Claude Code needs a cloud environment, not just a cloud shell
Claude Code already handles the coding loop. The harder problem is giving it a persistent, isolated environment in the cloud, one where API keys are injected safely, the .claude directory survives between runs, and MCP servers are reachable without manual network plumbing.
Claude Code Specifics
What Claude Code actually needs from a runtime
Claude Code has its own configuration model, permission system, and tool extension layer. A generic sandbox ignores most of it. The runtime needs to understand the specific surfaces Claude Code depends on.
Secure API key injection
Claude Code reads its API key from the environment. Spinup injects it as a scoped secret at runtime, stored securely, invisible to other agents, and requiring no manual setup.
Project context that survives between runs
Claude Code stores project context, commands, and agent memory in the .claude directory. Spinup's persistent filesystem keeps it intact between runs, so the agent resumes with full context.
MCP tools work out of the box
Claude Code extends its capabilities through MCP servers. Inside Spinup, those connections work the same way they do locally; any server reachable from the environment's network is available.
Two layers of security, not one
Claude Code's built-in permission model still applies. Spinup adds an outer security boundary (filesystem isolation, secret scoping, and network controls) that holds regardless of what the agent's own permission system allows.
Why It Matters
Claude Code in the cloud is a different problem than Claude Code on your laptop
On a developer's laptop, Claude Code works because the environment is already set up. The API key sits in the shell profile. The .claude directory lives in the project root. MCP servers run on localhost. File permissions match the user account. None of that transfers to the cloud automatically.
When you move Claude Code to a cloud environment for CI pipelines, background tasks, or team-shared agents, you need to reconstruct those assumptions. The API key needs secure injection. The .claude directory needs to survive process restarts. MCP servers need network routing. File and shell permissions need an outer security boundary that does not depend on a human clicking "allow" in a terminal.
Spinup treats Claude Code as a harness inside a persistent agent environment. The environment owns the secrets, filesystem state, network policy, and snapshot lifecycle. Claude Code plugs in and operates the way it was designed to, without the team rebuilding the surrounding infrastructure for each deployment.
FAQ
Claude Code runtime questions
How does Spinup handle Anthropic API key management for Claude Code?+
Spinup injects the Anthropic API key as a scoped secret at runtime. The key lives in AWS Secrets Manager, scoped to the individual agent environment and invisible to other agents in the same account.
Does the .claude directory persist between runs?+
Spinup environments have persistent, writable filesystems. The .claude directory, including CLAUDE.md files, project settings, and command definitions, lives on the environment's filesystem and survives as long as the environment runs. Snapshot-based restore across restarts is on the roadmap.
Can Claude Code connect to MCP servers from inside the runtime?+
MCP servers reachable from the environment work the same way they do on a local machine. Claude Code connects to them through its standard MCP configuration. Network policy controls for restricting which external services the agent can reach are on the roadmap.
How do tool approval workflows interact with Spinup's controls?+
Claude Code's permission model for file writes and shell commands works the same inside Spinup as it does locally. The difference is that the runtime adds an outer boundary (network egress rules, secret scoping, and filesystem isolation) that applies regardless of what Claude Code's own permission system allows.
Related
How Spinup fits into the broader runtime picture
Claude Code is a supported harness for the Spinup runtime. These pages cover the surrounding architecture.
Early Access
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