Claude Code

The Claude Code module installs claude, Anthropic's coding agent for the terminal, and turns off its self-updates. Claude Code can read and edit files and run commands in the VM.

Enable Claude Code

Add lmx:claude to the modules in limanix.toml:

limanix.toml

[nixos]
modules = ["lmx:claude"]

Apply the change from your Mac. The update restarts the VM; see Changing a VM.

Mac

limanix update --config limanix.toml

Start a session

Run claude from your project's directory in the VM:

VM

claude

Sign in through the prompts on first launch, or with /login inside a session. Anthropic's authentication guide covers account and provider options. The module does not copy the sign-in from your Mac.

claude --continue and claude --resume return to earlier sessions, and claude doctor runs diagnostics; lmx help claude lists them. Claude Code needs internet access from the VM; see its system requirements.

Versions and updates

Claude Code comes from the catalog's nixos-unstable package set, and the module has no version lines. A newer version arrives with a newer catalog. claude --version shows the installed one.

The module sets DISABLE_UPDATES=1 in every session, which turns off background and manual updates. claude update and claude install are refused: a separate copy under ~/.local would bypass the catalog's version and update itself.

Claude Code is unfree software, and the NixOS binary cache does not carry it. The module allows the package, and the VM builds it when the module is applied, by wrapping and patching Anthropic's downloaded binary.

Keep state across VMs

Claude Code keeps its sign-in, settings, session transcripts, prompt history and memory in ~/.claude/ and ~/.claude.json. Your home keeps them while the VM exists, but a recreated VM gets a new home and starts without them.

To keep them on your Mac, share a Mac directory with the VM and point CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR at it. Claude Code then also stores .claude.json there, and one mount holds all of its state:

limanix.toml

[env]
CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR = "/home/dev/.claude"

[[mounts]]
source = "~/.limanix/agents/dev-box/claude"
target = "/home/dev/.claude"
mode = "rw"

Use your user.home in place of /home/dev, and add the variable to your existing [env] table. Create the Mac directory before you run limanix create or limanix update; see Shared folders.

• Give each VM a directory of its own. Two VMs that write the same directory at once can overwrite each other's .claude.json.
• Don't mount your Mac's ~/.claude. macOS keeps the Claude Code sign-in in the Keychain, and Mac hooks and plugins may not run in Linux.
• Transcripts belong to the project's path in the VM. To resume a project's sessions in a new VM, share the project at the same path.

WARNING

The directory holds the sign-in in .credentials.json and plaintext transcripts that can contain file contents and command output. Keep it out of repositories and synced folders.

Settings

The module sets no model, permission or sandbox preferences: Claude Code uses its own configuration. A project can share settings in .claude/settings.json and keep personal ones in .claude/settings.local.json; see Anthropic's settings files.

Claude Code does not install your project's toolchain. When a project command is missing, choose the language in Toolchains or add a module that provides the tool.