Claude Desktop Alternatives for Developers in 2026

Claude Desktop gives developers Chat, Cowork and a Code tab for Claude Code on macOS, Windows and Linux (beta), with permission modes and MCP connectors. Open-source alternatives include goose, Cherry Studio, Jan and OpenCode Desktop. Safeguard's desktop app and CLI add an assistant that knows your vulnerabilities, and Claude can connect to Safeguard over MCP.

You can switch without losing what you pay for. Bring the Claude, ChatGPT or Codex plan you already pay for and use it inside the Safeguard CLI. Safeguard adds no extra charge for that usage; your plan's own usage limits and terms still apply. And if Claude is where you like to work, connect Claude to the Safeguard MCP server and ask about your projects from the same chat.

Below: what Anthropic's docs say the app does, four open-source alternatives, a facts-only table, the Safeguard setup and a step by step walkthrough. No rankings; every third-party fact comes from a page we read on 21 October 2026.

What the Claude desktop app does for developers

Anthropic's Claude Code docs say the desktop app has three tabs: Chat for conversations, Cowork for Dispatch and longer agentic work, and Code for software development. The Code tab is Claude Code in a desktop window.

Platforms and requirements

Anthropic's install article lists:

• macOS 13 (Ventura) or later. The Claude Code docs link a universal build for Intel and Apple Silicon.
• Windows 10 or later, with x64 and ARM64 installers.
• Linux (beta) on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later, or Debian 12 or later, on x64 or arm64. Anthropic recommends adding its apt repository and installing with apt, because the app does not update itself. Computer use and dictation are not available on Linux.

Sign-in and plans

You launch the app and sign in with your Claude account. The install article lists Chat on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise, and Claude Code and Cowork on the paid plans: Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. Plan usage is shared across all your Claude Code surfaces, per the desktop docs.

What the Code tab gives a developer

Each Code tab conversation is a session with its own history and project folder. You pick the environment (local, cloud or SSH), folder, permission mode and model before the first message. Inside a session you can:

• review and comment on diffs, then watch the resulting pull request through CI
• preview your running app in a Browser pane
• open an integrated terminal and a file editor alongside the chat
• run sessions in parallel, each in its own Git worktree if you want
• connect external tools such as GitHub, Slack and Linear

The desktop app reads the same settings files as the Claude Code CLI.

Permission modes

The docs list five modes in the desktop app:

• Manual (settings key default): Claude asks before editing files or running commands, and you accept or reject each diff.
• Accept edits: file edits and common filesystem commands are auto-accepted; other terminal commands still ask.
• Plan: Claude explores and proposes a plan without editing source code.
• Auto: Claude runs without routine prompts, and a background classifier checks actions such as shell commands and network requests against your request.
• Bypass permissions: no prompts except a few protected actions. On Pro and Max it is enabled in Settings; on Team and Enterprise, organization policy controls it. The docs say to use it only in sandboxed containers or VMs.

Computer use

Computer use lets Claude open apps and control your screen. The docs call it a research preview on macOS and Windows that requires a Pro or Max plan. It is off by default; you enable it under Settings, This computer, System, and approve each app per session.

Three ways to add MCP

Claude Desktop takes MCP servers through three separate mechanisms:

1. Connectors (remote MCP). Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise, with Free limited to one. Anthropic's article says connections originate from Anthropic's cloud, so the server must be publicly reachable.
2. Desktop extensions (.mcpb files) that install local MCP servers from Settings, Extensions, including an Anthropic-reviewed directory.
3. Local config in claude_desktop_config.json, opened from Settings, Developer, Edit Config. The MCP docs give the paths as ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/ on macOS and %APPDATA%\Claude\ on Windows.

For a wider look at Anthropic's coding tools, see our guide to Claude Code alternatives, and for a side by side with OpenAI, Claude vs ChatGPT for coding.

Alternatives to Claude Desktop, tool by tool

Developers try other desktop apps for an open-source licence, local models, more than one provider, or a tool built around their security workflow. Each open-source app below was confirmed from its own repository or docs. Safeguard is the commercial option.

goose

goose describes itself as "a general-purpose AI agent that runs on your machine." It has a desktop app for macOS, Linux and Windows plus a CLI, supports 15+ providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Ollama, OpenRouter, Azure and Bedrock, and connects to tools through MCP extensions. It is Apache 2.0 and part of the Agentic AI Foundation at the Linux Foundation. Before you point it at real code, note that its docs say "Autonomous Mode is applied by default"; switch with /mode approve or /mode smart_approve.

