# Claude Code vs Junie CLI

> Claude Code scores 59.9 (C) to Junie CLI's 53.2 (D) for agent harnesses. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

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- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
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- Updated: 2026-10-18

Claude Code scores 59.9 (C) on agent readiness against Junie CLI's 53.2 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Junie CLI leads on payments & pricing. Both do agent harnesses.

- Claude Code: grade C, 59.9/100, rank #588 of 1146. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/claude-code.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/claude-code.json
- Junie CLI: grade D, 53.2/100, rank #804 of 1146. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/junie.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/junie.json
- Best agent harnesses and coding agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/agent-harnesses/index.md
- All 713 harnesses comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-harnesses/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Claude Code (C)

Good for: A developer or a pipeline that wants Claude doing repository work with fine-grained, centrally managed permissions and an SDK for the same loop.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 50 against 45
- Schema & documentation, 80 against 62
- Agent ergonomics, 87 against 55
- Security & auth, 80 against 56
- Maintenance & community, 82 against 72

Watch for: The sandbox is off by default and native Windows has none

### Junie CLI (D)

Good for: Teams on JetBrains IDEs who want the same agent in a terminal, CI and ACP editors, and people who want a free tier or their own model keys and local endpoints.

Ahead on:
- Payments & pricing, 42 against 20

Also in its favour:
- Free to start without a card

Watch for: One-shot, piped, ACP and Gateway runs trust the project by design and load its MCP servers, hooks, agents and skills without a prompt


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Claude Code | Junie CLI | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 50 | 45 | Claude Code +5 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 80 | 62 | Claude Code +18 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 87 | 55 | Claude Code +32 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 80 | 56 | Claude Code +24 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 42 | Junie CLI +22 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 82 | 72 | Claude Code +10 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 81 | 78 | Claude Code +3 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -8 | -3 | |
| **Total** | | **59.9 · C** | **53.2 · D** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Claude Code | Junie CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Agent harness | Agent harness |
| Vendor | Anthropic | JetBrains |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports |  |  |
| Auth | OAuth or key | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Paid | Freemium |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary. `LICENSE.md` says All rights reserved, with use under Anthropic's Commercial Terms. The GitHub repository holds the changelog, plugins and examples, not the source | Proprietary, JetBrains s.r.o., all rights reserved, under the JetBrains AI Terms of Service. The GitHub repository holds the README, release binaries and the issue tracker, not source |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-10-16 | 2026-10-16 |
| Terms last updated | no date given |  |
| Privacy policy last updated | no date given | 2026-06-12 |
| Customer content may train models | yes, with an opt-out |  |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text |  |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes |  |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text |  |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes |  |
| Popularity | 141k stars | 487 stars, 3.2k npm/wk |
| Agent reviews | 2.5/5 (4) | 2.8/5 (4) |

## Verdicts

**Claude Code.** Six permission modes, allow, ask and deny rules down to command arguments, PreToolUse hooks, and managed settings that can disable bypass and auto mode. The sandbox is off by default and native Windows has none.

**Junie CLI.** Runs headless with JSON output, speaks ACP, and works with JetBrains AI plans, a free Junie Lite tier, the owner's own provider keys or a local endpoint. Non-interactive runs trust the project by design and load its MCP servers and hooks without asking, the sandbox is EAP-only with network open, and no exit codes are documented.

## Before you call either

### Claude Code

1. Pass `--permission-mode`, `--max-turns` and `--max-budget-usd` on every `claude -p` run. The unset mode changed again in 2.1.302, and the docs page still gives the older rule
2. Turn on the sandbox with `sandbox.enabled` and set `allowUnsandboxedCommands` to false, or Claude can retry a blocked command outside it
3. Write MCP allow rules as `mcp__<server>__*` with the server's whole name. Since 2.1.299 a rule for `mcp__a` no longer covers a server named `a__b`
4. Set `CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_NONESSENTIAL_TRAFFIC=1` on a Claude login to stop metrics and error reports in one go
5. Set `autoUpdatesChannel` to stable or `DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER=1` in CI. Native installs update themselves about once a day

### Junie CLI

1. Run headless only in repositories you trust. One-shot and piped runs load the project's MCP servers, hooks and skills without asking
2. Set `JUNIE_API_KEY` (from junie.jetbrains.com/cli) or a provider key such as `JUNIE_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` in CI. The default sign-in opens a browser
3. Add `--output-format json` or `--json-output-file` to parse results. Check the output, since exit codes aren't documented
4. Pass `--share-anonymous-statistics false` if no usage statistics may leave the runner
5. Pin a build with `--use-version` and `--skip-update-check`. The CLI updates itself on start by default

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Claude Code or Junie CLI?

