Running several Claude Code sessions at once
Parallel Claude Code sessions speed things up until two edit one file or you lose track of which is which. Worktrees, naming, and the limits all sessions share.
One session writes tests while another fixes a bug and a third drafts docs. Running Claude Code in parallel is one of the best ways to get more done, and it has two failure modes: sessions stepping on each other's files, and you losing track of which one you are typing into.
One worktree per session
git worktree add ../myapp-fix-login -b fix-login
git worktree add ../myapp-docs -b docs-refresh
cd ../myapp-fix-login && claudeEach worktree is a separate folder with its own branch, sharing one repository. Sessions cannot overwrite each other's uncommitted changes, and each branch merges back the normal way. Remove a worktree with git worktree remove when you are done.
Know which is which
Name worktree folders after the task, and put the folder and branch on each session's status line. When three terminals look alike, that line is how you avoid giving a bug fix instruction to the docs session. See the git branch in your status line.
Shared and separate
| Per session | Shared across sessions | |
|---|---|---|
| Context window | Yes | |
| Conversation and plan | Yes | |
| 5-hour and weekly limits | Yes | |
| Repository history | Yes |
The shared limits matter: three busy sessions use the five-hour window three times as fast. Watch it, as described in the usage limit reset time.
Keep them small
Parallel sessions work best on tasks that do not touch the same files. Two sessions refactoring the same module produce two branches that conflict. Split work by area, not by step.
Capsule Status Line was designed for this: the folder and branch stay on the left of every session's line, so two sessions side by side never get confused, and the shared 5-hour and weekly limits show beside them with their exact reset times.
Questions
Can I run several Claude Code sessions on one repository?
Yes, but give each its own git worktree, so each has its own working folder and branch. Sessions editing the same folder overwrite each other's changes.
Do sessions share usage limits?
Yes. The five-hour and weekly limits belong to your account, so every session counts toward the same totals. Context is separate per session.
How do I tell sessions apart?
Put the folder and branch on each session's status line, and name worktree folders after their task. A glance then tells you which terminal is doing what.