Vs · Claude Code

Anvaya vs Claude Code.

The terminal agent that made agentic coding mainstream — against the local-first challenger with a memory. Honest table, real tradeoffs.

Direct answer

Anvaya vs Claude Code comes down to three differences. Models: Claude Code runs Anthropic models only; Anvaya is Ollama-first with zero keys and optional Anthropic, OpenAI, or custom gateways. Memory: Claude Code relies on a hand-maintained CLAUDE.md plus auto-memory files; Anvaya keeps a local knowledge graph — typed nodes, per-type decay, git drift detection, outcome-calibrated utility — packing 2–4K tokens per turn instead of ~50K raw (12–25x design estimate). Execution: Claude Code is cloud-processed and terminal-first; Anvaya is local-first, fully offline, ~15MB binary at ~5MB idle, with a 7-screen TUI plus headless CI mode. Claude Code still leads on frontier reasoning depth and harness maturity; Anvaya wins on privacy, marginal cost, and compounding context. Many developers will run both, bridged over MCP.

The Table

Side by Side.

DimensionClaude CodeAnvayaWinner
ModelsAnthropic onlyOllama + Anthropic, OpenAI, customAnvaya on choice
Memory modelCLAUDE.md + auto-memoryTyped graph, decay, calibrationAnvaya on compounding
Session-50 context~50K (est., flat)~2–4K packed (design est.)Anvaya (projected)
Reasoning peakOpus-class frontierModel-dependent (BYO)Claude Code
OfflineNoYesAnvaya
PrivacyCloud processingLocal by defaultAnvaya
Harness maturityMature hooks, git flowPre-1.0, builds from sourceClaude Code
Entry price$20/mo$0 local loopAnvaya

Questions

Asked About Switching.

Q

Should I switch from Claude Code to Anvaya?

Switch if you want local-first execution and memory that compounds: Ollama-first, offline, sessions that get cheaper with use. Stay if you want the most mature Anthropic-native harness with the deepest frontier reasoning — or use both, with Anvaya's memory served to Claude Code over MCP.

Q

Can I use both at once?

Yes — this is the recommended setup during beta. Keep Claude Code as the harness, attach Anvaya Mind over MCP, and Claude turns start arriving with packed project memory. Record outcomes from either side; one graph serves both.

Q

Which is cheaper?

Claude Code starts at $20/mo with usage windows (heavy use: $100–200/mo tiers). Anvaya's local loop is $0 marginal on your hardware; paid cloud turns shrink via 12–25x per-node compression. Anvaya pricing is unset (pre-1.0); the core stays local-first.

Q

Are the Anvaya numbers measured?

Per-node compression ratios (12–25x) are design estimates measured in the Mind repos, not benchmark runs. Competitor session behavior is estimated from public docs (labeled est. everywhere). Open measurement trials with published scripts arrive Q3 2026 — see /benchmarks.

Stop Starting From Zero.

One binary. 11+9 Rust crates. 545 tests. Hand-written HNSW index. Three transport modes. Four providers, Ollama, Anthropic, OpenAI, Siemens. Zero API keys required to start. Mind remembers everything after the first session.