Anthropic Rebuilds Claude Code Desktop App Around Parallel Sessions

Key Points:

• Anthropic has updated its Claude desktop app with a redesigned Claude Code experience, featuring a new sidebar for managing multiple sessions and a drag-and-drop workspace layout for better customization.
• The sidebar consolidates active and recent sessions, allowing filtering by status, project, or environment, and includes a side chat shortcut (Command + ;) for branching questions without affecting the main thread.
• New developer tools integrated into the app include a terminal for tests and builds, an in-app file editor, a rebuilt diff viewer for large changesets, and an expanded preview pane supporting HTML, PDFs, and local app servers.
• The app now supports plugin compatibility matching the CLI, SSH sessions on Mac and Linux, and offers three view modes (Verbose, Normal, Summary) to control the visibility of Claude's tool-call activity.
• Anthropic also introduced Routines, automations that run without active sessions, configurable with prompts, repos, and connectors, triggered by schedules, API calls, or GitHub events; Routines are in research preview for Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise users on the web version.