[FEATURE] Allow configuring the shell Claude Code uses for Bash tool calls (Windows)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

On Windows, Claude Code always spawns its own Git Bash process for terminal commands. This shell doesn't inherit the user's configured environment: SSH agents, custom PATH entries, credentials, aliases, and other tooling configured in their normal terminal are all missing.

As an agent, Claude Code is most useful when it can operate in the same environment the user works in. Right now, Windows users have to maintain a separate Git Bash environment just to support Claude, which undermines the "agent working alongside you" value proposition. GitHub Copilot avoids this entirely by running commands through VS Code's integrated terminal, inheriting the user's full environment.

Proposed Solution

Either use VS Code's integrated terminal (when running as a VS Code extension) to run Bash tool commands. This gives Claude the user's exact configured shell and environment for free, or add a shell setting in settings.json to let users specify the shell executable Claude should use (e.g. pwsh.exe, cmd.exe, or a custom path)

Alternative Solutions

_No response_

Priority

Medium - Would be very helpful

Feature Category

Configuration and settings

Use Case Example

Any Windows user relying on SSH agent forwarding, custom credential helpers, or environment-specific tooling.

Additional Context

_No response_