assistant

In the Writing Assistant, Claude Code can rewrite the text you selected. The inline tool does not add @ mentions or web search; use Ask Octarine when the request needs workspace context.

Each request starts a Claude Code process, so very short edits can feel slower than with a direct API provider. For larger synthesis or rewrites with a lot of context, Claude Code is often worth choosing.

What Octarine Runs

Octarine runs every Claude Code request in an isolated temporary folder with a restricted configuration:

• Your Claude Code settings, plugins, MCP servers, and slash commands are not loaded. Requests run outside your projects, so project CLAUDE.md files are not picked up.
• Claude Code's built-in tools, such as file editing and shell commands, are turned off.
• Ask Octarine's own tools are the only tools available, and they follow the same workspace access, exclusions, and write approval as any other provider.
• Sessions are not saved to your Claude Code history.

Troubleshooting

If Claude Code does not connect:

• Make sure the claude command works in your terminal.
• Run claude auth login, then click Refresh status in Octarine.
• Run claude auth status in your terminal to confirm you are signed in.
• Update Claude Code if your local version is old.
• Restart Octarine after installing Claude Code, especially if Octarine was already open.
• If no models appear, refresh status, then reopen the model picker.

Claude Code access and available models depend on your Claude account and plan. For current setup details, use Anthropic's Claude Code docs.

Quick Answers