Claude Code Patches

December 9, 2025 · View on GitHub

Enhance Claude Code with custom patches for thinking display and subagent model configuration.

Available Patches

  1. Thinking Display Patch - Make thinking blocks visible by default
  2. Subagent Model Configuration - Configure which models subagents use

Thinking Display Patch

Make Claude Code's thinking blocks visible by default without pressing ctrl+o.

The Problem

Claude Code collapses thinking blocks by default, showing only:

∴ Thought for 3s (ctrl+o to show thinking)

You have to press ctrl+o every time to see the actual thinking content. This patch makes thinking blocks visible inline automatically.

Current Version: Claude Code 2.0.62 (Updated 2025-12-09)

Quick Start

# Clone or download this repository
cd claude-code-thinking

# Run the patch script (automatically detects your installation)
node patch-thinking.js

# Restart Claude Code

That's it! Thinking blocks now display inline without ctrl+o.

Works with:

  • ✅ Local installations (~/.claude/local)
  • ✅ Global npm installations (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code)
  • ✅ All Node version managers (NVM, nodenv, asdf, etc.)

What This Patch Does

Before:

∴ Thought for 3s (ctrl+o to show thinking)
[thinking content hidden]

After:

∴ Thinking…

  [thinking content displayed inline]
  The actual thinking process is now visible
  without any keyboard shortcuts needed

How It Works

This patch modifies two locations in Claude Code's compiled JavaScript:

Patch 1: Remove the Banner (v2.0.30)

Before:

function GkQ({streamMode:A}){
  // ... displays "Thought for Xs (ctrl+o to show thinking)"
}

After:

function GkQ({streamMode:A}){return null}

Effect: Removes the collapsed thinking banner entirely.

Version History:

  • v2.0.9: Function named Mr2
  • v2.0.10: Renamed to br2, used PE.createElement
  • v2.0.11: Renamed to er2, uses _E.createElement
  • v2.0.13: Renamed to hGB, uses TL.createElement
  • v2.0.14: Renamed to pGB, uses TL.createElement, TX1.useState
  • v2.0.15: Renamed to KYB, uses xL.createElement, mX1.useState
  • v2.0.19: Renamed to aFB, uses ZM.createElement, BV1.useState
  • v2.0.21: Renamed to wVB, uses XM.createElement, DV1.useState
  • v2.0.22: Renamed to YOB, uses NM.createElement, zK1.useState
  • v2.0.24: Renamed to GSB, uses oM.createElement, kD1.useState
  • v2.0.25: Renamed to YSB, uses tM.createElement, xD1.useState
  • v2.0.26: Renamed to KjQ, uses QO.createElement, gKA.useState
  • v2.0.28: Renamed to RjQ, uses IO.createElement, iKA.useState
  • v2.0.29: Unchanged from v2.0.28 (RjQ, IO.createElement, iKA.useState)
  • v2.0.30: Renamed to GkQ, uses NO.createElement, dDA.useState
  • v2.0.31: Renamed to _kQ, uses MO.createElement, nDA.useState
  • v2.0.32: Renamed to wkQ, uses LO.createElement, oDA.useState
  • v2.0.37: Renamed to nR2, uses CR.createElement, AwA.useState
  • v2.0.42: Renamed to cR2, uses RR.createElement, UwA.useState
  • v2.0.46: Renamed to Et2, uses xP.createElement, HTA.useState
  • v2.0.53: Renamed to hq2, uses QP.createElement, dMA.useState
  • v2.0.55: Renamed to nM2, uses UP.createElement, bOA.useState
  • v2.0.56: Renamed to CL2, uses HP.createElement, xOA.useState
  • v2.0.57: Renamed to HM2, uses EP.createElement, oOA.useState
  • v2.0.58: Renamed to SM2, uses $P.createElement, GRA.useState
  • v2.0.59: Renamed to DO2, uses MP.createElement, CRA.useState
  • v2.0.61: Renamed to RR2, uses rj.createElement, vTA.useState, P container
  • v2.0.62: Renamed to ZT2, uses GP.createElement, rTA.useState, P container

Patch 2: Force Thinking Visibility (v2.0.46)

Before:

case"thinking":if(!K&&!Z)return null;
  return H7.createElement(T32,{addMargin:Q,param:A,isTranscriptMode:K,verbose:Z});

After:

case"thinking":
  return H7.createElement(T32,{addMargin:Q,param:A,isTranscriptMode:!0,verbose:Z});

Effect: Forces thinking content to render as if in transcript mode (visible).

