Runtime Selection Guide

Claude Code runs in multiple environments. Choosing the wrong one wastes time. This guide gives you a decision matrix and concrete examples for each runtime.

Quick Decision Matrix

Need	Use
Local files + git + full toolchain	CLI (terminal) or Desktop
Long-running background work, no machine required	Cloud Scheduled Task
GUI interaction, visual testing, native apps	Desktop + Computer Use
Pair programming with a colleague	Cowork (Web)
SSH into a remote server	SSH session
Quick Q&A without a project	Web (claude.ai/code)
Recurring autonomous engineering	Desktop Task or Cloud Task
CI/CD pipelines	GitHub Actions (headless)

Runtime 1: CLI (Terminal)

Best for: Most day-to-day coding work.

Has access to: Local files, all local MCP servers, git, project toolchain, ~/.claude/ config.

Invocation:

claude                    # Interactive REPL
claude "fix the auth bug" # One-shot
claude --print "explain this" > output.md  # Headless, pipe output

Choose CLI when:

You need to read, write, or run local files
You need local MCP servers (postgres, filesystem, etc.)
You're doing active development and want to steer Claude in real time
You need full toolchain access (custom scripts, local Docker, etc.)

Runtime 2: Claude Desktop App

Best for: Background tasks, GUI automation, persistent scheduled tasks, and working without a terminal.

Has access to: Everything CLI has, plus computer use (GUI), Desktop-specific scheduled tasks, and a more polished UI.

Invocation: Open the Desktop app. Start a conversation or create a scheduled task.

Choose Desktop when:

You want to schedule recurring tasks (runs even when you close the conversation)
You need computer use / GUI automation (click, type, screenshot)
You prefer a visual interface over terminal
You want persistent conversations that survive restarts

Desktop vs CLI:

	CLI	Desktop
Scheduled tasks	Session-scoped `/loop` only	Persistent, survive restarts
Computer use	No	Yes
Local MCP	Yes	Yes
Background while you work	No	Yes

Runtime 3: Web (claude.ai/code)

Best for: Tasks that don't need local files, collaborative review, or starting a session on any machine.

Has access to: MCP connectors you configure, GitHub (via connector), no local filesystem.

Invocation: Visit claude.ai/code in a browser.

Choose Web when:

You're away from your dev machine
The task only needs GitHub, Jira, or other cloud connectors
You want to share a session with a colleague (Cowork)
You're doing documentation, planning, or architectural review without code changes

Limitation: Cannot access local files, local MCP servers, or local toolchain.

Runtime 4: Cowork (Collaborative Web Session)

Best for: Real-time collaboration — pair programming, architecture review, team debugging.

Has access to: Same as Web. Both participants see Claude's actions in real time.

Invocation: Start a Web session, invite a colleague via shared URL.

Choose Cowork when:

You're pair programming and both need to steer Claude
You're doing a joint architecture review
You want a colleague to see Claude's reasoning in real time
Remote team needs to review Claude's PR suggestions together

Runtime 5: SSH Session

Best for: Working on a remote server (cloud VM, staging environment, production read-only access).

Has access to: Files and toolchain on the remote machine. Claude Code CLI installed remotely.

Invocation:

ssh user@remote-server
claude  # runs on the remote machine

Or with VS Code Remote:

Open Remote-SSH connection in VS Code
Claude Code extension runs on the remote machine

Choose SSH when:

You need to work directly on a remote server's files
The toolchain only exists on the remote machine (custom build environment)
You need to inspect production logs or configs without transferring them locally
You're debugging a staging/production-specific issue

Runtime 6: Cloud Scheduled Tasks

Best for: Autonomous recurring work that must run without your machine or session.

Has access to: Fresh repo clone via GitHub connector. No local files. Configured connectors only.

Choose Cloud Scheduled Tasks when:

The task needs to run overnight, on weekends, or while you're away
The work is read-only or only writes via GitHub API (PRs, comments, issues)
You need true "set and forget" automation
Minimum 1-hour interval is acceptable

Comparison to Desktop tasks:

	Desktop Task	Cloud Task
Requires machine on	Yes	No
Local files	Yes	No (fresh clone only)
Local MCP servers	Yes	No
Minimum interval	1 minute	1 hour
Persists across restarts	Yes	Yes (cloud-managed)

Runtime 7: GitHub Actions (Headless CI)

Best for: PR-triggered automation, commit hooks, deployment workflows.

Has access to: Actions runner environment (fresh clone, secrets, GitHub API).

Choose GitHub Actions when:

You want Claude to run on every PR (automated review, test generation)
You need Claude integrated into your existing CI/CD pipeline
You want cost control with per-run billing vs. always-on tasks
The trigger is a GitHub event (push, PR open, schedule)

Quick setup:

- name: Claude PR Review
  uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@beta
  with:
    prompt: "Review this PR for security and correctness issues"
    allowed_tools: "Bash,Read,Grep"

Decision Flowchart

Do you need local files or toolchain?
├── Yes → Local required
│   ├── Need GUI / computer use? → Desktop
│   ├── Need recurring background task? → Desktop Scheduled Task
│   └── Just coding? → CLI
└── No → Cloud ok
    ├── Need collaboration? → Web + Cowork
    ├── Need recurring autonomous work? → Cloud Scheduled Task
    ├── Triggered by git events? → GitHub Actions
    ├── On a remote server? → SSH
    └── Quick Q&A? → Web

Use `/cc-schedule` for Automation Decisions

For tasks involving scheduling, /cc-schedule generates optimized prompts for Desktop, Cloud, or /loop based on the task type. It handles the choice automatically for 6 common maintenance workflows.