Claude Code
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Anthropic's Claude Code, run inside Palette Desktop and driven through the Claude Agent SDK. Pick it per chat like any other agent. It supports plan mode and is the only agent in Palette with slash commands.
Setup
- In a chat, choose Claude Code as the agent. If you don't have Claude Code yet, Palette installs it for you in one click from Settings. No terminal needed.
- Connect your access. There are two ways, and both are fully supported:
- Your subscription (recommended). Sign in with your Claude plan (Claude Pro, or Max 5x or 20x). This is usually the best value: on the higher plans you get more usage for a flat monthly price, so most people find it cheaper than paying per token.
- Your API key. Bring an Anthropic API key instead. Palette stores it in your operating system's keychain and passes it to Claude Code. Usage is metered and billed to your Anthropic account.
That's it. Whichever you pick, the credential is yours; Palette holds it locally and hands it to the agent.
Models
| Model | When to use |
|---|---|
| Opus | The most capable, for the hardest work. |
| Sonnet | The balanced default. |
| Haiku | The fastest and lightest, for quick work. |
| Fable | A fast model option. |
Sonnet is the default, but you can set any model as your default and switch per chat. For more on what each model is best at, see Anthropic's model overview.
Usage & billing
On a subscription, usage draws on your Claude plan's included credit. On an API key, usage is metered by tokens and billed to your own Anthropic account, the same as using the key anywhere else. Palette does not add a markup on Claude Code usage.
Subscription credit is per user and cannot be pooled across a team through Palette.
Connectors and MCP
Palette Desktop runs Claude Code with your existing setup, so anything you have connected in Claude Code works here too. If you have MCP servers (connectors) set up in Claude Code, they are available in Palette Desktop automatically, with nothing to reconnect.
Limits & notes
- Plan mode and slash commands. Claude Code supports plan mode and is the only Palette Desktop agent with slash commands. The Palette agent also supports plan mode.
- Claude Code reads your workspace context from
CLAUDE.mdat the root of your folder (the other agents readAGENTS.md). See Working with CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md. - Running Claude through Amazon Bedrock or Google Vertex is not supported yet.
FAQ
Should I use my subscription or an API key?
We recommend your subscription. If you are on Claude Pro or a Max plan, you usually get more usage for the price, especially on Max 5x or 20x. Use an API key if you would rather meter usage and have it billed to your Anthropic account.
Where is my API key stored? Is it safe?
It's stored in your computer's keychain and only passed to Claude Code as an environment variable (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY). It never leaves your machine through Palette.
Does plan mode work here?
Yes. Claude Code and the Palette agent support plan mode. Slash commands are specific to Claude Code. See Plan mode.
Related
- Agents, all five agents and how model access works.
- Chats, pick an agent per chat.
- Plan mode, draft a plan before the agent acts.
- Quick Start, install and run your first session.