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claude-code-source-code-deo…/specs/architecture.md
Geoffrey Huntley 14b8886eee initial commmit
2025-03-01 20:23:32 +11:00

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# Claude Code CLI - Technical Architecture
## System Overview
The Claude Code CLI is built as a Node.js application written in TypeScript, compiled with webpack, and structured as a CommonJS module. It uses a combination of local processing and remote AI capabilities to provide an intelligent coding assistant within the terminal environment.
## High-Level Components
### 1. Terminal Interface Layer
- Handles raw input/output with the terminal
- Manages command history and editing
- Implements custom rendering for code, tables, and other structured outputs
- Captures and redirects system outputs from executed commands
### 2. Command Processing Engine
- Parses natural language inputs
- Identifies command intents and parameters
- Routes requests to appropriate handlers
- Manages conversation context and history
### 3. Codebase Analysis System
- Scans and indexes project files
- Builds dependency graphs and structure maps
- Performs text and semantic searching
- Monitors file system changes
### 4. Execution Environment
- Executes shell commands securely
- Captures and parses command outputs
- Manages environment variables and context
- Handles background and long-running processes
### 5. AI Integration Layer
- Formats requests to the Claude API
- Processes and parses AI responses
- Manages AI context and history
- Handles authentication and API communication
### 6. File Operation System
- Reads and writes files with appropriate permissions
- Generates diffs and patches
- Implements version control operations
- Handles file watching and change detection
## Data Flow Architecture
1. **Input Processing Flow**
- Terminal input → Command parser → Intent classification → Handler selection → Action execution
2. **Context Gathering Flow**
- Command intent → Context requirements → File system queries → Codebase analysis → Context compilation
3. **AI Request Flow**
- User intent + Context → Request formatting → API authentication → Request transmission → Response reception → Response parsing
4. **Response Handling Flow**
- Parsed response → Action extraction → Command generation → Execution → Output capture → Formatted display
## Implementation Details
### Programming Language and Runtime
- Built with TypeScript
- Runs on Node.js (v18+)
- Packaged as an ESM module
### Key Dependencies
- Sentry SDK for error tracking
- Sharp for image processing (optional)
- Terminal rendering libraries
- File system utilities
### Design Patterns
- Command Pattern for action encapsulation
- Observer Pattern for system monitoring
- Factory Pattern for handler creation
- Adapter Pattern for external integrations
## Execution Flow
1. **Initialization Phase**
- Environment validation
- Configuration loading
- Authentication verification
- Workspace scanning
2. **Main Execution Loop**
- Input capture
- Command processing
- Context gathering
- AI request/response handling
- Action execution
- Result presentation
3. **Termination Phase**
- Session state saving
- Resource cleanup
- Telemetry submission (if enabled)
## Error Handling Architecture
- Hierarchical error classification
- Graceful degradation for non-critical failures
- Comprehensive logging with Sentry integration
- User-friendly error messages with suggestions
- Automatic retry mechanisms where appropriate
## Security Architecture
- Local execution model (no code execution on remote servers)
- Permission-based command execution
- Secure credential storage
- Data minimization in API requests
- Telemetry anonymization
## Extensibility Points
- Custom command handlers
- Project-specific configuration
- Tool integration adapters
- Language-specific processors