Start here

Claude Code is Claude working directly on your computer. Instead of copying text in and out of a chat window, you start it inside a folder and it reads the files there, runs commands, and makes changes, asking your permission along the way.

This guide gets you from nothing to a working first session in about fifteen minutes. You don’t need to be a programmer.

What you need

• A Claude subscription: Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise. A Claude Console account with API credits works too. See pricing.
• A terminal: the text window where you type commands. On a Mac it’s the app called Terminal. On Windows, use PowerShell. If you’ve never opened one, Anthropic’s terminal guide walks you through it.
• On Windows, also Git for Windows. Claude Code works better with it, and the skill suggester in this collection needs it.
• For the skill suggester, Node.js (the “LTS” version). You can add this later.

1. Install Claude Code

Open your terminal, paste the line for your system, and press Enter.

Mac or Linux:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

The installer shows no progress while it downloads, so give it a minute. When it’s done, close the terminal and open a new one, then check that it worked:

claude --version

You should see a version number followed by (Claude Code). If the terminal says claude isn’t found, see Fix your PATH.

This version of Claude Code keeps itself up to date in the background.

2. Start your first session

Claude Code works inside whatever folder you start it in. Pick a folder you’re happy for it to look at: a project, or a new empty folder for practice.

cd ~/Documents/my-project
claude

The first time, Claude Code opens your browser so you can log in with your Claude account. After that you stay logged in.

You’ll see a prompt where you can type. Talk to it like a capable colleague:

what's in this folder?

create a simple web page that shows a countdown to New Year

When Claude wants to change a file or run a command, it asks first. Read what it wants to do, then choose Yes, or No and tell it what to do instead.

3. The controls that matter

Key or command	What it does
Esc	Stop Claude mid-answer. It keeps the work done so far, and you can redirect it.
Esc Esc	With an empty prompt: rewind to an earlier point in the conversation and undo changes.
Shift+Tab	Switch permission mode (see below).
/	Shows every command and skill you can use. Keep typing to filter.
/clear	Start a fresh conversation in the same folder. Do this when you switch to an unrelated task.
/resume	Pick up an earlier conversation. claude -c in the terminal continues the most recent one.
/help	Lists commands. You can also just ask Claude “how do I…”.
Ctrl+D twice, or /exit	Quit.

Permission modes

Shift+Tab cycles through how much Claude may do without asking. The current mode is shown below the prompt.

• Manual (the default): Claude asks before every change and command. Start here.
• Accept edits: Claude edits files without asking, but still asks before running commands. Good once you trust where a task is going.
• Plan: Claude only reads and thinks, then shows you a plan. Nothing changes until you approve it. Use this for anything big.

4. Habits that make it work well

• Be specific. “Fix the bug where the form submits when it’s empty” beats “fix the bug”.
• Plan before big changes. Switch to plan mode, or ask “make a plan first, don’t change anything yet”.
• One task per conversation. Long conversations get slower and less sharp. /clear between unrelated tasks.
• Let it explore first. “Look around and explain how this project works” is a great first message in any new folder.
• Use git if you can. It’s a safety net: every change can be undone. Ask Claude to “set up git for this folder and commit after each step”.

5. Next: add skills

Out of the box, Claude Code is a generalist. Skills turn it into a specialist for particular jobs: interviewing you about a plan, finding a hard bug, polishing a design. Continue with Using skills to install this collection.

If something goes wrong

• Ask Claude Code itself: “Claude Code isn’t doing X, how do I fix it?” It knows its own documentation.
• Anthropic’s troubleshooting guide covers installation errors.
• The free Claude Code 101 course goes deeper on the basics.