Claude Code Single Binary

Claude Code Single-Binary Executables

This document provides comprehensive information about building Claude Code as single-binary executables for multiple platforms using Bun's native compilation and embedding features.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Technical Architecture
• Build Prerequisites
• Building Executables
• Distribution Matrix
• Platform-Specific Notes
• Troubleshooting
• Windows-Specific Fixes
  • Import.meta Module Error Fix
  • POSIX Shell Bypass
  • Ripgrep Windows Fixes
  • Windows ARM64 Support
• Technical Details
• Contributing
• License

Overview

Claude Code can be compiled into standalone executables that bundle the entire application, runtime, and all assets into a single binary file. This eliminates the need for users to install Node.js, Bun, or any dependencies.

The source package is fetched from the official npm registry: [`@anthropic-ai/claude-code`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@anthropic-ai/claude-code)

Key Features

• Zero Dependencies: Single executable file with no external requirements
• Cross-Platform: Build for Linux, macOS, and Windows from any platform
• Optimized: Includes minification, sourcemaps, and optional bytecode compilation
• Embedded Assets: All resources (WASM files, native modules) are embedded directly
• Multiple Variants: Support for modern CPUs, older hardware, and different libc implementations

Technical Architecture

Build Process Overview

graph TD
    A[Original CLI Source] --> B[prepare-bundle-native.js]
    B --> C[Modified CLI with Embedded Assets]
    C --> D[Bun Build --compile]
    D --> E[Single Binary Exec