It's stories like this that keeps me from using Claude CLI or OpenAi Codex. I'm sticking to copying and pasting code manually from old fashioned Claude.
I used to do the same, copying and pasting from the web app and convinced I didn’t need anything else.
But Claude Code is honestly so so much better, the way it can make surgical edits in-place.
Just avoid using the -dangerously-skip-permissions flag, which would have been OP’s downfall!
I did the same before I started using devcontainers, they are super useful
If you’re on Mac, you can use Claude Code inside Xcode “Intelligence”.
It's like seeing someone drive off a cliff after having disabled the brakes on their car on purpose and going "nah, I'll stick to my Flintstones style car with no engine, normal cars are too dangerous".
Agentic AI with human control is the sweet spot right now. Just give it the right amount of sandboxing and autonomy that makes you feel safe. Fully air-gapping by using the web version is a bit hardcore =)