muxd vs Claude Code: How They Compare

If you're evaluating AI coding agents, you've probably looked at Claude Code — Anthropic's official CLI tool for coding with Claude. It's polished, well-supported, and deeply integrated with Claude's capabilities. So where does muxd fit in, and why would you consider a Claude Code alternative?

This isn't a takedown. Both tools are good at what they do. But they make fundamentally different architectural choices, and those choices matter depending on how you work.

The Core Difference

Claude Code is a single-provider tool. It's built for Claude, by Anthropic, and it works best (and only) with Claude models. That tight integration means excellent model-specific optimizations.

muxd is provider-agnostic. It connects to Claude, GPT, or any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint. You can switch models mid-session, use local models through compatible APIs, or mix providers across different sessions. It's an open source AI agent that doesn't lock you into any single provider.

Feature Comparison

When to Choose muxd

You use multiple LLM providers

If your workflow involves switching between Claude for complex reasoning and GPT for quick edits, or if you want to test different models on the same task, muxd handles that natively. No need to switch tools.

You want persistent sessions

muxd runs as a daemon — a background service that survives terminal closes, SSH disconnects, and system reboots. Your sessions live in a local SQLite database. Connect from any terminal, pick up exactly where you left off, or fork a conversation to explore a different approach.

You need remote access

The Telegram integration lets you control your agent from your phone. Check on long-running tasks, fire off quick edits, or review code from anywhere. Your agent stays on your machine; Telegram is just the remote control.

You want automatic safety nets

The git undo/redo system creates checkpoints on every agent turn. Made a mistake? /undo reverts it instantly. Changed your mind? /redo brings it back. No manual commit discipline required.

When to Choose Claude Code

You only use Claude

If Claude is your only model and you don't plan to switch, Claude Code's tight integration may offer a smoother experience. It's built specifically for Claude's capabilities.

You want official Anthropic support

Claude Code is maintained by Anthropic directly. That means faster support for new Claude features and guaranteed compatibility with the latest models.

You prefer a simpler setup

Claude Code is a single CLI with minimal configuration. If you don't need daemon mode, session branching, or multi-provider support, the simpler tool might be the better fit.

The Open Source Factor

muxd is open source under Apache 2.0. Claude Code is source-available — you can read the code, but the license is more restrictive. That distinction matters if you want to fork, modify, or redistribute.

Being Apache 2.0 means you can fork muxd, modify it, self-host it, and contribute back. There's no vendor relationship to manage. Check the contributing guide if you want to get involved.

Try It Yourself

The best comparison is the one you run yourself. Install muxd with a single command:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/batalabs/muxd/main/install.sh | bash

Point it at your API key and take it for a spin. The getting started guide will have you up and running in under a minute. If it doesn't fit your workflow, you've lost nothing — and you might discover a setup that works better for how you actually code.