Quickstart

Claude Code Quickstart

Welcome to the Claude Code quickstart guide!

This guide will help you start using the AI-powered coding assistant in minutes. You’ll learn how to use Claude Code to complete common development tasks.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

An open terminal or command prompt
A code project to work with
A Claude.ai (recommended) or Claude Console account

Step 1: Install Claude Code

NPM Installation

If you have Node.js 18 or higher installed:

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

Native Installation

Alternatively, try our new native installation (currently in Beta).

Homebrew (macOS, Linux):

brew install --cask claude-code

macOS, Linux, WSL:

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

Windows PowerShell:

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

Windows CMD:

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

Step 2: Log In to Your Account

Claude Code requires an account to use. When you start an interactive session with the claude command, you’ll need to log in:

claude
# You'll be prompted to log in on first use

/login
# Follow the prompts to log in with your account

You can log in with either:

Claude.ai (subscription plans - recommended)
Claude Console (API access with prepaid credits)

After logging in, your credentials are stored so you won’t need to log in again.

When you authenticate Claude Code with a Claude Console account for the first time, a workspace called "Claude Code" is automatically created for you. This workspace provides centralized cost tracking and management for all Claude Code usage across your organization. You can have both account types under the same email address. If you need to log in again or switch accounts, use the `/login` command in Claude Code.

Step 3: Start Your First Session

Open a terminal in any project directory and launch Claude Code:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

You’ll see the Claude Code welcome screen with your session info, recent conversations, and latest updates. Type /help to see available commands, or type /resume to continue a previous conversation.

After logging in (Step 2), your credentials are stored on your system. Learn more at [Credential Management](/en/docs/claude-code/iam/#credential-management).

Step 4: Ask Your First Question

Let’s start by understanding your codebase. Try one of these:

> What does this project do?

Claude will analyze your files and provide a summary. You can also ask more specific questions:

> What technologies does this project use?

> Where is the main entry point?

> Explain the folder structure

You can also ask about Claude’s own capabilities:

> What can Claude Code do?

> How do I use slash commands in Claude Code?

> Can Claude Code work with Docker?

Claude Code reads your files as needed—you don't need to manually add context. Claude can also access its own documentation and answer questions about its features and capabilities.

Step 5: Make Your First Code Change

Now let’s have Claude Code do some actual coding. Try a simple task:

> Add a hello world function to the main file

Claude Code will:

Find the appropriate file
Show you the proposed changes
Ask for your approval
Make the edit

Claude Code always asks permission before modifying files. You can approve individual changes or enable "accept all" mode for the session.

Step 6: Use Git in Claude Code

Claude Code makes Git operations conversational:

> What files have I changed?

> Commit my changes with a descriptive message

You can also prompt for more complex Git operations:

> Create a new branch called feature/quickstart

> Show the last 5 commits

> Help me resolve merge conflicts

Step 7: Fix Bugs or Add Features

Claude excels at debugging and feature implementation.

Describe what you want to achieve in natural language:

> Add input validation to the user registration form

Or fix existing issues:

> There's a bug where users can submit empty forms—fix it

Claude Code will:

Locate relevant code
Understand context
Implement the solution
Run tests if available

Step 8: Try Other Common Workflows

There are many ways to collaborate with Claude:

Refactor Code

> Refactor the authentication module to use async/await instead of callbacks

Write Tests

> Write unit tests for the calculator functions

Update Documentation

> Update the README with installation instructions

Code Review

> Review my changes and suggest improvements

**Remember**: Claude Code is your AI pair programmer. Talk to it like you would a helpful colleague—describe what you want to achieve, and it will help you get there.

Essential Commands

Here are the most important commands for daily use:

Command	Function	Example
`claude`	Start interactive mode	`claude`
`claude "task"`	Run one-off task	`claude "fix build errors"`
`claude -p "query"`	Run one-off query, then exit	`claude -p "explain this function"`
`claude -c`	Continue recent conversation	`claude -c`
`claude -r`	Resume previous conversation	`claude -r`
`claude commit`	Create Git commit	`claude commit`
`/clear`	Clear conversation history	`> /clear`
`/help`	Show available commands	`> /help`
`exit` or Ctrl+C	Exit Claude Code	`> exit`

See the CLI Reference for the complete list of commands.

Beginner Pro Tips

Don't say: "Fix the bug"

Try saying: "Fix the login bug where users see a blank screen after entering incorrect credentials"

Break complex tasks into multiple steps:

```
> 1. Create a new database table for user profiles
```

```
> 2. Create an API endpoint to fetch and update user profiles
```

```
> 3. Build a web page that allows users to view and edit their information
```

Before making changes, let Claude understand your code:

```
> Analyze the database schema
```

```
> Build a dashboard showing the most returned products by our UK customers
```

* Press `?` to see all available keyboard shortcuts * Use Tab for command completion * Press ↑ to see command history * Type `/` to see all slash commands

What’s Next?

Now that you know the basics, explore more advanced features:

Workflows

Step-by-step guides for common tasks

CLI Reference

Master all commands and options

Settings

Customize Claude Code for your workflow

Get Help

In Claude Code: Type /help or ask “How do I…”
Documentation: You’re here! Browse other guides
Community: Join our Discord for tips and support