Claude Code Quickstart Guide

Get Claude Code running on your machine in under 5 minutes! This guide covers the essentials to start your AI-powered coding journey.

🚀 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Node.js 18+ and npm (or Python 3.8+ for Python installation)
• Git installed and configured
• A supported operating system (macOS, Linux, or Windows)
• A terminal/command prompt
• An Anthropic API key (get one at console.anthropic.com)

📦 Installation

Option 1: Install via npm (Recommended)

npm install -g claude-code

Option 2: Use without installation

npx claude-code

Option 3: Install via Python

pip install claude-code

Option 4: Install from source

git clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code.git
cd claude-code
npm install
npm link

🔑 Configuration

1. Set your API key:

   export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

   Or add it to your shell profile (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, etc.):

   echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-api-key-here' >> ~/.zshrc

2. Verify installation:

   claude --version

3. Initialize your project (optional):

   claude init

   This creates:

   • CLAUDE.md for project-specific instructions
   • .claudeignore for files to exclude
   • Basic configuration files

🎯 Your First Session

1. Start Claude Code in your project directory:

   cd your-project
   claude

2. Try these commands:

   • help - Show available commands
   • ls - List files in current directory
   • cat filename.js - View a file
   • edit filename.js - Edit a file with AI assistance

3. Example tasks to try:

   "Add error handling to the login function"
   "Write unit tests for the user service"
   "Refactor this code to use async/await"
   "Add JSDoc comments to all functions"
   

💡 Essential Commands

Command	Description
claude	Start interactive mode
claude "task"	Execute a single task
claude --help	Show all options
claude --model opus-4	Use a specific model
claude --resume	Resume last session

🛠️ Basic Configuration

Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root for project-specific instructions:

# Project-Specific Instructions
 
- Use TypeScript for all new files
- Follow ESLint configuration
- Write tests for all new functions
- Use conventional commits

For more advanced configuration options, see the Configuration Guide.

🔥 Quick Tips

1. Be Specific: Clear, detailed requests get better results
2. Use Context: Reference specific files and functions
3. Iterate: Break complex tasks into smaller steps
4. Review Output: Always review generated code before committing

📚 Next Steps

Now that you have Claude Code running:

1. Complete the Tutorial - Learn advanced features
2. Explore Patterns - Discover best practices
3. Configure Hooks - Automate your workflow
4. Try TypeScript SDK - Build custom integrations

🆘 Need Help?

• Check the Troubleshooting Guide
• Visit our GitHub Discussions
• Report issues at GitHub Issues

🎉 Congratulations!

You’ve successfully set up Claude Code! You’re now ready to enhance your coding workflow with AI assistance.

🚀 Dive Deeper

You’ve got the basics down. Here’s where to go next to become an expert:

• Secure Your Code: As you write custom functionality, it’s crucial to understand the security implications. See our Core Hooks Security Guide for essential best practices.
• Master the Build: Ready to build for production? Learn how to integrate with modern tools in our Modern Build Tools Integration Guide.
• Explore the Core: Understand the fundamental building blocks of this project by reading about Our Core Philosophy.

🧭 Quick Navigation

← Getting Started | Documentation | Patterns | Workshops