This project offers a telemetry-free build of the Claude Code CLI (v2.1.88), targeting users prioritizing privacy. It provides a drop-in replacement for the official client, eliminating all background data transmission while retaining core functionality. The primary benefit is enhanced user privacy and control over data.

How It Works

claude-private removes telemetry via multi-layered patching. Binary patching replaces over 17 telemetry URLs with dummy strings and zeroes out tokens, preserving binary size. A wrapper script enforces environment overrides to disable non-essential traffic and telemetry exporters. Source-level patches across 19 files ensure comprehensive removal. This guarantees a functional clone without data leakage.

Quick Start & Requirements

Download claude-private-2.1.88.run from releases, make executable (chmod +x), and run (./claude-private-2.1.88.run). Use --prefix for custom installation paths. The self-contained Bun executable requires no dependencies and runs on any Linux x86_64 system.

Highlighted Details

• Removes 17+ telemetry mechanisms (Datadog, BigQuery, GrowthBook).
• Core Anthropic Messages API (POST /v1/messages) remains untouched.
• Integrates with alternative backends (OpenAI, vLLM, Ollama) via claude-code-router using ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL.
• Includes patch_binary.py for reproducible patching from newer official versions.

Maintenance & Community

No community channels, roadmap, or notable contributors/sponsorships are listed. Maintenance relies on users re-patching from newer official source code availability.

Licensing & Compatibility

The README omits a license. It's a modified build of Anthropic's Claude Code CLI. Compatibility is limited to Linux x86_64. Commercial use implications are unclear due to the unstated license.

Limitations & Caveats

Restricted to Linux x86_64 platforms. Auto-updates are disabled; manual re-patching is required. Features dependent on remote services (Grove, referrals, team memory sync) are degraded or non-functional. Based on Claude Code CLI v2.1.88.