I tested the new Claude Desktop on Linux - here's how it compares to rival apps

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Claude Code yet has a Linux desktop app.
The app works swimmingly if you play by the rules.
Trying to marque it enactment locally was an workout successful futility.

As a hard-core Linux user, I'm ever connected the lookout for apps that alteration Linux to support gait with competing platforms. You mightiness beryllium amazed that, adjacent successful this property of AI, competitory open-source options are not hard to find. For example, I've been utilizing some Alpaca and Moose for immoderate clip without issue. Both of these apps service arsenic GUIs for instances of locally installed Ollama (which is however I typically similar to rotation with AI). They connection well-designed GUIs, the flexibility to enactment locally oregon successful the cloud, and businesslike usage of strategy resources.

But sometimes, I yearn to enactment with a much mainstream option.

Such is the lawsuit with the recently released Claude Code Linux desktop app, which offers each the features recovered successful the MacOS and Windows versions, and adjacent lets you alteration developer options to grow the diagnostic set.

Also: I discontinue ChatGPT for a free, private, and section AI called Ollama - here's why

Before I get into this, it's important to recognize that erstwhile I usage AI, I astir ever usage it locally. I've installed Ollama connected astir of my machines I have. Why? I'm not straining the powerfulness grid oregon compromising my privacy. I volition ever take section AI implicit cloud-based.

That said, I inactive wanted to footwear the tires of the Claude Code Linux desktop app to spot however it compared to the competition.

Here are the important bits for me:

The app has to person a well-designed GUI that makes interacting with models simple.
The app needs to easy link to locally installed AI (such arsenic Ollama).
The app needs to relation precisely arsenic it does connected different operating systems.
The app needs to usage strategy resources wisely.

Does the Claude Code Linux desktop app unrecorded up to that checklist? Let's find out.

Installing Claude Code connected Linux

First things first: Install Claude Code connected Linux. With galore GUI AI apps, I tin unfastened the app store of my distribution, hunt for the app (such arsenic Alpaca oregon Moose), and install. With Claude Code, I had to adhd the indispensable repository earlier installation. One happening to support successful mind: Currently, Claude Code desktop is lone disposable for Debian and Ubuntu-based distributions.

Also: How to instal and configure Claude Code, measurement by step

Here are the commands required:

Add Anthropic's signing key: sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/key.asc

Add the repository: echo "deb [arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc] https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/apt/stable unchangeable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-desktop.list

Update and install: sudo apt update && sudo apt instal claude-desktop

With the installation complete, I opened the Claude Code app from my desktop paper and was greeted -- you guessed it -- by a well-designed GUI.

It's clip to dive in.

Connecting to locally installed AI

This is wherever things got a spot bumpy (which wasn't that surprising). I've acceptable up plentifulness of section AI for assorted desktop clients, but (sadly) Claude Code was not the easiest. In fact, it was alternatively complicated, and I wouldn't person been capable to marque it enactment without besides installing Claude Code from wrong Ollama itself (with the ollama motorboat claude command, which allowed maine to prime an LLM to download and usage with Claude Code).

I downloaded the Qwen6 LLM, which is 15 GB, truthful beryllium cautious what you privation for. Until you propulsion a model, the GUI won't beryllium capable to find one.

Also: Want section vibe coding? This AI stack mightiness regenerate Claude Code and Codex - for free

With that taken attraction of, I had to alteration Developer options successful Claude Code (Help > Troubleshooting > Enable Developer Options. After a relaunch, I could past spell to Developer > Configure third-party inference. This is wherever things should person made it imaginable to link to my locally installed AI. The settings look similar this:

Gateway basal URL: http://localhost:11434
Gateway API: ollama
Gateway auth scheme: bearer

Once you've done that, click Apply changes. You'll past request to prime a exemplary for use. Scroll down to the Models conception and click Add model. This is wherever I ran into what looked similar an insurmountable hurdle. Even though I instructed Claude Code to usage a section gateway basal URL, it refused to spot immoderate of the models I'd pulled, and nary substance however I tried to configure it, the Claude Code desktop app refused to comply.

What this means is that I'm stuck with utilizing a escaped Anthropic plan, which is beauteous constricted (especially erstwhile you effort to get Claude Code to constitute an app for you). In the end, you cannot reliably usage the Claude Code desktop app with section AI. Bummer.

Does the app relation arsenic connected different operating systems?

This is wherever we get immoderate bully news. I tested the Linux app against the MacOS app, and they are identical. Feature for feature, you won't find immoderate quality (other than flimsy UI changes) betwixt the two.

Also: 5 reasons wherefore I inactive similar Perplexity implicit each different AI chatbot

Huzzah.

Does the app usage strategy resources wisely?

This would person been a overmuch much revealing trial had the Claude Code desktop app functioned with locally installed AI. As is, it relied mostly connected cloud-based resources, truthful utilizing the desktop app didn't enactment adjacent the slightest dent successful my machine.

Here's the query I utilized for my testing:

Write a Linux GUI app for Pop!_OS COSMIC Desktop for creating invoices for clients. It needs to beryllium capable to support way of clients and antithetic deliverables (such arsenic articles and videos), see customized fields, and export invoices to PDF documents.

Even though my escaped relationship couldn't decorativeness the query, portion it worked, my instrumentality continued performing fine. When I tested that against a locally installed AI desktop app that would relation with section AI, the query brought my instrumentality to a impermanent halt portion it crushed distant astatine the task.

Also: I've tested truthful galore desktop AI tools, but Hermes with Ollama is my caller favourite - here's why

In the end, I was disappointed that I was incapable to link the Claude Code desktop app to my locally installed AI, but I tin inactive accidental this: If you person an Anthropic relationship and are looking for a instrumentality to simplify utilizing Claude Code connected your Linux desktop, this is decidedly the mode to go. I've launched Claude Code done Ollama (which does enactment rather well), but going that way is not for the faint of heart.

If you privation simplicity, this caller Claude Code desktop app for Linux is simply a bully option. Just marque definite your Anthropic relationship is paid for and acceptable to go. If you privation to usage section AI connected Linux, however, I'd suggest sticking to Alpaca oregon Moose.

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