Version History:

  • v2.0.9: Used S2B component
  • v2.0.10: Changed to DOB component, z→H variable
  • v2.0.11: Changed to SOB component, H→z variable
  • v2.0.13: Changed to xlB component, K→D variable swap
  • v2.0.14: Changed to dlB component, maintains K and D variable pattern
  • v2.0.15: Changed to FpB component, z3→C3 variable
  • v2.0.19: Changed to NoB component, C3→B7 variable
  • v2.0.21: Changed to H8Q component, B7→G7 variable, checks K and D
  • v2.0.22: Changed to nNB component, G7→e3 variable, checks K and D
  • v2.0.24: Changed to nTB component, e3→Y7 variable, checks K and D
  • v2.0.25: Changed to aTB component, maintains Y7 variable, checks K and D
  • v2.0.26: Changed to CTQ component, Y7→Y3 variable, checks only V
  • v2.0.28: Changed to LTQ component, Y3→C3 variable, checks only V
  • v2.0.29: Unchanged from v2.0.28 (LTQ component, C3 variable, checks V)
  • v2.0.30: Changed to sjQ component, C3→D3 variable, checks V and I, added verbose parameter
  • v2.0.31: Changed to MSQ component, D3→E3 variable, checks V and I
  • v2.0.32: Changed to ljQ component, E3→F3 variable, checks V and I
  • v2.0.37: Changed to n$Q component, F3→K3 variable, checks V and I
  • v2.0.42: Changed to xLQ component, K3→w3 variable, checks V and I
  • v2.0.46: Changed to T32 component, w3→H7 variable, checks K and Z
  • v2.0.53: Changed to o09 component, H7→L3 variable, checks K and G
  • v2.0.55: Changed to J29 component, L3→y3 variable, checks K and G
  • v2.0.56: Changed to b29 component, y3→v3 variable, checks K and G
  • v2.0.57: Changed to K49 component, v3→b3 variable, checks K and G
  • v2.0.58: Changed to k49 component (lowercase k), b3 variable, checks K and G
  • v2.0.59: Changed to F89 component, u3 variable, checks K and G
  • v2.0.61: Changed to T69 component, A3 variable, checks F and G
  • v2.0.62: Changed to X59 component, J3 variable, checks F and G

Installation

Prerequisites

  • Claude Code v2.0.62 installed
  • Node.js (comes with Claude Code installation)

Install Steps

  1. Download the patcher:

    # Clone this repository
git clone <repository-url>
cd claude-code-thinking

  2. Run the patcher:

    node patch-thinking.js

  3. Restart Claude Code for changes to take effect.

Command-Line Options

The script supports several options:

# Apply patches (default)
node patch-thinking.js

# Preview changes without applying
node patch-thinking.js --dry-run

# Restore original behavior from backup
node patch-thinking.js --restore

# Show help
node patch-thinking.js --help

Installation Detection

The script automatically detects Claude Code installations using a robust 4-tier detection strategy:

Detection Methods (Priority Order)

  1. Local Installations (Priority 1)

    • ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js
    • ~/.config/claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

  2. Global npm Installation (Priority 2)

    • Dynamically detected via npm root -g
    • Works with all Node version managers (NVM, nodenv, asdf, nvm-windows)
    • Automatically resolves symlinks

  3. Derived from Node.js Binary (Priority 3)

    • Falls back to process.execPath derivation
    • Works when npm command is unavailable

