Claude Code vs. anon-kode vs. Amp

Understanding the ecosystem helps frame the architectural patterns in this guide:

Claude Code

Anthropic's local CLI tool that brings AI capabilities directly to your terminal:

  • Architecture: Node.js backend with React/Ink for terminal UI
  • Focus: Single-user local development with powerful file and code manipulation
  • Key Innovation: Reactive terminal interface with streaming responses
  • Distribution: Research preview, free to use (docs here)

anon-kode

Daniel Nakov's open-source fork that extends Claude Code's capabilities:

  • Key Additions:
    • Multi-provider support (OpenAI, local models, etc.)
    • /model command for provider switching
    • UI customizations and adjusted defaults
  • Architecture: Maintains Claude Code's core design
  • Value: Demonstrates how the base architecture supports different AI backends

Amp

Anthropic's collaborative platform that scales these concepts to teams:

  • Evolution: Takes Claude Code's patterns to multi-user environments
  • Key Features:
    • Real-time collaboration and sharing
    • Enterprise authentication (SSO, SAML)
    • Team workflows and permissions
    • Usage analytics and cost management
  • Architecture: Distributed system with state synchronization
  • Target: Teams and enterprises needing collaborative AI development

Why This Matters

This guide analyzes patterns from all three systems:

  • Book 1 focuses on the local patterns shared by Claude Code and anon-kode
  • Book 2 explores how Amp scales these patterns for collaboration

The architectural decisions in Claude Code created a foundation that both anon-kode and Amp could build upon—understanding these patterns helps you build your own AI coding assistants at any scale.