Anthropic sent a takedown notice to a dev trying to reverse-engineer its coding tool

Tech Crunch - Apr 25th, 2025
Open on Tech Crunch

In the ongoing competition between AI-driven coding tools, OpenAI's Codex CLI is gaining more developer support compared to Anthropic's Claude Code. The disparity in developer goodwill seems to be influenced by Anthropic's legal action against a developer who reverse-engineered Claude Code, which operates under a more restrictive license than Codex CLI. Codex CLI, released under the Apache 2.0 license, allows for distribution and commercial use, making it more appealing to developers who appreciate its open-source nature. In contrast, Claude Code's source code is obfuscated and tied to a commercial license, limiting its modifiability without Anthropic's consent.

The incident highlights a significant PR advantage for OpenAI, which, despite its recent trend towards proprietary products, has embraced a more open-source-friendly stance with Codex CLI. This move might signal a shift in OpenAI's strategy, aligning with CEO Sam Altman's acknowledgment of the company's past reluctance towards open-source initiatives. Meanwhile, Anthropic's actions have drawn criticism on social media, further enhancing OpenAI's image as a developer-centric platform. The story underscores the competitive dynamics in the AI tool landscape and the importance of licensing in shaping developer ecosystems.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.6
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The story provides a well-rounded examination of the competitive dynamics between Anthropic and OpenAI regarding their AI coding tools. It effectively highlights the developer community's reactions to Anthropic's restrictive licensing practices and contrasts them with OpenAI's more open approach. The article is timely and relevant to ongoing discussions about open-source practices in the tech industry. While the narrative is clear and engaging, the absence of direct comments from Anthropic and more explicit source attributions slightly affect its balance and transparency. Overall, the article succeeds in presenting an informative and engaging account of a significant issue within the AI development community.

RATING DETAILS

8
Accuracy

The story presents several factual claims, many of which are supported by external sources. The central claim that Anthropic issued a takedown notice to a developer for reverse-engineering Claude Code is accurate and verifiable. The story accurately describes the licensing differences between Claude Code and Codex CLI, highlighting the restrictive nature of Anthropic's commercial license compared to the Apache 2.0 license of Codex CLI. However, the article could benefit from more direct citations or links to official statements or documents from Anthropic or OpenAI to further substantiate these claims. While the narrative aligns with known facts, the absence of a direct comment from Anthropic leaves a gap in the reporting.

7
Balance

The article presents a balanced view by discussing both Anthropic's and OpenAI's approaches to AI tool development. It highlights the developer community's reaction to Anthropic's actions, contrasting it with OpenAI's more open strategy. However, the story leans slightly towards favoring OpenAI due to its more transparent and collaborative approach, as perceived by the developer community. The lack of a response from Anthropic and the absence of their perspective on the takedown notice may contribute to a perceived imbalance. Including more context on Anthropic's reasons for their licensing and obfuscation decisions could provide a more rounded perspective.

9
Clarity

The article is well-structured and written in clear, accessible language. It logically presents the sequence of events, starting with the introduction of the coding tools and leading to the controversy surrounding the takedown notice. The tone remains neutral, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, making it comprehensible to readers who may not be familiar with the technical aspects of AI coding tools. The use of specific examples, such as the comparison between licensing terms, aids in understanding the core issues.

8
Source quality

The article relies on credible sources, including TechCrunch, which is known for its reliable reporting on technology and startup news. The story references developer reactions on social media, which adds to its credibility by reflecting community sentiment. However, the article does not provide direct quotes or detailed attributions from key stakeholders, such as executives from Anthropic or OpenAI, which could enhance the authority and reliability of the information presented. The absence of direct responses from Anthropic also affects the completeness of the source quality.

6
Transparency

The article provides a clear narrative on the events and the reactions of the developer community, but it lacks detailed transparency regarding its sources and the methodology behind the claims. While it mentions the lack of comment from Anthropic, it does not disclose the efforts made to obtain such comments or provide links to primary documents, such as the DMCA notice. Greater transparency in these areas would strengthen the article's credibility and allow readers to better understand the basis of the claims.

Sources

  1. https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/25/anthropic-sent-a-takedown-notice-to-a-dev-trying-to-reverse-engineer-its-coding-tool/
  2. https://startupnews.fyi/2025/04/26/anthropic-sent-a-takedown-notice-to-a-dev-trying-to-reverse-engineer-its-coding-tool/
  3. https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/24/anthropic-ceo-wants-to-open-the-black-box-of-ai-models-by-2027/
  4. https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/claude-code-best-practices
  5. https://github.com/Yuyz0112/claude-code-reverse