Choose local Claude Code when the work needs your development machine’s environment; choose an Anthropic-hosted cloud session when it should keep running after you close your laptop; consider self-hosted cloud execution when your organization needs sessions to run on infrastructure it controls. These are different execution environments, not simply different ways to open the same session.
What changes between local and cloud Claude Code?
With local Claude Code, the client and project work run on your development machine. With an Anthropic-hosted cloud session, the session runs on remote infrastructure in the environment configured for it. That distinction affects which environment the work can use, whether it can continue without your laptop, and who operates the infrastructure. It does not establish that either workflow is universally faster, cheaper, safer, or more capable.
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Three ways to run Claude Code
Local: work in your development environment
Local Claude Code fits a task that depends on the project setup, files, or tools available on your machine, or a workflow you want to conduct from a terminal or IDE. The local setup guide lists macOS 10.15 or later, Ubuntu 20.04 or later or Debian 10 or later, and Windows 10 or later with WSL or Git for Windows. It also lists at least 4 GB of RAM and Node.js 18 or later for its documented installation route. The page may not reflect current requirements, so check the current Claude Code setup guide before installing.
“Local” does not mean offline: Anthropic’s setup documentation says an internet connection is needed for authentication and AI processing. Nor does it mean every file or local event is automatically recorded in a transcript; transcript visibility is a separate question discussed below.
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Anthropic-hosted cloud: let a remote session continue
A cloud session runs remotely rather than on your computer. The cloud workflow documentation says a session can continue after you close the laptop, and that you can check or steer it from another device. It lists browser, mobile app, desktop app, terminal, and routines as ways to start or access cloud work. The surfaced documentation lists availability for Pro, Max, and Team plans, and for Enterprise users with premium seats or Chat + Claude Code seats; plan eligibility and product availability can change. Check current availability in Anthropic’s product documentation and your account before relying on a particular entry point.
Cloud work uses the configured cloud environment; it should not be assumed to have automatic access to arbitrary files on your computer. The documentation surfaced for this workflow is a community-maintained mirror of Claude Code cloud documentation, rather than a canonical Anthropic page, so treat plan and command details as subject to verification.
Self-hosted cloud: run sessions on infrastructure your organization controls
On August 6, 2026, Anthropic announced that self-hosted environments were in public beta, allowing Claude Code sessions to run on an organization’s own infrastructure. The announcement says sessions can start from web, mobile, desktop, or a routine, and run inside the organization’s network alongside its internal services, toolchains, and security controls. This is a distinct option from Anthropic-hosted cloud, not just a local terminal session.
Control comes with operational responsibility: the announcement says engineering staff must handle setup and ongoing maintenance. Anthropic recommends its hosted offering for most enterprises seeking operational simplicity. Running on infrastructure an organization controls does not, by itself, establish that a deployment meets a particular security or compliance requirement. See Anthropic’s self-hosted environments announcement for the beta details.
Compare the workflows by the decision that matters
| Decision factor | Local session | Anthropic-hosted cloud | Self-hosted cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where execution runs | On the developer’s machine. Anthropic setup guide | On remote, Anthropic-managed infrastructure by default. Cloud workflow documentation mirror | On organization-controlled infrastructure. Anthropic announcement |
| What happens when the laptop closes? | The cited setup guide does not establish that a session persists independently of the machine. | The documentation says sessions continue after the laptop closes. Cloud workflow documentation mirror | The announcement describes cloud sessions but does not establish detailed persistence behavior. Check current product documentation. Anthropic announcement |
| Environment and files | Uses the developer’s machine environment; actual access depends on setup and permissions. | Uses the cloud environment configured for the session; arbitrary local-file access is not established. | Can run alongside internal services and toolchains when the organization configures it that way. Anthropic announcement |
| Where you can start or access work | Terminal or IDE workflow. | Browser, mobile app, desktop app, terminal, and routines are listed in the surfaced documentation; check current availability. Cloud workflow documentation mirror | Web, mobile, desktop, and routines are listed in Anthropic’s announcement. Anthropic announcement |
| Who operates the execution environment? | The developer manages the local machine and its environment. | Anthropic manages the hosted infrastructure by default. | The organization owns setup and ongoing maintenance. Anthropic announcement |
Choose the workflow that matches your project
- Choose local when the task depends on your current machine’s project environment or tools, or when you want to stay in a terminal or IDE.
- Choose Anthropic-hosted cloud when a session needs to continue while your laptop is closed, or you want to monitor or steer it from another device, and the configured cloud environment suits the task.
- Evaluate self-hosted cloud when execution needs to occur on infrastructure your organization controls, and your engineering team can own setup and maintenance.
Do not confuse cloud sessions with Remote Control. The surfaced documentation describes them as separate workflows: a cloud session runs remotely, while Remote Control lets you steer a local session. It also describes CLI handoff using claude --cloud to start cloud work and --teleport to continue a cloud session in a terminal. Command behavior can change by version; confirm the current CLI documentation before relying on these commands.
What transcript visibility and retention mean for enterprise teams
Anthropic’s enterprise compliance documentation describes local-session transcripts as records of what Claude was asked and returned, including tool calls and results. It says file and network activity is visible through those calls and results, so local activity that never reaches the API—for example, a file the session never sent—is not captured in that transcript. This describes transcript coverage in the documented enterprise context; it is not proof that all data in every local workflow remains on the device. See Anthropic’s session transcript documentation.
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Anthropic’s API and data-retention documentation states that, in the described enterprise context, local-session transcripts are retained for six years by default or according to the organization’s custom finite conversation-retention period. It says remote-session transcripts are retained for six years unless the user deletes the session sooner. Those durations are not universal guarantees for every account, plan, or API configuration; the page describes other arrangements and exceptions. Check the organization’s account configuration, applicable product terms, and retention policy before using sensitive code. See Anthropic’s API and data-retention documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check availability and handoff details before adopting a workflow
Cloud plan eligibility, supported surfaces, beta status, and CLI behavior are product details that can change. Confirm them in current official documentation and in your account before planning a team workflow. The cited sources do not establish comparative prices, usage allowances, regional availability, runtime limits, or performance advantages, so those should not be assumed when choosing between local and cloud execution.
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