Claude Code v2.1.71 Released - Claude API Skill and VS Code Integration Improvements

Anthropic released Claude Code v2.1.71 on March 6, 2026. This major update introduces new features centered around developer experience and external application integration.

Key Changes

New Feature: Claude API Skill

Claude API Skill Added: The new /claude-api skill enables easier application development using the Claude API and Anthropic SDK. Developers can now leverage Claude’s capabilities from external applications more seamlessly.

Voice Feature Expansion

STT Language Support Expanded: Voice STT (Speech-to-Text) now supports 10 additional languages, bringing the total to 20. Newly supported languages include Russian, Polish, Turkish, Dutch, Ukrainian, Greek, Czech, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian.

UX Improvements

Effort Level Display: Effort level (e.g., “with low effort”) is now displayed on the logo and spinner, making it easier to verify the current effort setting.

Agent Name Display: When using --agent, the agent name now appears in the terminal title.

VS Code Integration Enhancement

MCP Server Management Dialog: Users can now enable/disable MCP servers, reconnect, and manage OAuth authentication using the /mcp command in the chat panel without switching to the terminal.

Security Improvements

Skill Loading Security Fix: Fixed a security issue where nested skill discovery could load skills from gitignored directories like node_modules.

Other New Features

• Added optional name argument to /remote-control for custom session titles
• Added numeric keypad support for option selection
• Added sandbox.enableWeeperNetworkIsolation setting for TLS certificate verification with custom MITM proxies
• Added includeGitInstructions setting to disable built-in commit/PR workflow instructions
• Added /reload-plugins command
• Added one-time startup prompt for Claude Code Desktop (macOS/Windows, max 3 dismissible showings)
• Added ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR} variable for skills to reference their own directory

Bug Fixes

• Fixed trust dialog silently enabling all .mcp.json servers on first run
• Fixed claude remote-control crashing on npm installs
• Fixed deprecated Opus model versions resolving to current versions
• Fixed macOS keychain corruption issue
• Fixed .credentials.json subscription type display issues

Summary

v2.1.71 is a significant release that substantially improves developer experience. The addition of the Claude API skill makes it easier to leverage Claude from external applications, while Voice STT’s multilingual support and VS Code integration enhancements address many frequently requested features.