[fnordpiglet]

It’s probably a mixture of things including direct control over how the api is called and used as pointed out above and giving a discount for using their ecosystem. They are in fact a business so it should not surprise anyone they act as one.

[esperent]

It might well be a mixture, but 95% of that mixture is vendor lock in. Same reason they don't support AGENTS.md, they want to add friction in switching.

[mgambati]

They can try add as much as friction they want. A simple rename in the files and directories like .claude makes the thing work to move out of CC.

It’s not like moving from android to iOS.

[esperent]

You'd be surprised how effective small bits of friction are.

[xvector]

If it was lock in they wouldn't make it absolutely trivial to change inference providers in Claude Code.

[esafak]

The goal is to use Anthropic subscriptions outside of Claude Code!! That is the lock in.