Before we can tell you what changed, we have to write down what is true today. This issue records where Claude Code, Codex CLI, Hermes Agent, OpenClaw and DeepSeek stand, from their own pages.
01
Claude Code runs one engine across terminal, IDE, desktop app and web
Anthropic's docs list five surfaces for Claude Code and recommend the native installer on macOS, Linux and WSL, with separate commands for Windows PowerShell, Homebrew and WinGet. Settings, CLAUDE.md files and MCP servers carry across every surface.
Why it matters
If you use the desktop app you already have Claude Code: the docs say it is included, so no separate CLI install is needed.
Codex CLI installs with one script and signs in with ChatGPT
OpenAI's README for its open-source coding agent (Apache-2.0) lists install scripts for macOS, Linux and Windows, plus npm and Homebrew. You start it with "codex" and choose "Sign in with ChatGPT"; an API key works with extra setup.
Why it matters
Signing in with ChatGPT means usage counts against a plan many people already pay for.
Hermes Agent turns experience into reusable skills
Nous Research describes Hermes Agent (MIT) as self-improving: a built-in learning loop creates skills from experience. "hermes setup" runs the wizard and "hermes model" switches between Nous Portal, OpenRouter, OpenAI or your own endpoint.
Why it matters
Model-agnostic by design: changing provider is one command, not a rewrite.
The OpenClaw README names the OpenClaw Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, as its home. The MIT-licensed assistant runs on your own computer and answers in Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Signal and more; "openclaw onboard --install-daemon" sets it up.
Why it matters
It meets people in chat apps, not terminals: the lowest-friction start for anyone who has never opened a terminal.
DeepSeek runs inside Claude Code through an Anthropic-format API
DeepSeek's docs give a base URL, https://api.deepseek.com/anthropic, and the environment variables that point Claude Code at it. Model names starting with claude-opus map to deepseek-v4-pro; claude-sonnet and claude-haiku map to deepseek-flash.
Why it matters
Same harness, different model: the cleanest head-to-head the arena can run.