Open-source CLI fork for developers who want control

Claude Code,
but better.

The fork for people who wanted the tool, not the lock-in. Better-Clawd keeps the good parts and fixes the frustrating parts.

No telemetryBetter performanceMulti-provider support
$npm install -g better-clawd
Install from npmView on GitHub

Why this exists

Claude Code had a great core idea but too much baggage. The original tool was promising, but the experience was compromised by decisions that prioritized vendor interests over user freedom.

Hardcoded vendor assumptions

Forced into one ecosystem with no easy way out.

Unnecessary telemetry

Phone-home behavior you never asked for.

Service lock-in

Tight coupling to a single provider's backend.

Awkward account boundaries

Authentication tied too closely to one company.

Product decisions tied to one backend

Features shaped by business needs, not user needs.

Better-Clawd keeps the good parts and fixes what should have been fixed a long time ago.

What Better-Clawd changes

Concrete improvements you can actually use. No marketing fluff, no vaporware promises.

01

Full Better-Clawd rebrand

Clean separation from the original. Your tooling, your identity.

02

OpenAI support

API keys and Codex login import/refresh flow. Native integration, not a bolt-on hack.

03

OpenRouter support

Access hundreds of models through a single provider. Your choice, your models.

04

Telemetry removed

No phone-home behavior. Your sessions stay yours.

05

Faster performance

Optimized for speed with better memory management, faster response times, and smoother long sessions.

06

Local-first behavior

Reduced external dependencies. Works on your terms, on your machine.

07

Anthropic support retained

Still works with Anthropic for those who want it. We removed lock-in, not options.

Provider freedom

Use the provider that works for you. Setup happens directly in the CLI via /login and /status.

OpenAI

Full API key support plus Codex login import and refresh flow.

Base URL
https://api.openai.com/v1
WebSocket
wss://api.openai.com/v1/responses

OpenRouter

Access hundreds of models from a single API endpoint.

Base URL
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
Responses API
https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/responses

Anthropic

Native login and API key flows retained for those who want them.

Auth
Native login flow supported
API
Standard API key flow

Install and setup

Get started in under a minute. Everything happens in the CLI.

Installation

bash
npm install -g better-clawd

Or run directly with npx:

bash
npx better-clawd

Setup flow

  1. 1Run better-clawd
  2. 2Run /login
  3. 3Pick your provider
  4. 4Run /status to verify

Environment variables

For CI, headless, forced-provider, or custom endpoint use, env vars are supported.

OpenAI configuration

env
BETTER_CLAWD_API_PROVIDER=openai
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_key_here
OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.openai.com/v1

OpenRouter configuration

env
BETTER_CLAWD_API_PROVIDER=openrouter
OPENROUTER_API_KEY=your_key_here
OPENROUTER_BASE_URL=https://openrouter.ai/api/v1

What you get

A CLI that respects your choices. Built by developers who were tired of fighting their own tools.

  • Better provider freedom — use OpenAI, OpenRouter, or Anthropic
  • Better performance than the original Claude Code
  • OpenAI and OpenRouter support without weird bolt-on hacks
  • Less phone-home behavior
  • A CLI that is easier to inspect, modify, and run on your own terms
better-clawd
$better-clawd
✓ Initialized
>/status
Provider: openai
Status: connected
Telemetry: disabled
>_

FAQ

Common questions, straight answers.