Asterisk

Easily switch between multiple Anthropic Claude accounts with Claude Code CLI.

Asterisk is a free, open‑source command‑line tool for macOS and Linux that simplifies working with multiple Anthropic Claude accounts by providing an easy interactive menu and clean environment handling via separate profile directories.

Why Asterisk?

• Quickly switch accounts — launch Claude Code CLI (claude) with your chosen account in one command (asterisk).
• Run simultaneous sessions — have multiple terminals open, each with a different Claude account.
• No environment pollution — uses isolated CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR profiles in ~/.asterisk/ per account.
• Fully customizable — add/edit account names in a settings.json menu-driven workflow.
• Zero conflicts — works alongside regular claude usage if you prefer.

Perfect for developers, teams, consultants, and anyone juggling personal and project Claude accounts.

One‑Line Install

For macOS & Linux:

sudo /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/juddflamm/asterisk/main/install.sh)"

Then just run:

asterisk

Quick Start

1. Install using the command above.
2. Run asterisk — choose or edit your account profiles via the menu.
3. Asterisk launches Claude Code CLI under the selected profile.
4. Claude Code stores session data and login in the account’s profile directory (~/.asterisk/YourAccountName/).

Configuration

To add or edit account profile names:

1. Run:

   asterisk
   

2. Select Edit settings.json (press e)

3. Update the settings:

   {
     "defaultAccountName": "Personal",
     "additionalAccounts": ["Work", "Client-Acme", "Side-Projects"]
   }
   

   • defaultAccountName: The name for your default profile (launches without custom config)
   • additionalAccounts: List of additional account profiles

4. Save — Asterisk will create profile folders automatically upon next use.

Note: Asterisk will automatically migrate old settings files to the new format.

How It Works

• Default Account: uses standard claude behavior with no special config (name is customizable in settings)
• Additional Accounts: sets CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=~/.asterisk/AccountName/ per session
• Every terminal gets its own isolated Claude profile environment
• Automatic Updates: Checks GitHub for new versions on startup and offers one-click updates
• MCP Tool Installation: Install Model Context Protocol tools for specific profiles via the menu

Requirements

• Required: Claude Code CLI
• Optional: VS Code or your editor of choice (handy for editing settings).

Additional Features

• CLI parameter pass-through — arguments you pass to asterisk are forwarded to the claude command
• Keyboard shortcuts — single-key selection, first-letter matching, ESC to navigate back
• Version display — shows current version in menu (e.g., "* Asterisk v1.3.1")
• Boxed UI — clean, full-width bordered menus with color-coded elements
• Safe to uninstall:
  Remove /usr/local/bin/asterisk and delete ~/.asterisk/. Your Claude accounts remain unaffected.

Contributing

PRs, issues, feedback — all welcome. Asterisk aims to keep multi‑account Claude Code workflows clean, fast, and reliable.

License

MIT License — free to use and modify.

Made for Claude Code CLI users who manage multiple Anthropic Claude accounts across projects, clients, and personal use.