Anthropic finalizing Harmony, an AI agent to operate with local files

Anthropic is actively developing Harmony, a new feature designed to let users integrate a local directory of files into Claude’s context. This will enable users to interact with their files seamlessly, allowing the AI to read, index, and analyze content within the directory.

Harmony: AI-Powered Code Assistant

Recent updates to Anthropic’s codebase suggest that Harmony will soon be available in the feature preview settings. Even though this functionality is not yet officially released, we already had a chance to test it.

For instance, when uploading an Android application and prompting Claude to conduct research, the AI systematically opened and indexed each file before generating a comprehensive summary in the form of an artifact. It also displayed context capacity usage, highlighting how much of its available memory was consumed during the process.

Beyond passive analysis, Harmony allows users to modify existing files, save changes, and even create new files directly within the integrated directory. Moreover, it supports keyword-based search, providing a structured overview of relevant results.

This feature has the potential to be a powerful AI coding assistant. In a test scenario, Claude analyzed an entire codebase within minutes and successfully identified 10 different security vulnerabilities in a pet project. If widely released, this could mark a significant leap forward in AI-assisted software development.

Compass: AI-Powered Deep Research

Alongside Harmony, Anthropic appears to be working on another feature called Compass. While details are still scarce, Compass could enable Claude to perform deep research across multiple sources, integrating web search, study resources, and structured reports.

Additionally, mentions of “memory,” “task,” and “agent” in recent updates suggest that Anthropic may be exploring capabilities similar to autonomous AI agents, like those found in certain experimental AI platforms. However, it is still unclear how these tools will function within Claude.

What’s Next?

Based on the latest findings, Anthropic is preparing to launch three major features:

1. Web Search – Expanding Claude’s ability to gather and analyze online information.
2. Harmony – A local file integration feature for deeper AI-powered coding and content analysis.
3. Compass – A potential deep research tool that could provide structured insights from various sources.

While there is no official release date for these features, their presence in the codebase and preview settings hints at an imminent launch. If successfully implemented, these additions could enhance Claude’s capabilities significantly, making it a more powerful AI assistant across coding, research, and general productivity.

Stay tuned for updates as these features roll out!