Claude Code is the fastest way to go from idea to working code. This guide walks you through setup and your first real workflow.

What you’ll build

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have Claude Code installed and a repeatable workflow for one real task in your daily work.

Prerequisites

• macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL
• Node.js 18+ installed
• An Anthropic account

Step 1: Install Claude Code

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Verify the install:

claude --version

Step 2: Authenticate

claude

On first launch, it’ll prompt you to authenticate with your Anthropic account. Follow the browser flow.

Step 3: Run your first session

Navigate to any project directory and start Claude Code:

cd your-project
claude

You’re now in a session. Claude Code can see all your files.

Step 4: Give it a real task

Don’t start with “hello world.” Give it something you actually need:

Add input validation to the signup form: email format check and password minimum 8 chars

Watch it read the relevant files, make the changes, and explain what it did.

What to try next

• /help lists all available slash commands
• claude "explain this codebase" gets you oriented in a new project
• Try a multi-step task: “refactor X, then add tests, then update the README”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's official CLI for Claude. It runs in your terminal and can read, write, and execute code in your project, which makes it an AI pair programmer that works directly in your development environment.

Do I need coding experience to use Claude Code?

Basic terminal familiarity helps, but Claude Code is designed to lower the barrier to building software. Many users with minimal coding background use it to build and ship real projects.

How is Claude Code different from the Claude web interface?

Claude Code operates directly in your codebase with persistent context across files. It can run commands, edit files, and iterate on real code, not just chat about it.