Claude Code and Cowork: Same Brain, Different Interfaces

Both Claude Code and Cowork are powered by the same **agentic architecture**. While Claude Code is built for developers in the terminal, **Cowork** brings that same power to Claude Desktop for all types of knowledge work.

Claude Code (CLI)

Optimized for software engineering and deep codebase interactions.

  • ✅ Terminal-based interface
  • ✅ Deep code understanding
  • ✅ Git integration and test running
  • ✅ Ideal for dev workflows

Cowork (Desktop App)

Optimized for general knowledge work, document creation, and research.

  • ✅ GUI-based "Tasks" tab in macOS app
  • ✅ Knowledge work beyond coding
  • ✅ Professional file outputs (Excel, PPT)
  • ✅ Integrated web research

When to use Cowork?

Cowork is designed for complex, multi-step work that benefits from direct file access and extended execution time. Example use cases include:

  • File Management: Organizing downloads, processing receipts, or batch renaming files.
  • Research Synthesis: Combining web searches, papers, and notes into coherent reports.
  • Document Creation: Generating spreadsheets with formulas or slide decks from messy notes.
  • Data Transformation: Cleaning and analyzing datasets directly on your machine.

Getting Started with the Tasks Tab

Accessing the agentic power of Cowork is simple for macOS Max plan users:

  1. Open **Claude Desktop** on macOS.
  2. Switch the mode selector from "Chat" to the **Cowork** tab (Tasks mode).
  3. Describe your desired outcome (e.g., "Create a formatted expense report from the receipts in this folder").
  4. Review Claude's planned approach and let it run autonomously.

Important Note

Cowork is a research preview. It requires an active internet connection and that the Claude Desktop app remains open while the task is executing. Closing the app will end your session.