Getting started
Getting started with Claude Code.
Claude Code is Claude’s terminal-based coding tool. It reads your files, writes code, runs commands, and builds real software inside VS Code. This guide covers what you need to install, the handful of concepts worth knowing before you start, and three concrete things you can build in your first session.
Step 1 of 3
Set up your environment
These steps work on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Install Node.js and Git, then Claude Code, then confirm everything runs. If you hit an error at any step, screenshot it and note it down rather than spending time troubleshooting alone.
Install Node.js and Git
Pick the line for your operating system:
Mac
Install Homebrew first (paste the command from brew.sh into Terminal), then run:
brew install node git
Or download the installers directly: nodejs.org and git-scm.com.
Windows
Download Node.js LTS from nodejs.org and Git from git-scm.com, then run both installers.
Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo apt install nodejs npm git
Other distros: use your package manager (dnf, pacman, etc.) or the installers at the links above.
Install Claude Code
The same command works on all three platforms:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Mac alternative: brew install --cask claude-code
For the most current, platform-specific steps, see the official Claude Code docs. Anthropic updates them as the tool ships new features.
Install VS Code
Download VS Code from code.visualstudio.com. The site auto-detects your OS. This is the editor Claude Code works inside.
Sanity check
Run each of these and confirm it prints a version number. If any returns an error, screenshot it and note it down.
claude --version node --version git --version
Two free accounts (no card needed)
GitHub: Sign up at github.com. Once you are in, click “New repository”, give it a name, set it to Private, and click “Create repository”. GitHub is free cloud backup for your code, and Vercel watches it to deploy your site automatically.
Vercel: Sign up at vercel.com by clicking “Continue with GitHub.” Vercel deploys your site every time you push new code.
Make sure your Claude account can run Claude Code
You need an active Claude Pro or Max plan (from claude.ai) or an Anthropic Console API key with credits. The first time you run claude in your terminal, it walks you through logging in. If you already have a Pro or Max subscription, you are set.
If anything looks wrong
Screenshot the error and note it down. Most setup issues are quick to sort; catching them early keeps things on track.
Step 2 of 3
A few things worth knowing
These are the concepts that save the most confusion in the first few sessions. You do not need to memorize all of them before you start, but having seen them once makes a difference.
CLAUDE.md is your project's memory
At the root of every project, there is a file called CLAUDE.md. Claude reads it at the start of every session. It is how the tool remembers what your project is, who it is for, and what decisions you have already made. After any meaningful milestone, ask Claude to update it so the next session picks up where you left off.
"Yes to All" on file permissions
Claude asks for permission before writing or editing files. Early on, choose "Allow always" (or "Yes to All") so it stops interrupting you mid-flow. You can always review what it changed in VS Code before committing anything.
Plan mode for anything with moving parts
Before Claude writes a single line of code, you can ask it to explain its approach first. Say something like: "Use plan mode. Don't write any code yet. Tell me your approach." This catches bad assumptions before they are built, and saves you from undoing a lot of work.
Opus to plan, Sonnet to build
Claude comes in different models. Opus is the most capable; Sonnet is fast and cost-efficient. The practical pattern: use Opus when making hard design decisions or planning the overall approach, then switch to Sonnet for the actual coding work. It keeps your token budget in check.
/rewind is undo
If Claude does something you do not want, type /rewind to roll back to the previous state. It is your safety net, so do not worry about experimenting.
/context and /compact: watch the session fill up
Claude's session memory has a limit. Run /context to see how full it is. Past roughly 60%, Claude starts losing track of earlier details. When that happens, run /compact to summarize the history. Before you do, tell Claude what is critical to keep: "Compact the context. Keep the CLAUDE.md summary, the component structure decisions, and the current task."
Screenshots are input
You can drop a screenshot directly into Claude Code, just like you would in a chat. Find a website or UI you like, take a full-page screenshot, and say: "Build a homepage in this style using placeholder images." It is one of the fastest ways to communicate a visual direction.
.env stays local, never commit it
A .env file holds your API keys and secrets. It should never go into GitHub. Claude knows this and will add it to .gitignore automatically, but double-check. Share credentials with a collaborator over a password manager, not through the repo.
GitHub is backup, not just for developers
Think of GitHub as free cloud storage for your project, with the ability to roll back to any previous version. Vercel connects to it and deploys your site automatically every time you push a new commit. You do not need to understand Git deeply to get value from this setup.
GitHub Actions for anything scheduled
If you want a script to run on a recurring schedule (daily digest, weekly watcher, etc.), GitHub Actions is the right tool. It is free for small jobs. Claude can write the config file for you. This is better than a paid always-on service for most routine tasks.
