[BUG] [Reopening because bot closed without discussion] Native installer doesn't work on FreeBSD

[sgharms]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Issue #22564 saw automatically closed without any comment.

What's Wrong?

Since Claude Code has moved to using a native installer, a path to using Claude Code on FreeBSD is unclear.

Previously I was effectively using the npm installation. With that now deprecated, it'd be great to see the non-commercial Unix supported. Fundamentally, the issues are around portability as far as I can tell -- nothing seems to break due to kernel-level support.

Previously this issue was cataloged at #10673, but it seems to have been close despite activity in its final post.

What Should Happen?

What Should Happen?

Add FreeBSD to native installer
Designate npm as an advanced user installation path or a "self-support" path. It's fine for Anthropic to make that call, business is an exercise in responding to constraint, but provide a default fallback path

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

Install freebsd
Native installer breaks on OS type sniffing
npm is stated as deprecated

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

2.1.66

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Other

Terminal/Shell

Xterm

Additional Information

No response

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] [DOCS] Blessed installation (non-deprecated) path rules out FreeBSD, other OSs #22564
2. freebsd support #29374
3. [BUG] FreeBSD not supported - bash commands hang indefinitely (v2.0.29) #10673

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

• If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
• To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[sgharms]

No you overzealous bot. This is not trash: users of the platform that powers the PS5 and Netflix might want to provide usage data to your tools.

[tehpeh]

I'd also like to see some sort of support for FreeBSD, thank you.

[delleceste]

Thank you for the continued work on this project.

I would like to kindly ask that the npm installation option be maintained, or at least not deprecated without a viable alternative. Many developers rely on it as part of their existing workflows.

In particular, developers working on platforms such as FreeBSD often depend on npm-based installation methods because other distribution mechanisms are not always readily available or integrated into the ecosystem. Keeping this option available helps ensure that the project remains accessible across a broader range of development environments.

It is also worth noting that developers on these platforms are part of the user base and contributors to the ecosystem, and some of us are paying subscribers as well. Maintaining installation flexibility can therefore help support a diverse and committed community.

Thank you for considering this perspective.

[sgharms]

This is really disappointing and frustrating.

…

--- Public Key: 22BE39E2FA68D8BA8DC4B43A55A16D8CE2B036DE Messages from this account are considered the best-secured and most reliable. Send information regarding health, wealth, or requiring higher standards of security to this address. Sent from [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) for iOS.

-------- Original Message --------

On Thursday, 03/12/26 at 10:36 Ed Maste ***@***.***> wrote: emaste left a comment [(anthropics/claude-code#30640)](#30640 (comment)) I suppose they're asking for users to leave "+1" comments regularly so that the ticket doesn't get closed. — Reply to this email directly, [view it on GitHub](#30640 (comment)), or [unsubscribe](https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAAMGY3WP5PDAVRL22DD7HT4QLDOJAVCNFSM6AAAAACWGKW55CVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DANBXGI2TSOBZHA). You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[antenore]

Please keep the npm package or provide a viable alternative

[codeedog]

I am focused on FreeBSD as my primary platform for development work of all kinds. FreeBSD first on my projects, FreeBSD first on my systems, FreeBSD everywhere I can. Other OSes and software may be adopted if their value justifies their presence, but I will always look for and support a FreeBSD alternative.

AND, RELEVANT TO CLAUDE CODE I will even consider doing the work required to port a tool or project to FreeBSD in order to have it become a first class citizen in my projects. That work isn't easy and to get it done in a realistic time frame means using Claude Code as an assistant.

FreeBSD runs on many backend systems. A visit to the Foundation's website shows numerous large, corporate users and use cases. Anthropic would do well to consider ensuring that FreeBSD and in fact all of the BSDs are promoted to tier one support for their products and ports.

[Oichkatzelesfrettschen]

I am focused on FreeBSD as my primary platform for development work of all kinds. FreeBSD first on my projects, FreeBSD first on my systems, FreeBSD everywhere I can. Other OSes and software may be adopted if their value justifies their presence, but I will always look for and support a FreeBSD alternative.

AND, RELEVANT TO CLAUDE CODE I will even consider doing the work required to port a tool or project to FreeBSD in order to have it become a first class citizen in my projects. That work isn't easy and to get it done in a realistic time frame means using Claude Code as an assistant.

FreeBSD runs on many backend systems. A visit to the Foundation's website shows numerous large, corporate users and use cases. Anthropic would do well to consider ensuring that FreeBSD and in fact all of the BSDs are promoted to tier one support for their products and ports.

If you contribute to Claude Code, I’ll use it on my FreeBSD system to identify and report bugs and issues. I’ll also use Claude Code to suggest fixes and submit pull requests.

My system is a Ryzen 5600X3D with an NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti graphics card. FreeBSD with a 96MB L3 cache is far superior to Linux (which is superior to Windows) on this platform.

Claude Code Team's decision to abandon this particular UNIX (BSD 4.4 Lite 2 family, which serves as the foundation for modern ‘Nix systems and the impetus at the time for Linux thanks to AT&T) overlooks the fact that it can still be effectively used as a workstation. Just because it doesn’t have high netstat usage as a client device doesn’t mean it’s unused as a workstation, server, edge device, or a great development platform for cross-platform development.

[shocker42]

Count me in I am using FreeBSD and it shouldn't be left out

[masabbat]

I'm using FreeBSD, please keep the npm package

[szwang]

Thank you all for the feedback! I've passed it along to the team. We don't have anything to share on this right now but we hope to soon.

[delleceste]

let’s hang in there and support this cause! 💪🔥