Run Claude Code Inside Your IDE Terminal
You don't have to context-switch between your editor and a separate terminal app. Claude Code runs perfectly inside any editor's integrated terminal panel.
Open the terminal panel in your editor and start a session:
claude
That's it. Claude Code runs in the bottom pane while your files, git panel, and editor are all visible in the same window. When Claude edits a file, the change appears in your editor immediately — you can read the code, check the diff, and reply without leaving the editor.
This works in:
- Cursor — Claude's file edits appear live in the editor tabs
- VS Code — full access to the source control panel and file tree alongside the conversation
- JetBrains IDEs (WebStorm, PhpStorm, etc.) — same principle, use the built-in terminal panel
- Zed, Nova, any editor with a terminal — if it embeds a terminal, Claude Code works in it
A few things that work especially well in this setup:
- If your editor has autosave enabled, files saved by Claude Code are reflected in the diff view instantly
- You can use
@file references in Claude Code while seeing the actual file tree in the sidebar - All normal Claude Code features —
/compact,#memory notes, MCP servers, hooks — work exactly the same way
# In your editor's terminal panel
claude --model claude-sonnet-4-6
# Claude's edits appear live in the editor — no separate window needed
Claude Code works wherever a terminal works — including right inside the editor you're already in.
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When Claude writes error messages, button labels, validation text, or onboarding flows, it defaults to generic developer-speak. Add a "Users" section to your CLAUDE.md describing who your actual users are — their technical level, industry jargon, and what they care about — so Claude writes copy that makes sense to THEM, not to developers.
Use the --agent flag with custom markdown files in .claude/agents/ to launch purpose-built Claude sessions with restricted tools and scoped system prompts.
Every project has traps — the billing module that silently fails if you forget to queue the job, the legacy table with column names that don't match the model, the config value that must be set before tests run. Document these gotchas in your CLAUDE.md so Claude avoids the same mistakes your team spent days debugging.