Step 3 of 3
Three things you could build
Each of these is based on something built in a real session. They are written generically here, but you can get specific once you know what is useful for your situation. Pick whichever one sounds closest to something you want in your hands.
A. A website or landing page
What it is
A real site built with Next.js and Tailwind, deployed on Vercel. No template builder, no monthly SaaS fee. You own the code and the design.
How to approach it
- Create a private GitHub repo, clone it in Terminal, and open it in VS Code.
- Create a CLAUDE.md at the root with a plain-language brief: what the site is for, who it is for, and any constraints. Also create a tokens.css with your brand colors and fonts.
- Ask Claude to scaffold the app (see the starter prompt below).
- Open the local preview inside VS Code with npm run dev.
- Find a website whose layout or feeling you like. Take a full-page screenshot and drop it into Claude Code. Ask for a homepage in that style using placeholder images.
- Iterate on copy, sections, and layout until it feels right.
- Commit the changes and Vercel deploys the live site automatically.
Starter prompt
# First prompt (scaffold) Read CLAUDE.md and tokens.css. Scaffold a Next.js app with Tailwind. Don't add any page content yet. Just set up the project structure and confirm the dev server runs. # Second prompt (homepage, after dropping in a screenshot) Here's a screenshot of a site I like [screenshot attached]. Build me a homepage in this visual style, using my brand colors from tokens.css. Use placeholder images for now. Pull the copy from CLAUDE.md.
This is one of the highest-value starting points. Even a one-page site you own and can edit yourself is more useful than a Squarespace page you cannot control.
B. An internal dashboard
What it is
A private, access-controlled page that pulls your data into one view. Think: a portfolio overview, a budget scenario tool, a client tracker, or anything you currently manage across three different spreadsheets.
How to approach it
- Before you open VS Code, write a plain-language requirements note. What do you want to see? What should it let you do? What does "done" look like? One page is fine.
- Open an empty folder in VS Code and start a Claude session.
- Paste your requirements and let Claude ask clarifying questions before touching any code.
- Plan in Opus: ask for the three best approaches and a recommendation. Then switch to Sonnet to build.
- For any data source with an API (Airtable, Google Sheets, Stripe, etc.), store the key in a local .env file and mirror it in Vercel's environment settings.
- For sources with no API: export a CSV, or drop in a screenshot. Claude can work with either.
- Deploy to Vercel. Add a simple password gate if needed.
Starter prompt
I want to build a private internal dashboard. Here are my requirements: [paste your plain-language requirements note here] Use plan mode. Don't write any code yet. Give me the three best approaches to build this, and tell me which one you'd recommend and why.
C. An industry watcher
What it is
A tool that checks the sources you care about on a schedule, notices what is new, and sends you a digest. Email, Slack, a Google Doc update, or a dashboard card. Example: watch a company's announcements and draft a short post when something changes.
How to approach it
- List the sources you want watched (company blogs, news feeds, job boards, LinkedIn company pages, etc.).
- Ask Claude which sources have clean APIs or RSS feeds, and which ones might block automated requests. Resolve this before writing any code.
- Have Claude build the fetch-and-summarize script. Choose where the output goes (email via SendGrid or Resend, Slack webhook, a Google Doc via API, a dashboard page).
- Schedule it with a GitHub Action. Claude writes the config file for you. Example schedule: cron: '0 6 * * 1' runs every Monday at 6am UTC.
- Run it once by hand to test. Refine what counts as "new" or "worth flagging" before you automate it.
Starter prompt
I want to watch these sources for updates: [list your sources] I'm specifically looking for: [describe what counts as interesting, e.g. "new blog posts", "pricing changes", "job postings in X role"] Research the three best options for building this. Tell me the cheapest approach, whether I need API keys for each source, and flag any that will be a problem to scrape. Use plan mode. Don't write code yet.
Some sources (LinkedIn, certain data vendors) actively block automated requests. Ask Claude upfront which of your sources will be a problem and what the workaround is before you build anything.
One more thing
Start before it is perfect
Open any folder in VS Code, run claude in Terminal, and ask it to build the simplest possible version of whichever idea above sounds most useful to you. Do not overthink the setup. The fastest way to learn Claude Code is to build something, not to read more about building something.
Momentum beats perfect.
Want to do this with your team?
We can run a session where your team sets this up and builds something real in a single sitting. No slides, no theory. Just working software by the end.
About this guide
Steps here reflect Claude Code as of July 2026. Anthropic ships updates regularly, so verify current install instructions against the official Claude Code docs if anything looks different. Claude Training is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Anthropic. Back to all resources →