Highwind vs Claude desktop app
Every agent and your servers vs Claude Code in the Claude app
Quick summary
The Code tab in Anthropic’s Claude desktop app runs Claude Code sessions with draggable panes, a preview browser that Claude can use, an iOS Simulator pane in public beta, per-session git worktrees and a diff view. It needs a paid Claude plan and runs only Claude.
Highwind runs the Claude Code CLI in a pane next to Codex, Gemini, OpenCode, Copilot and pi, and next to the dev servers they work on. It restarts crashed servers, starts the services a server needs first, and starts servers again when the app reopens.
Choose the Claude app if you only use Claude and want worktrees and diff review built in. Choose Highwind if you use more than one agent, run several dev servers per project, or want everything back as it was after you quit.
Who should choose Highwind, and who should choose Claude desktop app?
Choose Highwind if
- You use Codex, Gemini or another agent next to Claude Code.
- Your project runs more than one server and you want them supervised and restarted on crash.
- You want servers, agents and browser tabs back after you quit and reopen the app.
- You want your own shell commands, like deploy or migrate, as buttons per project.
- You also build for Android, or test on an Android phone.
Choose the Claude desktop app if
- You only use Claude and want it in the same app as Claude chat.
- You want git worktrees per session, a diff view with comments and PR automation built in.
- You also want cloud sessions that keep running while your Mac is closed.
- You need Windows or Linux.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Highwind | The Claude desktop app |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac app for dev servers, CLI agents, browsers and phone simulators, grouped by project | Claude Code sessions inside the Claude desktop app |
| Runs your dev servers | Each service has a command, a folder and a port | Servers from .claude/launch.json with start and stop controls |
| Restarts a server when it crashes | Per service, up to 3 attempts, 2 seconds apart | A crashed server asks again instead of restarting |
| Starts the services a server needs first | Starts each required service and waits until its port accepts connections | No dependencies in launch.json |
| CLI agents from several vendors | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, OpenCode, Copilot and pi, plus any CLI added with a JSON file | Claude only |
| Agent conversations resume after a restart | Each agent pane resumes its own session at launch | Sessions stay in the project menu and open windows reopen |
| Servers run again after you quit or reboot | Services that were running start again at the next launch, agents resume and browser tabs reopen. Launch at login is optional | Session windows reopen; restarting servers is not documented |
| Built-in browser with DevTools | WebKit pane with the Chrome DevTools frontend beside the page | Tabbed preview pane; user-facing DevTools not documented |
| Agents can use the built-in browser | 21 browser tools over MCP, with an approval policy per action | Claude takes screenshots, reads the DOM, clicks and fills in forms |
| Phone simulator or emulator in a pane | iOS simulator, Android emulator or Android phone in a pane. No physical iPhones. Needs Xcode tools or the Android SDK installed | iOS Simulator pane (public beta); no physical phones, Android not documented |
| Agents can use the simulator or emulator | 13 device tools over MCP: tap, swipe, type, screenshot, UI tree, logs and crash reports | Claude taps, types and takes screenshots; iOS Simulator only |
| MCP server that controls the app | More than 70 tools for services, logs, views, tasks, the browser and devices. Off until you turn it on | MCP client only |
| Shell commands as buttons | Per project, run in their own pane | Skills and slash commands; no shell-command buttons documented |
| Split panes | Views with split panes, layout presets and floating windows | Draggable panes and pop-out windows |
| Task board | Kanban board per workspace that agents can read and update | Task and plan panes per session |
| Git worktrees and diff review | No worktree management or diff view | Worktree per session, diff view, PR and CI automation |
| Code editor | Plain text editor and sidebar, no syntax highlighting | No editor |
| Configuration as plain files | Plain files in a .highwind folder | Files in .claude |
| Built with | Native Swift | Electron |
| No account needed | No account | Needs a paid Claude plan |
| Platforms | macOS 14 and later | macOS 13+, Windows, Linux (beta) |
| Price | Free during the public beta | Included with Pro ($20 a month, $17 billed yearly), Max ($100) and Ultra ($200) |
“Not documented” means we found no mention of it in the Claude desktop app’s documentation.
What does the Claude app restore after you quit?
According to its changelog, the Claude app reopens the Code tab session windows that were open and remembers which dev server each project’s preview used. The same changelog describes quitting as shutting down Code tab sessions and MCP servers. It doesn’t describe dev servers starting again.
Highwind starts the services that were running again at launch, resumes each agent pane’s conversation and reopens browser tabs.
Can you run Codex or Gemini next to Claude Code?
Not in the Claude app, which runs Claude only. Highwind runs each agent’s own CLI in a pane, signed in with your own account, so Claude Code and Codex can work side by side in the same view. Any other agent CLI can be added with a JSON file in ~/.highwind/harnesses.
Phone simulators in the Claude app and Highwind
Both apps show an iOS simulator in a pane that the agent can tap, type into and screenshot, and both need Xcode installed. The Claude app’s pane is in public beta, gives each session its own simulator, and can’t control a physical phone. Its documentation doesn’t mention Android. Highwind also shows an Android emulator or a physical Android phone, for any agent connected to its MCP server.
Where the Claude app is ahead
The Claude app gives each session its own git worktree, shows a diff you can comment on, and can fix CI and merge pull requests. Highwind has no worktree or diff features. The Claude app also has cloud sessions that run while your Mac is off.
Frequently asked questions
Does Highwind work with my Claude subscription?
Yes. Highwind runs the Claude Code CLI you already have installed and signed in. Highwind does not sell model access, so there is no second plan to pay for.
Can I make custom command buttons in the Claude app?
The Claude app supports skills, slash commands and plugins, but its documentation describes no buttons that run your own shell commands. In Highwind, each project has quick commands, such as deploy or migrate, that run in their own pane with one click.
Try Highwind
A native Mac app for your dev servers, CLI agents and browser panes. Requires macOS 14 or later.
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Last reviewed November 2, 2026. Product features and prices change; tell us on the contact page if something here is out of date.