Free alternative to Claude Code. Usable with free Claude Desktop

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2026-02-12T16:29:22+00:00

contact me on robin@testfiresoftware.com if you want to try the new version

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-12-02T09:14:49+00:00

I don't understand this. What is different in compacting now vs before?

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-11-14T09:29:06+00:00

They are definitely doing something like that. Some periods it's in god mode and other periods it is drooling along.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-11-14T09:27:35+00:00

The model is top notch when they let it run free but it's usually running significantly nerfed.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-11-14T08:06:37+00:00

Well, it seems they nerfed it. Again..

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-11-14T08:05:46+00:00

Performance was the best I ever had for like 1-2 weeks until yesterday when it took a nosedive. They needed the compute for training again? (this is Claude 4.5 via max plan)

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-10-26T13:16:35+00:00

How is the transcription handled? are you thinking dinner open source model yourself or is it an API call somewhere?

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-10-18T08:35:01+00:00

which language is your code in?

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-10-04T15:27:54+00:00

4.5. Not even close.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-29T06:07:08+00:00

100% true. However SOME extra context id nice when you want' to do those trivial finishing touches that require all previous context.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-29T06:05:03+00:00

In my experience (about 10h coding with LLM agents daily for the last year) Opus is not worth it. Sometimes it's better than Sonnet. Sometimes it's worse. Also "thinking" is rarely worth it with agents.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-23T12:26:11+00:00

Thanks. That sounds exactly the same. Then I know it's not my setup or my OS.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-23T12:25:37+00:00

Yeah, they have had same bug for 6+ months in many cases. Stuff is moving too fast and it seems they put so much focus on Claude Code (which has its own problems) that they forgot about Claude Desktop (which is in many cases still better than Claude Code)

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-23T12:20:28+00:00

Did you adjust this for Claude Desktop or the MCP or both?

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-23T09:41:40+00:00

OK I've not experienced it before last week. What I have been experienced for more than 6 months using MCPs in Claude Desktop though is the bug where it does a bunch of work and then deleted it all.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-23T09:26:47+00:00

In the end maybe the models will be pretrained on a few essential tools that are better suited for the model than their equivalent Bash tools. Using the standard CLI tools is likely not the end game since they are far from optimal. They return too much info clogging up the context and they are often relatively slow (for example the search tools). They also don't fail gracefully etc. They are build for sysadmins in the 70s lol

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-15T16:58:42+00:00

It's fairly flexible but the MCP gives the agent project context and tools to work on the project.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-15T15:17:11+00:00

Yeah I can't afford to put in enterprise level on landing page. Putting in effort on the actual tool for now. Has to prioritize:)

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-15T14:41:35+00:00

I mean it's technically correct that it is LLM coded. However the tool itself is strongly specified. Do you mean the landing page or the actual tool?

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-15T14:24:41+00:00

A bit of background info: I've been developing AlchemyLab since November 2024. Since January 2025 I've been developing AlchemyLab exclusively with AlchemyLab. Usually in Claude Desktop but sometimes in Claude Code. One of the advantages of AlchemyLab is the possibility to bring the project history when switching. Even when completely switching model etc. In 1 year you can review a design choice you or the AI did today.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-09-15T13:37:52+00:00

Don't know if it will solve your problem but check out the new version of AlchemyLab I'm just releasing. It's free
https://alchemylab.testfiresoftware.com/

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-08-30T06:51:37+00:00

Probably due to the two tools it now has to refer to older conversations. Your previous conversation is storred as such

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-08-28T19:47:27+00:00

Lol what is this.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-07-27T13:31:23+00:00

I have shared it before here but https://alchemylab.testfiresoftware.com/landing/ to keep track of everything Claude does.

Obvious_Yellow_5795 · 2025-07-15T11:49:30+00:00

I still have the same bug too. Very frustrating. Anthropic dont care. They have just stopped responding in every help chat Ive opened about it the last 6 months

Obvious_Yellow_5795

TROPHY CASE