The terminal was for the few. Clarc is for everyone.
Clarc is a lightweight native macOS desktop client for Claude Code. It brings the CLI agent workflow into a project-centric GUI with streaming chat, repository switching, file browsing, Git status, permissions, terminal access, and per-project notes.
The terminal is a wall. For most people who aren't developers, it's a closed door — install a CLI, generate SSH keys, approve every tool call without a real preview of what it's about to do. None of that is hard for engineers; all of it is hard for everyone else. The terminal was for the few, and it still is.
Clarc was built so my non-developer coworkers could use Claude Code without learning a shell first. It doesn't reinvent the agent. It spawns the real claude CLI underneath, so your CLAUDE.md, skills, MCP servers, and slash commands keep working as-is. What sits on top is a native Mac app:
- Approval modals that surface the actual diff before any tool runs, with risk-aware Allow / Allow Session / Deny options.
- Per-project windows you can run in parallel — switch tabs, double-click to spin off a window, keep streams alive in the background.
- Drag-and-drop attachments, smart paste for images, file paths, URLs, and long text.
- GitHub OAuth that handles SSH key setup for you, so
git clonejust works. - An inspector with a file tree, Git status, embedded terminal, and a per-project memo pad.
Same engine, no terminal required.
| Clarc feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Native macOS app | Built with SwiftUI, not Electron. The current v1.2.0 release is about 5.6 MB to download and about 13 MB unpacked, without bundling a browser runtime. |
| Project-centric workspace | Register multiple local repositories, switch between them from project tabs, or open a project in its own window for parallel sessions. In-progress streams keep running in the background while you switch. |
| Custom slash commands | Add, edit, disable, import, and export custom slash commands. Built-in commands can be edited locally, while JSON import/export stays custom-only. |
| Shortcut buttons | Create quick buttons for prompts or terminal commands you run repeatedly. Terminal-command shortcuts can launch directly into Clarc's interactive terminal popup. |
| Built-in file explorer with Git status | Browse and search project files, toggle hidden files, preview or edit files, inspect Git status, and switch branches from the sidebar. |
| Rich-text memo pad per project | Keep project-specific notes in the inspector panel with headings, lists, checkboxes, links, and Markdown copy/paste support. |
| Embedded terminal | Use a SwiftTerm-based terminal in the inspector, plus interactive terminal popups for commands such as /config, /permissions, and /model. |
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Streaming Chat | Real-time Claude Code conversations with Markdown rendering, tool call visualization, diff views, and error bubbles for failed empty responses. |
| Multi-Project Workspace | Register local folders or GitHub repositories, switch freely, and keep per-project session history. |
| Dedicated Project Windows | Double-click a project tab to open it in an independent window and work across multiple repositories at once. |
| Per-Session Controls | Choose model, permission mode, and effort level per session from the chat toolbar. Defaults are configurable in Settings. |
| Permission Modes | Ask, Accept Edits, Plan, Auto, and Bypass modes mirror Claude Code's permission model and can be changed from the toolbar. |
| Permission Management | Risk-based approve/deny UI with Allow, Allow Session, Deny, and 5-minute auto-deny handling. |
| Effort Levels | Auto, Low, Medium, High, XHigh, and Max reasoning controls for each session. |
| Model Selection | Claude Code aliases with localized descriptions, including Opus, Sonnet, Haiku, 1M context, and plan variants. |
| File Attachments | Drag-and-drop files and images. Smart paste detects images, file paths, URLs, and long text. |
| Attachment Auto-Preview Settings | Toggle automatic preview chips separately for URLs, file paths, images, and long text. |
| Slash Commands | Built-in and custom command system with built-in command edits/toggles and custom-command JSON import/export. |
| Shortcut Buttons | Configurable quick-access buttons for frequent prompts and terminal commands. |
| Message Queue | Queue messages while Claude is responding; cancel queued items with ESC or the remove button. |
| Status Line | Project path, model, 5-hour and 7-day rate limits, context usage, and response time at a glance. |
| Built-in Terminal | SwiftTerm-powered inspector terminal with reset support, plus full interactive terminal sheets. |
| File Explorer | Project file tree with search, hidden-file toggle, syntax-highlighted preview, file editing, and @path insertion. |
| Git Status | Sidebar Git status summary with changed-file counts, branch display, and local/remote branch switching. |
| GitHub Integration | OAuth device flow, Keychain token storage, SSH key management, repository browsing, and cloning. |
| Memo Panel | Per-project rich-text memo pad with headings, lists, checkboxes, links, and persistent storage. |
| Skill Marketplace | Browse and install official Anthropic plugins, refreshed with a 5-minute cache. |
| Themes and Font Controls | Six accent themes plus independent font size controls for the interface and message area. |
| Focus Mode | Optional focused chat layout that can be enabled from Settings. |
| Notifications | Optional system notifications with response previews while Clarc is in the background. |
| Localization | Full English and Korean UI. |
| User Guide | Built-in in-app help guide accessible from the toolbar and Settings. |
| Auto-update | Sparkle-based update checking on launch, with manual checks from the app menu. |
- macOS 15.0 or later
- Claude Code CLI installed and authenticated
- Xcode with Swift 6.2+ toolchain for building the current source tree
- Download the latest
Clarc-x.y.z.zipfrom the Releases page. - Unzip and move
Clarc.appto yourApplicationsfolder. - Launch
Clarc.app.
macOS Sequoia blocks the first launch of any downloaded app, even notarized ones, and routes approval through System Settings instead of the old right-click -> Open flow.
When you see "Apple could not verify 'Clarc.app' is free of malware...":
- Click Done on the dialog.
- Open System Settings -> Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to the Security section and click Open Anyway next to
Clarc.app. - Confirm with your password or Touch ID.
After this one-time approval, Clarc launches normally. The app is signed with a Developer ID certificate and notarized by Apple. This prompt is standard macOS behavior, not a security warning specific to Clarc.
open Clarc.xcodeprojFor a CLI build:
xcodebuild -project Clarc.xcodeproj -scheme Clarc -configuration Debug buildFor tests:
xcodebuild test -project Clarc.xcodeproj -scheme Clarc -destination 'platform=macOS'
swift test --package-path PackagesFor a signed release ZIP, use the release scripts under scripts/.
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
Clarc/ |
macOS app target: app entry point, views, services, resources, and integrations. |
Packages/Sources/ClarcCore/ |
Shared models, theme, utilities, Git helpers, and pure core logic. |
Packages/Sources/ClarcChatKit/ |
Reusable chat UI, message rendering, input bar, slash commands, shortcuts, diffs, and status line. |
ClarcTests/ |
App-level XCTest coverage. |
Packages/Tests/ |
Swift Testing coverage for core utilities. |
release_notes/ |
Human-readable release notes used for publishing. |
scripts/ |
Build, notarization, Sparkle signing, and release automation. |
Apache License 2.0. See the LICENSE file for details.