Cherry Studio

Cherry Studio calls itself "an AI workstation for Windows, macOS, and Linux," with separate iOS and Android apps. It connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and custom compatible services, runs local models through Ollama and LM Studio, and extends with Skills and MCP servers. The Community Edition is AGPL-3.0, and the README says commercial use is permitted subject to AGPL-3.0 compliance. If your team cannot meet AGPL terms, the project points to a separate Enterprise Edition.

Jan

Jan is "an open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs 100% offline on your computer," Apache 2.0, for Windows, macOS and Linux. It runs open models locally and can also connect to Anthropic's Claude models, OpenAI, Mistral, Groq and MiniMax, and it lists MCP integration. It also exposes an OpenAI-compatible local server at localhost:1337. For local models, the README suggests 8 GB of RAM for 3B models, 16 GB for 7B and 32 GB for 13B.

OpenCode Desktop

OpenCode is "the open source coding agent," MIT licensed, with a terminal interface, an IDE extension and a desktop app for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows (x64 and ARM64) and Linux (.deb and .rpm). It supports 75+ providers. Two things to know: its permissions docs say most permissions default to allow, and its providers page notes that plugins exist to use Claude Pro or Max with OpenCode and that "Anthropic explicitly prohibits this." Use an Anthropic API key or another provider instead.

Safeguard desktop app and CLI

Safeguard is a software supply chain security platform with a desktop app (3.2.2, for Windows, macOS and Linux) where you ask your supply chain anything in plain English, and a CLI whose assistant writes and fixes code on your machine with your approval. It is commercial, not open source. The assistant knows your vulnerabilities, and you keep the Claude plan you already have. Details below.

Comparison table

Facts only, from each project's own pages. "Not covered" means we did not find it in the pages we read, not that the feature is missing.

Do the work properly with the Safeguard desktop app and CLI

Here is the plain version. Bring the Claude, ChatGPT or Codex plan you already pay for and use it inside the Safeguard CLI. Safeguard adds no extra charge for that usage; your plan's own usage limits and terms still apply. Or stay in Claude and connect it to the Safeguard MCP server, covered in the next section.

The Safeguard CLI scans code, container images and SBOMs on your own machine, sends only the results to the platform, and includes an assistant that can fix what it finds. It writes code too, not only scans.

Install

On macOS and Linux:

curl -fsSL https://cli.safeguard.sh/install | bash

On Windows PowerShell:

irm https://cli.safeguard.sh/install.ps1 | iex

It is a single static binary, with no Node, Python or JVM needed. It runs on macOS, Linux and Windows, on x86_64 or arm64 (Windows is x86_64 only). The download page lists CLI 1.4.0.

First session

Run safeguard with no arguments to open the interactive terminal. Type /login to sign in through the browser, then /scan . to scan the current folder. Then ask in plain language:

how many critical vulns do we have
fix the lodash CVE in this repo
what's the latest file in ~/Downloads

Type @ to attach a file from the folder you started in. /resume picks up the last session in that folder.

Writing and fixing code on your machine

The assistant has tools for your local files and for your Safeguard data, and picks whichever the question needs. It can write files, edit code and run commands, with your approval. So it works as a general terminal assistant on your machine (find and read files, edit code, run commands) that also knows which of your dependencies are vulnerable. Our post on the Safeguard CLI as a security-aware coding assistant has more examples.

This demo attaches a computer running the Safeguard CLI and a folder, asks for a fix, reviews the diff and approves the command before it runs. The demo itself notes that computer work from Search is available and expanding.

Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.

Using your Claude or ChatGPT plan

/model shows or switches the AI model. To connect your Claude, ChatGPT or Codex plan, see the CLI docs or run /model. Safeguard adds no extra charge for that usage, and your plan's own usage limits and terms still apply.

Approvals

Tools that change things ask before they act. /permissions sets the approval mode:

• Ask prompts before every action.
• Auto approves known actions and asks for anything new. This is the default.
• Yolo approves everything.

