Projects in Claude Code: one conversation coordinating parallel cloud threads
TL;DR
A Project is one conversation you feed work into while Claude starts parallel cloud threads sharing repos, instructions and memory. It suits goals spanning many sessions; watch Overview, keep a PR review step and keep an eye on usage.
Running several Claude Code sessions in parallel turns you into the coordinator: deciding what each one works on, repeating context at the start of each, then checking back on which finished. Projects in Claude Code flip that around: one ongoing conversation you feed work into, where Claude starts a thread for each task, running in parallel in the cloud and sharing repositories, instructions and memory.
Current status
- Public beta on Pro, Max and Ultra plans, rolling out gradually; not yet on Team or Enterprise.
- Look for Projects in the sidebar at claude.ai/code or in the Desktop app's Code tab (it may be under More). If it isn't there, the rollout hasn't reached your account; there's a waitlist.
How it differs from running sessions yourself
| Running sessions yourself | Using a Project |
|---|---|
| You split work across sessions | Paste work in one place; Claude starts a thread or hands it to the thread already in that area |
| You repeat context in each session | Project instructions apply to every new thread |
| You check each session yourself | The Overview pane shows finished threads, PRs ready for review and threads waiting on you |
Cloud threads keep going after you close your laptop, and you can check and steer them from your phone. Tasks that need your machine (a local database, a local tool) can run that thread on your computer via Remote Control; then it only runs while that machine is awake.
When to create a Project
- One goal across many repositories: "bring every service up to the new lint config", a thread and a PR per repo.
- An area you keep feeding: bugs, stack traces and review requests for one service.
- A build or migration bigger than a session: "build what
docs/spec.mddescribes". - Work that isn't code: upload a folder of contracts or a support-ticket export and keep asking questions; results land on the Library tab.
Shared context
- Project instructions: rules written once (target branch, commit conventions) reach every thread.
- Project memory: tell Claude to remember a pitfall after a fix and later threads will know it.
- Repositories, files and Google Drive folders attach to the project; skills, plugins and connectors can reach threads.
Risks and caveats
- Usage adds up fast: parallel threads are parallel cloud sessions drawing on your usage; watch the project's usage section.
- GitHub access: threads working on GitHub repos need access granted; only attach repos you really need.
- Don't say "just go, no need to ask" for risky work: keep a PR review step before merging.
- Beta: the interface and limits may change.
How to apply it
- Dev: Create a project for the service you're on call for: paste bugs as they arrive, check Overview the next morning.
- Tech Lead: Use a project for multi-repo migrations, one thread and one PR per repo to review separately.
- PM: Upload a support-ticket export to a project and regularly ask for "the ten most common integration problems this week".
Sources & references
- Let Claude coordinate ongoing work with Projects — Claude Code Docs