Feature Request: Companion (Vexquill) Customization Options

Feature Request: Companion Pet Customization API

Problem Statement

The companion pet (Vexquill) is one of Claude Code's most delightful and distinctive features — it adds personality and warmth that sets Claude Code apart from other developer tools. However, it currently offers zero customization, which limits its potential as a differentiator and engagement driver.

For the growing international user base, the companion only speaks English, creating a disconnect for non-English-speaking developers who use Claude Code daily.

Proposed Feature

A companion customization system that allows users to personalize their pet's appearance, behavior, and language.

Detailed Specification

1. Color / Theme Customization

Allow users to change the companion's color palette or choose from preset themes.

Use cases:

• Match companion to IDE/terminal color theme (dark mode users, Dracula, Solarized, etc.)
• Accessibility: higher contrast options for visually impaired users
• Personal expression: developers personalize everything — terminals, editors, keybindings — the companion should be no different

Suggested options:
| Setting | Type | Example | Description |
|---------|------|---------|-------------|
| color | string | "#FF6B6B", "purple" | Primary color tint |
| theme | enum | "default", "dark", "neon", "pastel" | Preset color themes |

2. Language / Localization

Allow the companion to comment in the user's preferred language.

Use cases:

• Non-English-speaking developers (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, etc.) would feel more connected
• Teams in non-English-speaking countries adopting Claude Code
• Language learners who want mixed-language interaction

Suggested options:
| Setting | Type | Example | Description |
|---------|------|---------|-------------|
| language | string | "zh-TW", "ja", "ko", "es" | BCP 47 language tag |
| style | enum | "friendly", "minimal", "snarky" | Comment personality |

3. Visual Customization

Allow changes to the companion's visual presentation.

Use cases:

• Smaller screens / terminal-only users may want a smaller companion
• Users who find animation distracting can reduce motion
• Alternative character skins for seasonal events or personal preference

Suggested options:
| Setting | Type | Example | Description |
|---------|------|---------|-------------|
| size | enum | "small", "medium", "large" | Companion size |
| animation | enum | "full", "reduced", "none" | Motion preference (respects prefers-reduced-motion) |
| character | enum | "goose", "cat", "robot" | Alternative companions |
| enabled | boolean | true | Show/hide companion |

Suggested Configuration

Add a companion section to ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "companion": {
    "enabled": true,
    "color": "#FF6B6B",
    "theme": "default",
    "language": "zh-TW",
    "style": "friendly",
    "size": "medium",
    "animation": "full",
    "character": "goose"
  }
}

All fields optional — sensible defaults when omitted.

Implementation Considerations

Minimal Viable Version (Low Effort, High Impact)

Just ship language and enabled first — this alone would be a huge win for international users:

{ "companion": { "language": "zh-TW" } }

Progressive Enhancement

1. Phase 1: language + enabled (i18n support)
2. Phase 2: color / theme (visual personalization)
3. Phase 3: character / animation (full customization)

Technical Notes

• Language strings could leverage the same i18n infrastructure as Claude's main responses
• Color tinting can be done with CSS filters or SVG fill overrides — minimal rendering changes
• prefers-reduced-motion media query already exists as a standard to respect for animation settings

Why This Matters

1. International adoption — Claude Code is used globally. A companion that only speaks English feels like an oversight as the product scales internationally.
2. Accessibility — Color and motion customization aligns with WCAG guidelines and shows commitment to inclusive design.
3. Engagement & retention — Personalization creates emotional attachment. Users who customize their tools are more likely to stick with them. The companion is uniquely positioned for this.
4. Brand differentiation — No other AI coding tool has a customizable companion character. This is a moat worth deepening.
5. Community & virality — Shareable companion configs (like terminal themes) could drive organic social media engagement: "Check out my Claude Code setup."

Prior Art

• GitHub's Mona mascot (customizable in profile)
• Discord's Wumpus (stickers, seasonal variants)
• Slack's loading messages (localized)
• VS Code's theme ecosystem (strongest driver of personalization)

Environment

• Claude Code CLI, Desktop App (macOS/Windows), Web App, IDE Extensions
• All platforms where the companion is rendered