If you use Claude's Manual mode, Ask is the closest match.

Scanning what any agent changed

Whatever wrote the code, the CLI can check it before merge:

safeguard scan --dir .
safeguard scan --repo https://github.com/your-org/your-repo
safeguard scan --image your-image:latest
safeguard scan --sbom ./sbom.cdx.json
safeguard validate ./sbom.cdx.json

Each scan builds an SBOM and matches it against vulnerability databases. Results land as JSON files under ./output, such as vuln.json and license.json. safeguard validate checks CycloneDX, SPDX and VEX documents. When the local runner runs platform scan jobs, your source code never leaves the machine; only SBOMs and findings are uploaded. Policies and gates are evaluated in the platform, which also offers reachability analysis and autonomous remediation with fix PRs (off by default). See checking coding agent changes with the Safeguard CLI for a longer walkthrough.

CI with safeguard exec

safeguard exec "summarise the critical findings in this repository"

That runs one non-interactive assistant turn, so it fits as a pipeline step after any agent or build.

The desktop app, and every other surface

The Safeguard desktop app 3.2.2 is where you ask your supply chain anything in plain English, in a native window. The download page lists:

• Windows 10 and 11: one installer covering x64 and ARM, installed per user with no admin rights. It is not yet code-signed, so SmartScreen may warn. Verify the SHA-256 first, then choose More info and Run anyway.
• macOS: an Apple Silicon build for macOS 12 and later, signed and notarized, with an Intel build linked.
• Linux: an AppImage for x86_64, which needs the Safeguard CLI on your PATH.

Start in the terminal, continue on the desktop, and check findings on your phone with the iOS app or the Android app (Google Play, or a direct APK 1.0.2 with a SHA-256 to check). There is also an IDE extension for VS Code, JetBrains and Open VSX, a Chrome browser extension, and a web interface. With nothing to install, use the Cloud CLI on Safeguard's infrastructure or a cloud sandbox tenant against a seeded demo repo, free for seven days with no card.

Connect Claude to Safeguard over MCP

If Claude Desktop is where you already work, keep it. Safeguard's MCP server lets Claude read your projects, vulnerabilities and findings from the same conversation.

This demo connects Claude to the Safeguard MCP server with OAuth and chooses which tools Claude can use.

Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.

Add the connector (Pro and Max)

Safeguard's Claude guide uses the endpoint https://mcp.safeguard.sh/mcp/anthropic, built for Claude.

1. Create or sign in to your Safeguard account at app.safeguard.sh.
2. In Claude, open Customize, Connectors, select Add, then Add custom connector.
3. Enter "Safeguard Security" as the name and the URL above.
4. Continue past the OAuth prompt, let the OAuth client register automatically, and select Add.
5. When Claude sends you to Safeguard, sign in, check the app name and destination host, and select Authorize access.

There are no keys to copy. On Team or Enterprise, an Owner adds the connector under Organization settings, Connectors, and members then connect it from Customize, Connectors. On Free, this uses your one custom connector.

Claude Desktop needs no extra step

Safeguard's guide says Claude Desktop uses the connectors from your Claude account, so it appears there too. Do not add Safeguard to claude_desktop_config.json, which is for local servers.

Decide which tools Claude gets

A new Safeguard workspace starts with a small read-only set of tools, and an administrator turns on the rest per tool. In Claude, you can toggle connectors per conversation from the + menu and disable single tools in Search and tools. Anthropic advises against "Allow always" unless you trust the server and tool.

A working setup, step by step

This walkthrough uses Claude Desktop's Code tab, or any alternative above, with Safeguard checking every change before it ships.

Step 1: install the Safeguard CLI and take a baseline

curl -fsSL https://cli.safeguard.sh/install | bash
cd ~/code/your-repo
safeguard scan --dir .
cp output/vuln.json /tmp/vuln-before.json

Do this before any agent touches the repository.

Step 2: open the folder with a careful mode

In Claude Desktop, open the Code tab, choose a local environment and the same folder, and pick Manual or Plan in the mode selector. To make Manual the default for new local sessions, set it in your Claude Code settings file:

{
  "permissions": {
    "defaultMode": "default"
  }
}

In goose, run /mode approve. In OpenCode Desktop, set edit and shell to ask in opencode.json.

