Choosing between query() and ClaudeSDKClient

The Python SDK provides two ways to interact with Claude Code:

Feature	query()	ClaudeSDKClient
Session	Creates a new session by default	Reuses same session
Conversation	Single exchange	Multiple exchanges in same context
Connection	Managed automatically	Manual control
Streaming Input	✅ Supported	✅ Supported
Interrupts	❌ Not supported	✅ Supported
Hooks	✅ Supported	✅ Supported
Custom Tools	✅ Supported	✅ Supported
Continue Chat	Manual via continue_conversation or resume	✅ Automatic
Use Case	One-off tasks	Continuous conversations

Use ClaudeSDKClient for interactive applications such as chat interfaces, or when the next action depends on Claude's response.