Claude Island
Dynamic Island-style notifications for Claude Code CLI sessions
Quick Take: Claude Island
Claude Island is a delightful utility that solves a real problem — knowing what your AI coding assistant is doing without staring at the terminal. The Dynamic Island metaphor is clever and well-executed.
Best For
- •Developers who multitask while Claude Code runs
- •Teams doing screen-sharing with AI-assisted coding
- •Anyone who finds terminal-switching disruptive
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask claude-islandWhat is Claude Island?
Claude Island brings Dynamic Island-style notifications to Claude Code CLI sessions on macOS. When Claude Code is running in the background, Claude Island displays a compact, always-visible indicator showing the current operation — whether it's reading files, writing code, running tests, or waiting for input. It transforms the invisible background process into a glanceable status display, inspired by Apple's Dynamic Island on iPhone.
Key Features
Dynamic Island Notifications
A floating, pill-shaped indicator appears at the top of your screen showing real-time Claude Code activity, including the current tool being used and a brief status message.
Session Progress Tracking
See at a glance how many tool calls have been made, tokens consumed, and time elapsed without switching to the terminal.
Click-to-Focus
Click the island to instantly jump to the active Claude Code terminal session, making it easy to intervene when needed.
Customizable Appearance
Adjust the island's position, size, opacity, and color scheme to match your desktop aesthetic and workflow preferences.
Multi-Session Support
Track multiple concurrent Claude Code sessions with individual island indicators, each showing its own status.
Who Should Use Claude Island?
1Multi-Tasking Developer
A developer kicks off a Claude Code refactoring task and switches to Figma to review designs. The Claude Island indicator shows the session is still running and currently editing files, so they know to check back in a few minutes.
2Terminal-Heavy Workflow
A developer running multiple terminal sessions uses Claude Island to monitor which Claude Code session is active and what it's doing, without cycling through tmux panes.
3Pair Programming
During screen sharing, Claude Island gives the remote colleague visibility into what the AI agent is doing without needing to share the terminal window directly.
Install Claude Island on Mac
Claude Island is a lightweight macOS utility available via Homebrew. It requires Claude Code CLI to be installed and running for notifications to appear.
Install Homebrew
If you don't have Homebrew, open your terminal and run: `/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"`
Install Claude Island
Run `brew install --cask claude-island` in your terminal.
Grant Permissions
On first launch, Claude Island may request Accessibility permissions to display the overlay. Grant these in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
Pro Tips
- • Claude Island automatically detects running Claude Code sessions.
- • Right-click the menu bar icon to configure position and appearance.
Configuration Tips
Position the Island
Drag the island to your preferred screen edge. Many developers place it near the menu bar for a seamless, native feel.
Set Opacity for Focus
Reduce opacity to 60-70% when you want the island visible but non-distracting during deep focus work.
Alternatives to Claude Island
Claude Island is unique in its Dynamic Island approach. General notification and status tools offer some overlap.
Stats
Stats provides system monitoring in the menu bar but doesn't track Claude Code sessions specifically. It's complementary rather than a replacement.
Claude DevTools
Claude DevTools provides deep session analysis after the fact, while Claude Island gives real-time glanceable status. They work best together.
Pricing
Claude Island is free to use. No subscription or account required.
Pros
- ✓Beautiful, native-feeling Dynamic Island interface
- ✓Real-time visibility into background Claude Code sessions
- ✓Lightweight with minimal resource usage
- ✓Multi-session tracking
- ✓Click-to-focus convenience
Cons
- ✗macOS only — no Linux or Windows support
- ✗Requires Claude Code CLI specifically
- ✗Limited customization options in early releases
Community & Support
Claude Island has a growing community of users who share configuration tips and feature requests. Support is primarily through the project's GitHub issues page.
Frequently Asked Questions about Claude Island
Our Verdict
Claude Island is a delightful utility that solves a real problem — knowing what your AI coding assistant is doing without staring at the terminal. The Dynamic Island metaphor is clever and well-executed.
About the Author
Expert Tips for Claude Island
Pair Claude Island with a tiling window manager like Amethyst so the island overlay never gets obscured by full-screen apps.
The click-to-focus feature saves significant time when running multiple concurrent Claude Code tasks across different projects.