Step 3: give the agent one small task

Pick something reviewable, such as updating one dependency or adding a test. Read every diff in the diff view before you accept it.

Step 4: ask Safeguard from inside Claude

With the connector added, ask Claude in the same session:

Using Safeguard, list the critical vulnerabilities in this project and the fix version for each.

Step 5: scan again and compare

safeguard scan --dir .
diff /tmp/vuln-before.json output/vuln.json

Anything new in the second file arrived during the session. Run safeguard and ask the assistant to fix it and show you the diff before writing anything.

Step 6: put the check in CI

safeguard exec "summarise the critical findings in this repository"

Run it after the build so every pull request gets the same summary.

Common mistakes when switching desktop AI apps

• Turning on bypass permissions on your laptop. Anthropic's docs say to use it only in sandboxed containers or VMs. Stay in Manual, Accept edits or Plan on a real machine.
• Assuming defaults match. Claude Desktop starts in Manual, goose in Autonomous, OpenCode's permissions mostly allow, and Safeguard's default is Auto. Check each one before the first task.
• Putting a remote server in the local config. Remote servers such as Safeguard belong in Connectors. claude_desktop_config.json is for local servers.
• Expecting connectors to reach a private network. Connector traffic comes from Anthropic's cloud, so a LAN-only server needs Anthropic's IP addresses allowlisted.
• Plugging a Claude Pro or Max plan into a third-party tool. OpenCode's providers page says "Anthropic explicitly prohibits this." Use an API key or another provider there.
• Skipping the scan because the diff looked fine. A one-line version bump can pull in a vulnerable transitive dependency that only the SBOM shows.

FAQ

What does Claude Desktop do for developers?

Its Code tab runs Claude Code in a desktop window: sessions with a project folder, diff review, app preview, an integrated terminal and editor, worktrees, connectors and five permission modes. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux (beta), and Claude Code needs a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan.

Is there an open-source alternative to Claude Desktop?

Yes. goose (Apache 2.0), Cherry Studio Community Edition (AGPL-3.0), Jan (Apache 2.0) and OpenCode Desktop (MIT) are open source, confirmed from their own repositories. All four list MCP support.

Can I switch to Safeguard and keep my Claude plan?

Yes. Bring the Claude, ChatGPT or Codex plan you already pay for and use it inside the Safeguard CLI. Safeguard adds no extra charge for that usage; your plan's own usage limits and terms still apply. You can also connect Claude to the Safeguard MCP server and keep working in Claude.

How do I connect Claude Desktop to Safeguard?

Add a custom connector in Claude under Customize, Connectors with the URL https://mcp.safeguard.sh/mcp/anthropic, then authorize access in Safeguard. Claude Desktop picks it up from your account; do not add it to claude_desktop_config.json.

Does the Safeguard CLI ask before changing files?

Tools that change things ask before they act, under the mode you pick with /permissions. Ask prompts before every action; Auto, the default, approves known actions and asks for anything new; Yolo approves everything, so keep it for throwaway environments.

Does my source code leave my machine?

The CLI scans on your machine and sends only results to the platform. When the local runner runs platform scan jobs, only SBOMs and findings are uploaded. If you use a cloud model, your prompts go to that provider under its terms.

Try it yourself

This walkthrough sets up the runner on your own machine: pick the platform, start it, approve it with its device code, then use the same CLI to scan from the terminal.

Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.

When you are ready, download Safeguard for your desktop and terminal, and read the CLI docs to connect your plan.

Quick check

Sources

• Claude Code desktop application, Anthropic docs
• Claude Desktop on Linux (beta), Anthropic docs
• Installing Claude Desktop, Anthropic support
• Custom connectors using remote MCP, Anthropic support
• Local MCP servers on Claude Desktop, Anthropic support
• Connect to local MCP servers, Model Context Protocol docs
• goose repository
• goose permission modes
• Cherry Studio repository
• Jan repository
• OpenCode repository
• OpenCode download page
• OpenCode providers docs
• OpenCode permissions docs
• OpenCode MCP servers docs
• Safeguard MCP guide for Claude
• Safeguard download page
• Safeguard CLI docs
• Safeguard CLI interactive terminal docs

Last reviewed: 21 October 2026.