  4. Unix Binary Location (Priority 4)

    • Uses which claude on macOS/Linux
    • Traces binary back to installation directory

Key Features

  • ✅ Works with any Node version - No hardcoded paths
  • ✅ Supports all version managers - NVM, nodenv, asdf, etc.
  • ✅ Cross-platform - macOS, Linux, Windows
  • ✅ Automatic symlink resolution - Handles npm global symlinks
  • ✅ Comprehensive error messages - Shows all attempted paths

Backup Created:

  • cli.js.backup (in the same directory as cli.js)

Important: After Claude Code Updates

When you run claude update, the patches will be overwritten. You must re-apply them:

cd claude-code-thinking
node patch-thinking.js
# Restart Claude Code

The patch script automatically:

  • Detects your Claude Code installation
  • Creates a backup before patching (if it doesn't exist)
  • Applies both patches atomically
  • Reports success or failure
  • Safe to run multiple times

Rollback

To restore the original behavior:

Option 1: Using the script

node patch-thinking.js --restore

Option 2: Manual restore

# The backup is created in the same directory as cli.js
cp ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js.backup \
   ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

Then restart Claude Code.

Verification

Check if patches are applied (for v2.0.62):

# Check ZT2 patch
grep -n "function ZT2" ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

# Should show: function ZT2({streamMode:A}){return null}

# Check thinking visibility patch
grep -n 'case"thinking":return J3.createElement(X59' ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

# Should show: case"thinking":return J3.createElement(X59,{addMargin:Q,param:A,isTranscriptMode:!0,verbose:G});

Troubleshooting

"Could not find Claude Code installation"

Cause: The script cannot locate your Claude Code installation.

The script will display all attempted detection methods and paths, for example:

❌ Error: Could not find Claude Code installation

Searched using the following methods:

  [local installation]
    - ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js
    - ~/.config/claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js
  [npm root -g]
    - /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js
  [derived from process.execPath]
    - /opt/homebrew/bin/../lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js
  [which claude]
    - /opt/homebrew/bin/../lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

💡 Troubleshooting:
  1. Verify Claude Code is installed: claude --version
  2. For local install: Check ~/.claude/local or ~/.config/claude/local
  3. For global install: Ensure "npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code" succeeded
  4. Check that npm is in your PATH if using global install

Solutions:

  1. Verify installation: Run claude --version to confirm Claude Code is installed
  2. For local installations: Check that cli.js exists in ~/.claude/local or ~/.config/claude/local
  3. For global installations:
    • Ensure npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code completed successfully
    • Verify npm is in your PATH: npm --version
    • If using NVM: Ensure you've activated the correct Node version
  4. Check file permissions: Ensure the script has read access to the installation directory

"Pattern not found"

Cause: This means:

  1. Claude Code has been updated to a newer version
  2. The patches are already applied
  3. The file structure has changed

Solution:

  1. Run node patch-thinking.js --dry-run to check status
  2. If already applied, you're good!
  3. If version changed, the patterns may need updating for the new version

Thinking Still Collapsed After Patching

Solution: You must restart Claude Code for changes to take effect.

Backup File Missing

The patch script creates a backup automatically on first run. The --restore command will fail if the backup doesn't exist.

Cross-Platform Support

The script works on:

  • macOS ✅ Full support (all 4 detection methods)
  • Linux ✅ Full support (all 4 detection methods)
  • Windows ✅ Supported (3 detection methods - excludes which claude)

Platform-Specific Notes

macOS & Linux:

  • All 4 detection methods available
  • Includes which claude binary resolution
  • Automatic symlink resolution for Homebrew, NVM, etc.

Windows:

  • Uses first 3 detection methods
  • Works with nvm-windows and system Node
  • Skips Unix-specific which command

Path detection is fully automatic using Node.js built-in modules.

