@korkje/claudes

Multi-account launcher for Claude Code. Keeps any number of independent Claude Code configurations (accounts, settings, history) in ~/.claude-<name> folders and launches claude with CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR pointing at the one you pick.

Install

npm install -g @korkje/claudes

Requires claude on your PATH.

Usage

claudes            # interactive UI
claudes -- -r      # interactive UI, passing -r through to claude on launch

Everything is managed from the interactive UI:

| Key | Action | | --- | --- | | ↑/↓ or j/k | move | | enter | launch the selected account; on + new account / + add path rows it opens an inline input (enter applies, esc cancels) | | d | delete account (asks for confirmation), or a base path mapping | | p | show/hide the account's base paths | | esc | back — quits from the account list |

Your regular ~/.claude appears as default (~/.claude) — listed first (when the folder exists) and impossible to delete. The list preselects the base path match for your working directory, or else the top entry.

On startup the UI checks npm for a newer claudes release in the background and shows a one-line notice when there is one; the check never blocks and failures (e.g. offline) are silent.

Base paths

Base paths map directories to accounts: starting claudes inside a mapped directory preselects that account (longest match wins) and auto-launches it after a short countdown — navigating or using a shortcut cancels (unbound keys are ignored).

They're managed inline: press p on an account to expand its paths as an indented list below it (press again to collapse). d on a path removes the mapping, and the indented + add path row turns into an input right in the list (prefilled with your cwd) that maps a new directory to that account.

Replacing claude

To route plain claude through claudes, press a in the UI — an interactive toggle that adds/removes the alias in the startup file of your shell (zsh, bash, or fish).

It's equivalent to adding this to your .zshrc/.bashrc yourself:

alias claude="claudes --"

claude, claude -r, claude --model opus, etc. all open the UI, and any arguments are passed through to claude when an account launches — so claude -r inside a mapped directory shows the selector for a moment, then resumes with the right account (or immediately, with enter). Since aliases only exist in your interactive shell, IDE integrations and scripts that spawn claude still get the real CLI (as does claudes itself — no recursion). For claudes' own help/version, call the unaliased claudes -h.

Non-interactive use

When stdin is not a TTY (pipes, scripts), claudes skips the UI and auto-resolves the account (base path match → default), passing any arguments through.

Development

npm test builds the CLI and runs the vitest suite: unit tests for the config/account/shell logic, Ink component tests that drive the real UI through a fake terminal, and CLI tests against the built bundle with a stubbed claude.

The README demos are scripted with VHS: npm run demo regenerates all three GIFs inside throwaway HOMEs, so they never touch real accounts. The claude that "launches" at the end of the main demo is demo/fake-claude.tsx, a stand-in Ink screen.

Config

Base path mappings live in ~/.claudes.json:

{
  "basePaths": {
    "~/Documents/dev/personal": "personal"
  }
}