Claude Code Session Replay: Comparing Tools for Browsing Your JSONL History
Claude Code stores every session as JSONL files in ~/.claude/projects/. This is great for data sovereignty — you own all your data locally. But reading raw JSONL files is practically impossible for anything beyond trivial sessions.
As Claude Code usage grows (it's reached $1B ARR), so does the need for proper session replay tools. This guide compares every option available in 2026.
Where Claude Code Stores Sessions
# Project-specific sessions
~/.claude/projects/<project-hash>/sessions/
# Desktop app sessions (Claude Desktop)
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude-code-sessions/ # macOSEach .jsonl file contains interleaved JSON objects: user prompts, AI responses, tool calls (file reads, writes, bash commands), system messages, and token metadata. A single complex session can have hundreds of entries.
Tool-by-Tool Comparison
1. claude-code-log (CLI → HTML)
A Python CLI tool that converts JSONL transcripts into readable HTML.
pip install claude-code-log
claude-code-log --session <session-id>| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | CLI → HTML converter |
| Setup | pip install, minimal |
| View mode | Rendered HTML in browser |
| Cross-session search | ❌ |
| Code diff view | ❌ |
| Step-by-step replay | ❌ |
| Best for | Quick one-off session review |
2. cclog (VS Code Extension)
A VS Code extension that renders Claude Code sessions directly in your editor.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | VS Code extension |
| Setup | Install from marketplace |
| View mode | Editor panel |
| Cross-session search | ❌ |
| Code diff view | Limited |
| Step-by-step replay | ❌ |
| Best for | In-editor session browsing without leaving VS Code |
3. claude-transcript (CLI)
A lightweight CLI tool for extracting conversation text from JSONL files.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | CLI text extractor |
| Setup | npm/pip install |
| View mode | Terminal output |
| Cross-session search | ❌ |
| Code diff view | ❌ |
| Step-by-step replay | ❌ |
| Best for | Piping session content to other tools (grep, less) |
4. Mantra — Visual Time Travel
Mantra is a desktop application purpose-built for replaying AI coding sessions. It doesn't just render text — it reconstructs the entire session timeline with visual diffs, tool call context, and step-by-step navigation.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Desktop app (Tauri) |
| Setup | Download + install, auto-discovers sessions |
| View mode | Visual timeline with code diffs |
| Cross-session search | ✅ Full-text across all sessions |
| Code diff view | ✅ Syntax-highlighted |
| Step-by-step replay | ✅ Time-travel through each interaction |
| Best for | Developers who review sessions regularly or manage team AI usage |
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | claude-code-log | cclog | claude-transcript | Mantra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-discover sessions | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Visual timeline | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Code diffs | ❌ | Partial | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cross-session search | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Tool call visibility | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Token usage tracking | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-tool support | ❌ Claude only | ❌ Claude only | ❌ Claude only | ✅ Claude + Cursor + more |
| Export options | HTML | N/A | Text | Markdown |
| Runs locally | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Free | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Free tier |
When to Use What
For a quick look at one session: claude-code-log is the fastest path — pip install and point it at a session file.
For browsing while coding: The cclog VS Code extension keeps you in your editor.
For serious session management: Mantra is the only option that provides cross-session search, visual time travel, and multi-tool support. If you use Claude Code alongside Cursor or other AI tools, Mantra unifies everything in one place.
The Session Replay Workflow
Here's how experienced developers use session replay:
- End-of-day review: Scan through the day's sessions to catch AI mistakes you may have accepted uncritically
- Knowledge extraction: Find and document architectural decisions buried in AI conversations
- Prompt improvement: Identify which prompts led to good results and which needed multiple iterations
- Team sharing: Share specific sessions with colleagues to transfer context on complex problems
Deep dive: Claude Code Log Viewer: How to Browse and Search Your Session History covers each tool with step-by-step setup instructions.
Related reading:
- AI Coding Session Replay: Why You Need a Time Machine — The productivity case for session replay
- Cursor Session History Alternatives — If you also use Cursor
- How to Review AI Coding Sessions — Practical review techniques
Your Claude Code sessions contain valuable knowledge. Don't let them sit unread in JSONL files. Try Mantra — free for individual developers.