Anthropic Launches Claude Code Channels – Code Via Discord and Telegram

Anthropic has shipped a feature that could change the daily workflow for thousands of developers: Claude Code Channels. With this update, you can connect Claude Code – Anthropic's powerful AI coding agent – directly to Discord and Telegram, and give it instructions from your phone while on the go.

From Synchronous to Asynchronous

Previously, Claude Code users were tied to the desktop app, terminal, or a supported developer environment. A "Remote Control" feature existed for the mobile app, but it was known to be unreliable. Now Anthropic is introducing a fundamentally different approach: asynchronous, autonomous interaction.

Instead of waiting for a response while sitting at a screen, you can send an instruction from Telegram on the bus, and Claude Code continues working in the background – reporting back when the task is complete.

Direct Competition with OpenClaw

VentureBeat describes the launch as a direct attack on OpenClaw – the viral open source project that exploded in popularity after launching in November 2025. OpenClaw has exactly this kind of persistent AI agent experience in messaging apps as its core value proposition.

There's no small irony here: OpenClaw was originally called "Clawd" as a tribute to Anthropic's own Claude model – until Anthropic sent a cease-and-desist over potential trademark violations. Project founder Peter Steinberger was subsequently hired by OpenAI.

What This Means for Developers

For developers already using Claude Code, this is a significant workflow upgrade. You are no longer bound to the desktop – your agent is wherever you are.

Official documentation is available at code.claude.com/docs.