💬 cchat - Chat with Claude from the terminal

🖥️ What cchat does

cchat lets you use Claude in a terminal window. It gives you a clean text chat view, vi-style keybinds, session support, file and skill attachments, and command or file auto-complete. It also helps you hand tasks off to Claude Code when you need a bigger workflow.

📥 Download cchat for Windows

1. Open the cchat Releases page
2. Find the latest Windows file
3. Download the file that matches your system
4. Save it to a folder you can find again, such as Downloads or Desktop

If the release page shows more than one file, choose the Windows version. If you use a 64-bit Windows PC, pick the file marked for Windows x64 when available.

⚙️ Before you start

You need:

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• A Claude account or access to Claude
• Internet access
• A terminal app such as Windows Terminal or PowerShell

For best results, use a recent version of Windows. cchat is built for text input and works best in a terminal window that can handle colors and keyboard shortcuts.

🚀 Install and run

1. Download the latest Windows release from the Releases page
2. Open the downloaded file
3. If Windows shows a security prompt, choose the option that lets you run the file
4. Follow any on-screen steps
5. Start cchat from the terminal or from the app file you downloaded

If the release comes as a ZIP file:

1. Right-click the ZIP file
2. Choose Extract All
3. Open the extracted folder
4. Run the cchat file inside the folder

If the release comes as an EXE file:

1. Double-click the EXE file
2. Let Windows finish the setup or launch process
3. Open cchat after the file starts

⌨️ How to use cchat

After cchat opens, you can type a message and press Enter to send it.

Common actions:

• Type a chat message and press Enter
• Use arrow keys to move through text
• Use vi keybinds if you prefer keyboard navigation
• Attach a file when you want Claude to read it
• Attach a skill when you want Claude to follow a task pattern
• Use command completion to speed up input
• Use file completion to pick files without typing full paths

If you know basic terminal use, cchat feels simple. If you do not, treat it like a chat window with keyboard control.

📁 Sessions and task handoff

cchat supports session management, so you can return to the same conversation later. This helps when you want to keep work in one place instead of starting over.

You can also hand tasks off to Claude Code. Use this when you need a task that fits better in a coding workflow or needs a follow-up in a code-focused tool.

🔎 Tips for smoother use

• Keep your terminal window wide enough to read long replies
• Save your files in a folder you can reach fast
• Use file attachment when Claude needs context from a document
• Use session support when you want to come back to a chat later
• Use vi keybinds if you already know them from other tools

🧩 Main features

• Claude chat in the terminal
• vi keybind support
• Session management
• File attachments
• Skill attachments
• Command auto-completion
• File auto-completion
• Task handoff to Claude Code
• Simple REPL-style workflow
• Clean TUI layout

🪟 Windows notes

On Windows, cchat works best when you launch it from a terminal app. If you use Windows Terminal, PowerShell, or Command Prompt, keep the window open while you chat.

If text looks crowded:

• Maximize the terminal window
• Increase the font size
• Use a font that supports clear line spacing
• Keep long prompts short when possible

🛠️ Troubleshooting

If cchat does not open:

• Check that the file finished downloading
• Make sure you picked the Windows file
• Try running it again from the same folder
• Open it from a terminal window if the app does not start on double-click

If you cannot attach a file:

• Check that the file exists
• Use the file picker or file completion
• Move the file to a simple folder path like Documents or Desktop

If the terminal looks wrong:

• Restart the terminal
• Open a new window
• Try Windows Terminal if you used another terminal app

📌 File and session habits

Keep your work easy to find:

• Use one folder for project files
• Keep related chat sessions in one place
• Name files clearly
• Attach only the files Claude needs

This makes chat history and file context easier to manage.

📚 Project topics

This repository covers:

• agentic
• agentic-workflow
• claude
• claude-ai
• claude-chat
• claude-cli
• claude-code
• cli
• prompt-toolkit
• python
• repl
• single-file
• terminal
• tui
• tui-app

🔗 Download again

If you need the file later, use the same download page:

Visit the cchat Releases page

🧭 Quick start

1. Visit the Releases page
2. Download the latest Windows build
3. Open the file you downloaded
4. Launch cchat in a terminal
5. Start chatting with Claude