Feature request: customizable CLI startup banner / icon

Feature Request

Allow users to replace the Claude CLI startup banner/icon with a custom one — such as their companion buddy.

Use Case

The companion (buddy) system already lives in the CLI, but the startup branding is fixed. Users who've bonded with their buddy want the full takeover — launching Claude Code and being greeted by their companion instead of the default Claude logo.

For example, replacing the startup icon with Xendit, The Agent Duck of Doom. 🦆

Proposed Behavior

A configuration option that lets users swap the startup banner/ASCII art:

{
  "cli": {
    "startupBanner": "companion"
  }
}

Or more flexibly, support a custom ASCII art file:

{
  "cli": {
    "startupBanner": "~/.claude/banner.txt"
  }
}

Setting it to "companion" could render the user's buddy as the greeting, while a file path would allow fully custom art.

Why This Matters

The buddy system creates real attachment. Letting the companion own the welcome screen completes the experience and makes every session feel personal from the first frame.

Related

• anthropics/claude-code#43337 (companion subtitle feature)

🦆 Filed on behalf of Xendit, The Agent Duck of Doom.