Automate Claude Code Workflows with Claudraband

What you’ll get

A way to drive Claude Code (the paid AI coding assistant that runs in your terminal) automatically, instead of typing to it by hand every time. Claudraband is a “wrapper”: it runs Claude Code inside a controlled terminal so you can feed it prompts from a script, resume a paused session later, control it over the network, or build it into your own app. Useful when you want the AI to grind through repetitive coding tasks in the background.

Tools you need

• Claude Code (paid): the AI coding assistant being automated. Needs a paid Claude plan or API credits.
• Claudraband (free): the open-source wrapper that gives you the cband command. This is what you install.
• tmux (free): a terminal tool that keeps a session running in the background; Claudraband uses it for “visible” sessions you can watch.
• xterm.js (free): used for “headless” sessions, meaning they run with no window on screen, handy for automation.

Steps

1. Install Claudraband: open its GitHub page and follow the README to install (it is a Node.js tool, so installation is typically through your terminal). When done, typing cband should run without an error.

2. Pick a session style: Claudraband runs Claude Code inside a managed session. Use tmux if you want to see the session live, or a headless one (no window) when you just want it to run quietly in the background.

3. Run a resumable, non-interactive prompt: instead of chatting, send a single prompt to a saved session by its ID. For example, to ask about an earlier step:

   cband continue <session-id> 'what was the result of the research?'

   It runs the prompt against that session and returns the answer, no manual typing needed. (A “session ID” is just the label that identifies one ongoing Claude Code conversation.)

4. Control it remotely over the network: start a small built-in web server so other programs (or another machine) can send prompts to Claude Code:

   cband serve --port 8123

   Pick any free port number; 8123 is just an example. You should see it report that it is listening on that port.

5. Connect alternative front-ends: an “ACP server” lets other editors (like Zed or Toad) act as the screen you interact with, while Claude Code does the work underneath. Start one and choose a model:

   cband acp --model haiku

6. Build it into your own app (optional): Claudraband ships a TypeScript code library, so if you write software, you can call these same abilities from your own program.

Original source

Based on the Claudraband project by halfwhey, shared on Hacker News. It is a terminal wrapper that turns Claude Code into something you can script, resume, and remote-control, rather than only driving it by hand.

Notes & variations

• Cost: Claudraband, tmux, and xterm.js are free and open-source, but Claude Code itself needs a paid plan or API credits.
• Common pitfall: forgetting that a headless session has no window. If you cannot find your session, list or attach to it rather than assuming it failed.
• Tip for better results: start with the simple cband continue command on one session before reaching for the server or ACP features. Get one automated prompt working end to end, then build up.