Multi-Instance Workflows

One of Claude Code’s under-appreciated features is that you can run multiple instances simultaneously. This unlocks powerful parallel workflows.

Why Multiple Instances?

Each Claude Code session has its own:

• Conversation context
• Task focus
• Tool execution queue

Running multiple instances lets you:

• Work on different parts of a project simultaneously
• Keep a “research” session open while a “build” session works
• Run long operations without blocking your main session

Setting It Up

Most terminal applications support split panes:

VS Code Terminal

• Ctrl+Shift+5 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+5 (Mac) to split
• Run claude in each pane

Windows Terminal

• Alt+Shift+D to split the pane
• Run claude in each pane

iTerm2 (Mac)

• Cmd+D for vertical split, Cmd+Shift+D for horizontal
• Run claude in each pane

Parallel Workflow Patterns

Pattern 1: Build + Research

Left pane:  Claude building your feature
Right pane: Claude researching API docs or exploring related code

Pattern 2: Frontend + Backend

Left pane:  Claude working on React components
Right pane: Claude building API endpoints

Pattern 3: Code + Tests

Left pane:  Claude writing implementation
Right pane: Claude writing tests for the same feature

Pattern 4: Main + Review

Left pane:  Claude making changes
Right pane: Claude reviewing the changes in real-time

Tips for Multi-Instance Work

1. Give each instance clear scope — “You’re working on the frontend header component” vs “You’re working on the API routes”
2. Use CLAUDE.md — both instances read it, keeping them aligned on conventions
3. Be aware of conflicts — two instances editing the same file can cause issues
4. Use git branches — have each instance work on a different branch if changes might conflict
5. Monitor cost — each instance uses tokens independently

Worktrees for Isolation

For truly independent parallel work, use git worktrees:

# Create a worktree for a feature branch
git worktree add ../my-project-feature feature-branch

# Run Claude in the worktree
cd ../my-project-feature
claude

Each worktree is a separate copy of your repo on a different branch. No file conflicts possible.

Exercise

1. Open two terminal panes side by side
2. Run claude in both
3. In pane 1: ask Claude to create a simple API
4. In pane 2: ask Claude to create tests for that API
5. Watch them work in parallel