What is a Claude Code desk companion?

A small device with a screen that shows what Claude Code is doing, such as thinking, editing files, waiting for approval or hitting a usage limit. Most run on an ESP32 or Raspberry Pi.

Clawdmeter is an open-source ESP32-S3 desk display for Claude Code usage and session status. It connects over Bluetooth and its buttons can send keys to Claude Code.

How do desk companions connect to Claude Code?

Most use Claude Code's hooks or status line. A small script on your computer sends session events to the device over USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

What's the cheapest Claude Code desk companion to build?

claude-buddy-cyd on an ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display costs about $15. Clawd Mochi's parts cost around $7 to $8, but it isn't connected to Claude Code by default.

Can I approve Claude Code permissions from a device?

Yes. Toki shows Claude's permission requests on an M5Stack touchscreen so you can approve or deny them from your desk. It's Mac only for now.

Do they work with other AI coding agents?

Some do. Tokibot supports Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Cursor and other agents, though only Claude Code reports usage budgets.

Can I vibe code my own desk companion?

Yes. It's a good first project: ask Claude Code to write a hook, a small bridge script and firmware for a cheap ESP32 board with a screen.

Usually not. Boards with built-in screens, like the Cheap Yellow Display or Waveshare AMOLED boards, need no soldering. Tokibot uses a Raspberry Pi with an e-paper HAT that plugs on.

Claude Code desk companions: every build compared

Claude Code desk companions are small screens and desk pets that show what your AI coding agent is doing: thinking, editing, waiting for permission or hitting a usage limit. Popular builds include Clawdmeter, Tiny Clawd, Tokibot, Toki and claude-buddy-cyd. Most run on an ESP32 or Raspberry Pi and cost $8 to $60 in parts.

What they do

When Claude Code works on a long task, you end up glancing at the terminal to see if it's thinking, waiting for you to approve something, or done. A desk companion moves that onto a little screen. Most hook into Claude Code's hooks or status line, send the session state to a small board over USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and turn it into a face, a meter or a pixel pet.

Common features:

Live status: thinking, editing files, running commands, done
Permission alerts: a nudge when Claude needs your approval, and on some builds a button to approve
Usage meters: your 5-hour and weekly limits, or tokens burned
Personality: animations, moods, games and pets that "eat" your tokens

The builds, compared

Clawdmeter by Hermann Haraldsson. The best-known one.
- Board: Waveshare ESP32-S3 Touch AMOLED 2.16 inch is the main target, with more boards supported, including two Cheap Yellow Display models in experimental status
- Shows: Claude Code usage limits and session status
- Connects: Bluetooth; it also acts as a keyboard, so its side buttons can send keys to Claude Code
- Setup: a desktop app flashes the firmware for you
- Clawdmeter on Afterware · GitHub

Tiny Clawd. A 3D printed desk pet with an OLED face.
- Board: ESP32-C3 Super Mini, a 128x64 OLED and a touch pad
- Shows: thinking, typing, reading and celebrating as Claude Code works, plus usage limits and games
- Connects: USB through a small bridge on your laptop
- Tiny Clawd on Afterware

Tokibot. An e-ink critter that eats tokens.
- Board: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with a 2.13 inch e-paper display, no soldering
- Shows: moods for ready, working, waiting for permission, done and rate limited; usage budget bars for Claude Code
- Works with: Claude Code plus many other agents, including Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Cursor and others
- Tokibot on Afterware

Toki. Approve Claude's requests from your desk.
- Board: M5Stack StackChan (CoreS3)
- Shows: Claude's permission requests on a touchscreen, so you can approve or deny without switching windows
- Limits: Mac only, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
- Toki on Afterware · GitHub

claude-buddy-cyd. The budget option.
- Board: the ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display (ESP32-2432S028R), about $15
- Connects: Claude Code hooks feed a local bridge that talks to the board over USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
- claude-buddy-cyd on Afterware · GitHub

Clawd Mochi. The cheapest to make.
- Board: ESP32-C3 Super Mini with a 1.54 inch color screen, roughly $7 to $8 in parts
- Note: a cute desk pet with its own Wi-Fi controller; it isn't connected to Claude Code by default
- Clawd Mochi on Afterware · GitHub

Also worth a look: vibepulse (an ESP32-S3 AMOLED status display for Claude Code and Codex) and clawdometer-eink (a 1.54 inch e-paper version). For a general AI pet, see FUMI.

Which one should you build?

Easiest: Clawdmeter on a supported board, since the app flashes it for you
Cheapest: claude-buddy-cyd on a Cheap Yellow Display, or Clawd Mochi
Best for approvals: Toki
Best for many agents: Tokibot
Most charming: Tiny Clawd

Build your own

Most of these are small enough to vibe code from scratch. Tell Claude Code your board and screen, and ask it to:

Add a hook that sends session events (start, tool use, permission request, stop) to a small local bridge
Have the bridge forward them to the board over USB serial
Draw a face or meter that changes with each event

A Cheap Yellow Display is a good starting board. See Cheap Yellow Display projects and, for an e-paper version, Build an e-ink Claude Code usage dashboard.

A note on the mascot

Several of these use Anthropic's Claude branding or the Clawd character. Clawdmeter's own README notes it uses Anthropic brand assets and the copyrighted Clawd mascot, so keep personal builds personal and design your own character if you plan to sell anything.

Desk companion builds on Afterware are listed below.