Version Manager Support

The script automatically works with all Node.js version managers:

Version ManagerSupportNotes
NVM (Node Version Manager)✅ FullDetects via npm root -g
nodenv✅ FullDetects via process.execPath
asdf✅ FullDetects via npm root -g
nvm-windows✅ FullWorks with all 3 Windows methods
System Node✅ FullStandard installation detection
Homebrew (macOS)✅ FullSymlink resolution included

How it works:

  • npm root -g dynamically finds the global node_modules directory regardless of version manager
  • process.execPath derives the path from the current Node.js binary location
  • No hardcoded paths means it works with any Node setup

Technical Details

File Structure

  • cli.js: ~3,600+ lines, ~9+ MB (heavily minified)
  • Version: Claude Code 2.0.46
  • Patches: Non-invasive, minimal changes

Installation Detection System

The patcher uses a sophisticated detection system with multiple fallback methods:

// Priority 1: Local installations
~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js
~/.config/claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

// Priority 2: Global npm (dynamic)
$(npm root -g)/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

// Priority 3: Derived from Node binary
$(dirname process.execPath)/../lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

// Priority 4: Unix binary resolution
$(which claude) → resolve symlinks → find cli.js

Key implementation details:

  • Uses child_process.execSync() with proper error handling
  • Automatically resolves symlinks via fs.realpathSync()
  • Tracks all attempted paths for detailed error reporting
  • Cross-platform compatible (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Why Two Patches?

  1. ZT2 Function: Controls the UI banner shown after thinking completes
  2. Thinking Renderer: Controls whether the actual thinking text is displayed

Both must be patched because they're separate systems:

  • Patching only ZT2 → Blank line appears where thinking should be
  • Patching only the renderer → Banner still shows "ctrl+o to show"

Pattern Evolution Across Versions

The minified code patterns change with each Claude Code update:

VersionBanner FunctionComponentVariables
2.0.9Mr2S2BVarious
2.0.10br2DOBH check
2.0.11er2SOBz check
2.0.13hGBxlBK check
2.0.14pGBdlBK check
2.0.15KYBFpBK check
2.0.19aFBNoBK check
2.0.21wVBH8QK,D check
2.0.22YOBnNBK,D check
2.0.24GSBnTBK,D check
2.0.25YSBaTBK,D check
2.0.26KjQCTQV check
2.0.28RjQLTQV check
2.0.29RjQLTQV check
2.0.30GkQsjQV,I check
2.0.31_kQMSQV,I check
2.0.32wkQljQV,I check
2.0.37nR2n$QV,I check
2.0.42cR2xLQV,I check
2.0.46Et2T32K,Z check
2.0.53hq2o09K,G check
2.0.55nM2J29K,G check
2.0.56CL2b29K,G check
2.0.57HM2K49K,G check
2.0.58SM2k49K,G check
2.0.59DO2F89K,G check
2.0.61RR2T69F,G check
2.0.62ZT2X59F,G check

When Claude Code updates, function names and component identifiers are regenerated during minification. In some cases (like v2.0.29), the patterns remain unchanged.

Limitations

  1. Breaks on updates: Must re-run after claude update
  2. Minified code: Fragile, patterns may change with version updates
  3. No official config: This is a workaround until Anthropic adds a native setting
  4. Version-specific: Patterns are specific to v2.0.62

Feature Request

Consider requesting this as an official feature from Anthropic:

  • Configuration option to always show thinking
  • User preference in settings (~/.claude/config.json)
  • Toggle command like /thinking show or /thinking hide
  • Environment variable like CLAUDE_SHOW_THINKING=true

Submit feedback: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues

Contributing

If Claude Code updates and the patches stop working:

  1. Locate the new patterns in cli.js:

    • Search for the thinking banner function (look for "Thought for" text)
    • Search for case"thinking" to find the visibility check

  2. Update the script with new patterns

  3. Test thoroughly before committing

  4. Update this README with the new version information

Pull requests welcome!

Subagent Model Configuration

Configure which AI models Claude Code uses for different subagent types (Plan, Explore, general-purpose).

