# Claude Agent SDK — Build Agents with Claude Code Power

> Anthropic's official TypeScript SDK for building AI agents with Claude Code's full capabilities — file editing, command execution, codebase understanding, and complex workflows. npm package.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

```bash
npm install @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk
```

Basic usage:
```typescript
import { Claude } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk";

const claude = new Claude({ apiKey: process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY });

const result = await claude.agent({
  prompt: "Analyze this codebase and create a summary",
  workingDirectory: "./my-project",
});

console.log(result.output);
```

Requires: Node.js 18+ and an Anthropic API key.

---

## Intro

The Claude Agent SDK is Anthropic's official TypeScript SDK that gives you the same tools, agent loop, and context management that power Claude Code — now programmable in your own applications. With 1,200+ GitHub stars, it enables building autonomous agents that understand codebases, edit files, run shell commands, search the web, and execute multi-step workflows. Formerly known as the Claude Code SDK, it was renamed to reflect its broader purpose: building agents that go beyond coding — email assistants, research agents, customer support bots, and more.

Best for: developers building custom AI agents that need file system access, command execution, and codebase understanding.
Works with: Node.js 18+, Bun, Anthropic API.
Setup time: under 2 minutes.

---

## Claude Agent SDK — Features & API

### Core Capabilities

| Capability | Description |
|------------|-------------|
| **Codebase Understanding** | Analyze and comprehend entire project structures |
| **File Operations** | Read, write, create, and edit files programmatically |
| **Command Execution** | Run shell commands within agent workflows |
| **Web Search** | Search the internet for information |
| **Multi-Step Workflows** | Chain complex autonomous tasks |
| **Structured Outputs** | Return validated JSON matching your schema |
| **Session Management** | V2 APIs for multi-turn conversations |

### V2 Session API (New)

```typescript
// Create a persistent session
const session = await claude.unstable_v2_createSession({
  workingDirectory: "./project",
});

// Send messages within the session
const response = await claude.unstable_v2_prompt(session.id, {
  prompt: "What files are in this project?",
});

// Continue the conversation
const followUp = await claude.unstable_v2_prompt(session.id, {
  prompt: "Now refactor the main module",
});
```

### Available Tools

The SDK exposes the same 53 tools that Claude Code uses internally:
- **File tools**: Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep
- **Shell tools**: Bash command execution
- **Search tools**: Web search, web fetch
- **Agent tools**: Spawn sub-agents for parallel tasks
- **Planning tools**: Task decomposition and approval

### Use Cases

1. **Custom Coding Agents** — Build your own Claude Code with custom behaviors
2. **Email Assistants** — Agents that read, classify, and respond to emails
3. **Research Agents** — Multi-agent systems that search, analyze, and synthesize
4. **CI/CD Agents** — Autonomous code review and fix workflows
5. **Document Processors** — Analyze and transform documents at scale

### Migration from Claude Code SDK

The package was renamed from `@anthropic-ai/claude-code-sdk` to `@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk`. Update your import:
```typescript
// Old
import { Claude } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-code-sdk";
// New
import { Claude } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk";
```

### FAQ

**Q: What is the Claude Agent SDK?**
A: Anthropic's official TypeScript SDK that provides the same capabilities as Claude Code (file editing, command execution, codebase understanding) in a programmable API for building custom AI agents.

**Q: Is it free?**
A: The SDK is free to install. You pay for Anthropic API usage (Claude model tokens). Governed by Anthropic's Commercial Terms of Service.

**Q: How is this different from the regular Anthropic SDK?**
A: The regular SDK (`@anthropic-ai/sdk`) sends messages to Claude models. The Agent SDK adds the full agent loop — tool execution, file system access, shell commands, and multi-step autonomous workflows.

---

## Source & Thanks

> Created by [Anthropic](https://github.com/anthropics). Governed by Anthropic Commercial Terms.
>
> [claude-agent-sdk-typescript](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-agent-sdk-typescript) — ⭐ 1,200+

Thank you to Anthropic for making Claude Code's capabilities available as a programmable SDK.

---

<!-- ZH -->


## Quick Use

```bash
npm install @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk
```

```typescript
import { Claude } from "@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk";
const claude = new Claude({ apiKey: process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY });
const result = await claude.agent({
  prompt: "Analyze this codebase and create a summary",
  workingDirectory: "./my-project",
});
```

---

## Intro

Claude Agent SDK is Anthropic's official TypeScript SDK, giving you the same tools, agent loop, and context management that power Claude Code. With 1,200+ GitHub stars, it lets you build autonomous agents that understand codebases, edit files, run commands, search the web, and execute multi-step workflows. Formerly the Claude Code SDK — renamed to reflect its broader use.

Best for building custom AI agents that need filesystem access, command execution, and codebase understanding.
Requirements: Node.js 18+, Anthropic API key.

---

## Core Features
- Codebase understanding, file ops, command execution, web search, multi-step workflows, structured output, session management
- Exposes the 53 tools Claude Code uses internally

### FAQ

**Q: What is Claude Agent SDK?**
A: Anthropic's official SDK that wraps Claude Code's full capabilities (file editing, command execution, codebase understanding) as a programmable API.

**Q: Is it free?**
A: The SDK is free to install; you pay for Anthropic API usage.

---

## Source & Thanks

> Created by [Anthropic](https://github.com/anthropics).
>
> [claude-agent-sdk-typescript](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-agent-sdk-typescript) — ⭐ 1,200+


---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/claude-agent-sdk-build-agents-claude-code-power-b6989234
Author: Anthropic