Run multiple Claude Code configurations side by side.
Claude Code keeps all configuration in a single ~/.claude/ directory. That's fine until you need:
- Multiple subscriptions — Juggling 2–5 Max accounts? You have to log out and back in every time you switch. There's no way to run two subscriptions simultaneously.
- API and subscription side by side — Want API access for one project and your Max subscription for another? Same problem — one config, one auth.
- Different tools per project — Your web project needs Tailwind skills and a database MCP server. Your CLI tool needs none of that. But every Claude Code session loads the same plugins, the same MCP servers, the same hooks.
- Testing without risk — Want to see if a new MCP server is eating your context window? You'd have to disable everything else, test, then re-enable. No way to isolate the experiment.
Each configuration becomes its own isolated rig — with its own settings, skills, plugins, agents, commands, hooks, MCP servers, and instructions. Auth can be shared across rigs or kept separate. Run them side by side in different terminals. No conflicts.
# Terminal 1: your Max subscription, minimal setup
claude --rig=minimal
# Terminal 2: different Max account, full web dev stack
claude --rig=webdev
# Terminal 3: API access, experimental MCP server you're testing
claude --rig=experimentMost tools in this space swap credential files between accounts. claude-rig isolates the entire configuration — and lets you run them simultaneously.
| claude-rig | Credential switchers | |
|---|---|---|
| Run multiple configs simultaneously | Yes | No — must close Claude first |
| Isolated settings, plugins, MCP, hooks | Yes | No — auth only |
| Choose what's shared vs isolated per rig | Yes | No |
| Per-project auto-selection | Yes | No |
| Status, diff, export/import | Yes | No |
| Dependencies | None (single binary) | Varies |
- Doesn't modify Claude Code. Uses the official
CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIRenvironment variable and--add-dirflag. No patches, no forks. - Doesn't manage Claude Code installation. Install Claude Code separately — claude-rig just manages its configuration.
- Doesn't replace project-level config. Your project's
CLAUDE.mdand.claude/still work as normal. Rigs handle user-level configuration. - No external dependencies. Single Go binary, stdlib only.
Homebrew (macOS / Linux):
brew install edimuj/tap/claude-rigShell script (macOS / Linux):
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/edimuj/claude-rig/main/install.sh | shPowerShell (Windows):
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/edimuj/claude-rig/main/install.ps1 | iexGo install:
go install github.com/edimuj/claude-rig/cmd/claude-rig@latestDownload binaries: GitHub Releases — macOS, Linux, Windows.
# One-time setup
claude-rig init
# Create your first rig
claude-rig create minimal
# Or clone your existing ~/.claude/ config as a starting point
claude-rig clone default webdev --link-auth
# Launch explicitly
claude-rig launch webdev
# Or bind to a project and just run claude-rig
cd ~/projects/my-app
claude-rig rc webdev
claude-rig # picks up the rig automatically| Command | Description |
|---|---|
init |
Initialize claude-rig and install shell integration |
create <name> |
Create a new rig (--link-auth, --no-isolate-defaults, --isolate-all) |
clone <src|default> <dest> |
Clone a rig or ~/.claude/ config |
delete <name> |
Delete a rig |
rename <old> <new> |
Rename a rig |
list |
List all rigs (* = running sessions) |
launch [name] [args] |
Launch Claude Code with a rig |
rc [name] |
Show or create .claude-rig file for current directory |
sync [rig] |
Sync symlinks, inherited items, plugins, MCP, settings |
settings <sub> |
Manage default settings applied to all rigs |
isolate <rig> <items> |
Isolate items per rig |
share <rig> <items> |
Reverse isolation |
isolation [rig] |
Show isolation status for one or all rigs |
inherit <items> [rig] |
Inherit global skills/agents/hooks/commands |
uninherit <items> [rig] |
Stop inheriting |
link-auth <name> |
Link rig to shared auth |
unlink-auth <name> |
Remove shared auth |
set-args [name] <args> |
Set default launch args (global or per-rig) |
show-args [name] |
Show default launch args |
plugin <subcommand> |
Run claude plugin commands on the correct rig |
update-plugins [rigs] |
Update marketplace plugins across rigs |
versions |
List installed Claude Code versions on disk |
pin <version> |
Pin rig to a specific Claude Code version |
unpin |
Remove version pin |
update |
Update Claude Code |
blueprint <sub> |
Shareable rig specs: create, apply, inspect, list, pack |
diff <rig1> <rig2> |
Compare two rigs |
export <rig> [file] |
Export rig to .tar.gz |
import <file> <name> |
Import rig from archive |
status [rig] |
Show rig status: disk, sessions, last used |
doctor |
Diagnose broken symlinks, plugin/MCP health |
Each rig is a full config directory under ~/.claude-rig/rigs/<name>/:
~/.claude-rig/rigs/webdev/
.claude.json ← Real file (MCP servers, onboarding state)
CLAUDE.md ← Real file (rig-specific instructions)
settings.json ← Real file (rig-specific config)
rig.json ← Isolation config, synced plugins/MCP, overrides
skills/ ← Real directory
plugins/ ← Real directory (synced from global by default)
conversations/ ← Real dir (isolated by default)
history.jsonl ← Real file (isolated by default)
telemetry/ → ~/.claude/ ← Symlink (shared by default)
...
On launch, claude-rig resolves the binary (pinned or latest on disk), sets CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR to the rig directory, loads global ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md via --add-dir, refreshes symlinks, then replaces itself with Claude Code via exec. Two instances with different rigs run simultaneously without conflicts.
- Linux — Full support
- macOS — Full support
- Windows — Requires Developer Mode (for symlinks). See docs/windows.md.
| Topic | Doc |
|---|---|
| Per-project RC files, shell integration, CLAUDE.md, templates | docs/configuration.md |
| Isolation model, configurable isolation, global inheritance | docs/isolation.md |
| Plugin sync, MCP sync, default settings, version management | docs/sync.md |
| Blueprints — declarative, shareable rig specs | docs/blueprints.md |
| Export, import, status, diff | docs/export-import.md |
| Windows setup, known limitations | docs/windows.md |
| Project | Description |
|---|---|
| tokenlean | Lean CLI tools for AI agents — reduce context, save tokens |
| claude-mneme | Automatic session memory — every session picks up where the last left off |
| vexscan | Security scanner for AI agent plugins, skills, MCPs, and configs |
| claude-workshop | Collection of useful plugins and tools for Claude Code |
| claude-simple-status | No-frills statusline showing model, context, and quota usage |
make build # build binary
make build-windows # cross-compile for Windows (amd64)
make run ARGS="version" # run without installing
make install # install to ~/go/bin/MIT