Anthropic is testing a persistent agent platform called Conway, which aims to transform Claude into an always-on autonomous environment. This development, first reported by TestingCatalog on April 1, indicates a significant shift in how the Claude tool could operate.
Claude Conway will arrive with Extensions 👀
"Install custom tools, UI Tabs, and context handlers."
What do you think these CNW ZIPs will be capable of doing? https://t.co/Ng1HSORQrB pic.twitter.com/SBOfhk1T34
— TestingCatalog News 🗞 (@testingcatalog) April 2, 2026
Conway functions as a sidebar option within Anthropic’s interface, providing a dedicated web page known as a “Conway instance.” This platform introduces its own interface with three core areas: Search, Chat, and System, allowing for enhanced functionalities.
The Conway platform can execute Claude Code, support external webhooks, interact with Chrome, and send notifications. A specific section for webhooks allows external services to wake the instance using public URLs, complemented by service-level toggles for controlling triggers.
Anthropic is also developing an Extensions area within the “Manage your Conway instance” settings. This space will enable users to install custom tools, UI tabs, and context handlers. It supports dropped .cnw.zip files, a new format for extensions that can facilitate third-party add-ons, which TestingCatalog described as an ecosystem expansion capability akin to an “app store.”
The settings page further references Connectors and Tools, showcasing connected clients and the exposed tools. This includes an option for Claude in Chrome to establish a direct connection to Conway.
This announcement follows a significant source code leak on March 31, where Anthropic unintentionally published the full source code for Claude Code, amounting to around 500,000 lines of TypeScript. This leak revealed 44 hidden feature flags, indicating unreleased functionalities such as background agents, multi-agent coordination, and scheduled tasks.
Anthropic stated the leak resulted from a release packaging issue caused by human error, clarifying that it was not a security breach. If released, the Conway platform would represent one of Anthropic’s most ambitious initiatives, potentially placing it in closer competition with companies such as OpenAI while providing a native extension layer and deeper integration with Claude.
