CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND is a Claude Code environment variable: Classifies the session: interactive, SDK/headless, subagent, background, or Remote Control. Hooks can branch on kind — a hook that opens a browser link makes sense in interactive sessions but not in CI headless runs. Added between v2.1.118 and v2.1.123 and still present in v2.1.294. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Added	Added between v2.1.118 and v2.1.123
Category	Sessions
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

Claude Code v2.1.123 — Background Daemons, Agent Fleets, and CoWork Memory

Related variables

CLAUDE_BRIDGE_REATTACH_SESSION: Session identity used during bridge reconnection.
CLAUDE_CODE_BRIDGE_SESSION_ID
CLAUDE_CODE_CHILD_SESSION
CLAUDE_CODE_EMIT_SESSION_STATE_EVENTS: Controls whether Claude Code emits session state change events.
CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_SESSION_PERSISTENCE
CLAUDE_CODE_POST_FOR_SESSION_INGRESS_V2: Use POST-based session ingress v2.
CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_SESSION_ID: Remote session identifier.
CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_SESSION_ORIGIN: Provenance tag for cloud/remote sessions, checked against the value "review".

Frequently asked questions

What does CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND do?

Classifies the session: interactive, SDK/headless, subagent, background, or Remote Control. Hooks can branch on kind — a hook that opens a browser link makes sense in interactive sessions but not in CI headless runs.

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND?

Added between v2.1.118 and v2.1.123 and still present in v2.1.294.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_KIND=value), or add it to the "env" object in ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it to every session.

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.