The Problem

By default, Claude Code hardcodes the models used by subagents:

  • Plan subagent: Uses Sonnet (for planning tasks)
  • Explore subagent: Uses Haiku (for code exploration)
  • general-purpose subagent: Inherits from main loop model

You cannot change these defaults without modifying the source code.

The Solution

This patch allows you to configure subagent models via a configuration file (~/.claude/subagent-models.json).

Current Version: Claude Code 2.0.46

Quick Start

# 1. Create configuration file
cat > ~/.claude/subagent-models.json <<EOF
{
  "Plan": "sonnet",
  "Explore": "sonnet",
  "general-purpose": "sonnet"
}
EOF

# 2. Run the patch script
node patch-subagent-models.js

# 3. Restart Claude Code

Configuration

Create ~/.claude/subagent-models.json with your preferred models:

{
  "Plan": "sonnet",
  "Explore": "haiku",
  "general-purpose": "sonnet"
}

Valid model values:

  • "haiku" - Fast and efficient (Claude Haiku 4.5)
  • "sonnet" - Balanced performance (Claude Sonnet 4.5)
  • "opus" - Most capable (Claude Opus 4.1)

Subagent Types:

  • Plan - Used in planning mode for breaking down tasks
  • Explore - Used for codebase exploration and file searching
  • general-purpose - Used for general multi-step tasks

Command-Line Options

# Apply patches
node patch-subagent-models.js

# Preview changes without applying
node patch-subagent-models.js --dry-run

# Restore original behavior
node patch-subagent-models.js --restore

# Show help
node patch-subagent-models.js --help

How It Works

The patch modifies Claude Code's cli.js to change the hardcoded model assignments:

Before (v2.0.37):

// Plan subagent
R3A={agentType:"Plan",...,model:"sonnet"}

// Explore subagent
model:"haiku"}});var R3A;

After (with config: Plan="haiku", Explore="sonnet"):

// Plan subagent
R3A={agentType:"Plan",...,model:"haiku"}

// Explore subagent
model:"sonnet"}});var R3A;

Important Notes

  1. After Claude Code Updates: Must re-run after claude update:

    node patch-subagent-models.js

  2. Backup: Created automatically at:

    ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js.subagent-models.backup

  3. Version-Specific: Patterns are specific to v2.0.37. May need updates for newer versions.

Restoration

Using the script:

node patch-subagent-models.js --restore

Manual restore:

cp ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js.subagent-models.backup \
   ~/.claude/local/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

Example Use Cases

Use Sonnet everywhere (avoid Haiku):

{
  "Plan": "sonnet",
  "Explore": "sonnet",
  "general-purpose": "sonnet"
}

Use Haiku for speed:

{
  "Plan": "haiku",
  "Explore": "haiku",
  "general-purpose": "haiku"
}

Balanced approach:

{
  "Plan": "sonnet",
  "Explore": "haiku",
  "general-purpose": "sonnet"
}

Troubleshooting

"No model configuration found"

  • Create ~/.claude/subagent-models.json with your desired configuration
  • Ensure the JSON syntax is valid

"Pattern not found"

  • Claude Code version may have changed
  • Run with --dry-run to see which patterns are detected
  • Check if patches are already applied

Changes not taking effect

  • Restart Claude Code after applying patches
  • Verify patches were applied with --dry-run

Version History

VersionPlan DefaultExplore DefaultNotes
2.0.31sonnethaikuPrevious
2.0.32sonnethaikuPrevious
2.0.37sonnethaikuCurrent

License

This patch is provided as-is for educational purposes. Use at your own risk.

Credits

Developed through analysis of Claude Code's compiled JavaScript. Special thanks to the community for identifying the thinking display issue.

Last Updated: 2025-12-09 Claude Code Version: 2.0.62 Status: ✅ Working

Quick Reference

# Install
node patch-thinking.js

# Preview
node patch-thinking.js --dry-run

# Restore
node patch-thinking.js --restore

# Help
node patch-thinking.js --help