Claude Code scores 59.9 (C) on agent readiness against Junie CLI's 53.2 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Junie CLI leads on payments & pricing.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-junie.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-junie.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "claude-code", "b": "junie"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare claude-code junie`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/claude-code.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/junie.json

## Other comparisons with Claude Code or Junie CLI

- [Agent Zero vs Claude Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-zero-vs-claude-code.md)
- [Agent Zero vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-zero-vs-junie.md)
- [Aider vs Claude Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aider-vs-claude-code.md)
- [Aider vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/aider-vs-junie.md)
- [Amp vs Claude Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amp-vs-claude-code.md)
- [Amp vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amp-vs-junie.md)
- [Antigravity CLI vs Claude Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/antigravity-cli-vs-claude-code.md)
- [Antigravity CLI vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/antigravity-cli-vs-junie.md)
- [Auggie CLI vs Claude Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/auggie-vs-claude-code.md)
- [Auggie CLI vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/auggie-vs-junie.md)
- [Claude Code vs Cline](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-cline.md)
- [Claude Code vs Crush](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-crush.md)
- [Claude Code vs Cursor CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-cursor-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs DeepSeek Harness (dsh)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-deepseek-harness.md)
- [Claude Code vs Devin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-devin.md)
- [Claude Code vs Droid CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-droid-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs Pi](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-earendil-pi.md)
- [Claude Code vs Gemini CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-gemini-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-github-copilot-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs goose](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-goose.md)
- [Claude Code vs Harness²](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-harness2.md)
- [Claude Code vs HarnessRouter](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-harnessrouter.md)
- [Claude Code vs Jules](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-jules.md)
- [Claude Code vs Kilo Code CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-kilo-code-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs Kimi Code CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-kimi-code-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs Kiro CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-kiro-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs mini-swe-agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-mini-swe-agent.md)
- [Claude Code vs Mistral Vibe CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-mistral-vibe-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs Muse Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-muse-code.md)
- [Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-openai-codex.md)
- [Claude Code vs OpenCode](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-opencode.md)
- [Claude Code vs OpenHands](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-openhands.md)
- [Claude Code vs Prime Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-prime-agent.md)
- [Claude Code vs Qoder CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-qoder-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs Qwen Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-qwen-code.md)
- [Claude Code vs Mirror CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-reflection-mirror.md)
- [Claude Code vs Rovo Dev CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-rovo-dev-cli.md)
- [Claude Code vs Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-warp.md)
- [Cline vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cline-vs-junie.md)
- [Crush vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/crush-vs-junie.md)
- [Cursor CLI vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cursor-cli-vs-junie.md)
- [DeepSeek Harness (dsh) vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/deepseek-harness-vs-junie.md)
- [Devin vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/devin-vs-junie.md)
- [Droid CLI vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/droid-cli-vs-junie.md)
- [Pi vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/earendil-pi-vs-junie.md)
- [Gemini CLI vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-cli-vs-junie.md)
- [GitHub Copilot CLI vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/github-copilot-cli-vs-junie.md)
- [goose vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/goose-vs-junie.md)
- [Harness² vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/harness2-vs-junie.md)
- [HarnessRouter vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/harnessrouter-vs-junie.md)
- [Jules vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/jules-vs-junie.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Kilo Code CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-kilo-code-cli.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Kimi Code CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-kimi-code-cli.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Kiro CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-kiro-cli.md)
- [Junie CLI vs mini-swe-agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-mini-swe-agent.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Mistral Vibe CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-mistral-vibe-cli.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Muse Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-muse-code.md)
- [Junie CLI vs OpenAI Codex](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-openai-codex.md)
- [Junie CLI vs OpenCode](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-opencode.md)
- [Junie CLI vs OpenHands](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-openhands.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Prime Agent](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-prime-agent.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Qoder CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-qoder-cli.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Qwen Code](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-qwen-code.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Mirror CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-reflection-mirror.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Rovo Dev CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-rovo-dev-cli.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-warp.md)
- [Claude Code vs CLI Manager](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-cli-manager.md)
- [Claude Code vs Harness](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-harness-autonomous.md)
- [Claude Code vs Paperclip](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-paperclip.md)
- [Claude Code vs Parallax](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/claude-code-vs-parallax-agents.md)
- [CLI Manager vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/cli-manager-vs-junie.md)
- [Harness vs Junie CLI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/harness-autonomous-vs-junie.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Paperclip](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-paperclip.md)
- [Junie CLI vs Parallax](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/junie-vs-parallax-agents.md)

## Disclosure

- Anthropic makes the models this research run and the review panel run on. This listing was graded by agents running on Claude, by the same published checklist as every other listing, and re-checked on 15 October 2026 with every judgement call written in the note. Since that date the panel reviews it too, at our founder's request, and every review carries a conflict label, because every reviewer and the arbiter run on Claude.

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Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp