Seven Claude Desktop changes in one short video can sound like seven new habits to learn. Duncan Rogoff's ranking makes a sharper choice: use the features that reduce context switching and handoffs this week; leave appearance changes and larger workspace migrations until a real task calls for them. His “Claude 2.0” label describes the desktop experience, not a new model.
Split view keeps two Code sessions visible. Side chats answer a quick question without adding it to the main session. Nested sessions, as Duncan demonstrates them, let one request start separately steerable work. A cross-session check-in can surface which desktop session needs you. Start with one or two sessions and watch your plan usage; parallel work is not free capacity.
Watch Duncan Rank All Seven
Source note, 5 November 2026: The order and “use today / try later / skip” judgments are Duncan's, based on the supplied transcript. I checked Anthropic's current Desktop reference and help pages for controls, limits and availability. I did not independently run Duncan's sessions. The short trial and copyable prompt below are original editorial examples.
All Seven, Ranked From #7 to #1
These verdicts are priorities for a busy individual user, not a universal measure of feature quality. A designer making a deck today may reasonably start at #5; a team already using Projects may make #6 its first stop.
| Rank and verdict | What it changes |
|---|---|
| #7 Mods Skip for now | Customize Claude Code's interface or behavior. Useful for tinkerers, but not a shortcut to better output; review third-party code before installing it. |
| #6 Projects Try later | Give a larger job to a cloud coordinator with parallel threads. The redesigned version is a staged beta, and more threads use your plan faster. |
| #5 Artifacts Try for your next deck | Create Docs, Slides or Design in a side panel. Dashboards and Motion have narrower beta access. |
| #4 Split view Use today | Compare two Code sessions without losing your place. |
| #3 Side chats Use today | Ask a contextual question without steering the main session; the side chat is not saved for later. |
| #2 Nested sessions Use today | Delegate distinct jobs into visible, steerable sessions in Duncan's demo. Check the scope and output of each child session. |
| #1 “Master session” Use today | Ask a regular Code session about other desktop sessions. “Master” is Duncan's nickname, not an official session type. |
Why the Bottom Three Can Wait
#7 Mods: skip unless customization solves a real problem
Duncan shows a mod that changes the desktop interface. Anthropic describes mods as TypeScript customizations for Claude Code. An unfamiliar mod can run with access to your working environment, so do not install one merely because it looks clever. If you need a missing panel or a repeatable command, inspect its source and permissions first.
#6 Projects: wait for a job that justifies cloud coordination
The redesigned Projects beta can break a large request into cloud threads, collect outputs and show what is waiting for your decision. Anthropic says access is rolling out to selected Pro, Max and Ultra Claude Code subscribers, while ordinary Projects have broader availability. Several parallel threads consume plan usage faster. Choose the files you upload deliberately, and do not treat a missing Projects button as a setup error.
#5 Artifacts: useful now if you have a real deliverable
Duncan puts Artifacts at #5 because his focus is session management, not because decks are weak. Anthropic says Docs, Slides and Design are available across plans. Dashboards are a paid-plan beta; Motion is a Team and Enterprise beta. Try Slides when the next presentation is due, and review the exported file rather than assuming the preview will survive every handoff.
The Four That Change a Working Day
#4 Split view: put the work and its source side by side
Duncan's example pairs a writing session with a research session. In the Desktop reference, Option-click a session on Mac or Alt-click on Windows, or right-click and choose Open in > Split view. It is a layout convenience, not shared memory: each session keeps its own context. Use it when you need to compare two outputs or move between an answer and its evidence.
#3 Side chats: ask without changing the job
Open a side chat with /btw, Cmd+; on Mac or Ctrl+; on Windows. It can read the main session up to that point, but its answer does not become part of the main conversation. Anthropic says side chats are not saved to disk. Use one to ask “what has this session established so far?” and move a decision or important finding into a persistent note before closing it.
#2 Nested sessions: delegate work you can still inspect
In Duncan's demo, one request starts separate sessions for a script, thumbnail brief and description. Unlike a subagent that only reports back, he can open and steer each visible session. Anthropic's current Desktop guide documents parallel sessions and tasks that start another session, but does not use “nested sessions” as a universal button name in that reference. Ask for two genuinely independent outputs first; if your interface does not show the same hierarchy, create two ordinary sessions and compare their results yourself. Local sessions need the computer awake to keep running.
#1 “Master session”: find what is waiting on you
Duncan calls one ordinary Code session his “master” and asks it which other sessions need a decision. The documented cross-session view can inspect other Code tab sessions run by Desktop, including local, SSH and WSL sessions. It does not list cloud sessions or sessions started from the terminal or VS Code; by default it sees the 20 most recently active and skips archived sessions. It can also send messages, but reading a status and taking an action should be separate steps.
A 15-Minute Trial With a Finish Line
- Open a small, non-sensitive task in one Code session. Check the plan's usage indicator before starting a second.
- Open a related session in split view and compare one fact or output. Close the extra pane when the comparison is done.
- Use
/btwto ask for a one-sentence status. Save any finding you need after the app closes. - If the task splits cleanly, ask for two separate sessions and inspect each result. Then ask one Code session which visible work is waiting on you.
Stop if the extra sessions create more coordination than they save, or if usage climbs faster than the task warrants. The real win is fewer manual handoffs, not the largest possible number of parallel chats.
Copy a Session Check-In
This original prompt applies Duncan's #1 idea while making visibility and approval explicit. It does not assume Claude can see every chat in your account.
Find the waiting sessions
Read status first; approve actions separately.
Video Chapters
The three to postpone
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | Seven updates, four worth it |
| 00:27 | #7 Mods |
| 01:27 | #6 Projects |
| 02:35 | #5 Artifacts: Slides, Design, Dashboards |
The four to use now
Sources and Availability
- Creator's ranking: Duncan Rogoff's video and the supplied transcript. The verdicts are his, not Anthropic's.
- Desktop controls: Anthropic's Code tab reference documents split view, side chats and cross-session visibility. The “nested” label describes Duncan's on-screen workflow.
- Access and risk: Anthropic's Projects rollout, artifact plan table and mods overview. Plans and interfaces can change after the check date.