Get Claude Code running on your machine in under 5 minutes. No coding experience required.

What You Need

  • A Mac, Windows, or Linux computer
  • Internet connection
  • A Claude subscription (Pro, Max, Teams, or Enterprise)

That's it. No Node.js. No npm. No extra dependencies.

Step 1: Open Your Terminal

Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", hit Enter

Windows: Press Win + R, type "cmd", hit Enter (or use PowerShell)

Linux: Press Ctrl + Alt + T

Step 2: Run the Install Command

Copy and paste the command for your system:

Mac / Linux / WSL

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

Windows PowerShell

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

Windows CMD

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd

The native installer auto-updates in the background — you'll always have the latest version.

Step 3: Navigate to Your Project

Use the cd command to go to your project folder:

cd ~/path/to/your/project

Example:

cd ~/Documents/my-app

Tip: You can drag a folder from Finder directly into Terminal to paste the full path.

Step 4: Launch Claude Code

claude

That's the command. Just claude.

Step 5: Log In

Claude Code will prompt you to authenticate. Follow the link, log in with your Claude account, and you're connected.

You're In 🎉

Claude Code is now running. You can start asking it to:

  • Explain your codebase
  • Write new features
  • Fix bugs
  • Refactor files
  • Run tests
  • Commit to Git

First Move: Run /init

Once you're inside Claude Code, run:

/init

This creates a CLAUDE.md file in your project — Claude's long-term memory. Write your project context once, and Claude remembers it every session.

What to put in CLAUDE.md

# Project Overview
Brief description of what this project does.

# Tech Stack
- Frontend: React / Next.js / etc.
- Backend: Node / Python / etc.

# Common Commands
- Start dev server: `npm run dev`
- Run tests: `npm test`

# Code Style
- Use TypeScript for all new files
- Keep files under 200 lines

Quick Reference

Troubleshooting

"Command not found" after install

Permission denied

Still stuck?

What's Next?

Now that you're set up, explore these guides:

  • Claude Code Beginner Guide — Deep dive into features and workflows
  • Desktop Commander — Control Claude Code from Claude Desktop
  • Claude Code Cheat Sheet Guide — Plugins and advanced tools

You just installed one of the most powerful AI coding tools available.

Start small. Ask Claude to explain a file. Then ask it to improve something. Then let it build.