Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Quickstart

Welcome to Claude Code!

This quickstart guide will have you using AI-powered coding assistance in a few minutes. By the end, you'll understand how to use Claude Code for common development tasks.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• A terminal or command prompt open
  • If you've never used the terminal before, check out the terminal guide
• A code project to work with
• A Claude subscription (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise), Claude Console account, or access through a supported cloud provider

Step 1: Install Claude Code

To install Claude Code, use one of the following methods:

```bash theme={null}
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
```

**Windows PowerShell:**

```powershell theme={null}
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
```

**Windows CMD:**

```batch theme={null}
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd
```

If you see `The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator`, you're in PowerShell, not CMD. If you see `'irm' is not recognized as an internal or external command`, you're in CMD, not PowerShell. Your prompt shows `PS C:\` when you're in PowerShell and `C:\` without the `PS` when you're in CMD.

If the install command fails with `syntax error near unexpected token '<'`, a `403`, or another curl error, see [Troubleshoot installation](/docs/en/troubleshoot-install#find-your-error) to match the error to a fix and for alternative install methods.

[Git for Windows](https://git-scm.com/downloads/win) is recommended on native Windows so Claude Code can use the Bash tool. If Git for Windows is not installed, Claude Code uses PowerShell as the shell tool instead. WSL setups do not need Git for Windows.

<Info>
  Native installations automatically update in the background to keep you on the latest version.
</Info>

Homebrew offers two casks. `claude-code` tracks the stable release channel, which is typically about a week behind and skips releases with major regressions. `claude-code@latest` tracks the latest channel and receives new versions as soon as they ship.

<Info>
  Homebrew installations do not auto-update. Run `brew upgrade claude-code` or `brew upgrade claude-code@latest`, depending on which cask you installed, to get the latest features and security fixes.
</Info>

<Info>
  WinGet installations do not auto-update. Run `winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode` periodically to get the latest features and security fixes.
</Info>

You can also install with apt, dnf, or apk on Debian, Fedora, RHEL, and Alpine.

To confirm the installation worked, run:

claude --version

The command prints a version number followed by (Claude Code).

Step 2: Log in to your account

Claude Code requires an account to use. Start an interactive session with the claude command and you'll be prompted to log in on first use:

claude

For Claude subscription or Console accounts, follow the prompts to complete authentication in your browser. If you've set the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable, Claude Code skips the login prompt and asks you to approve the key instead. To switch accounts later or re-authenticate, type /login inside the running session:

/login

You can log in using any of these account types:

• Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise (recommended)
• Claude Console (API access with pre-paid credits). On first login, a "Claude Code" workspace is automatically created in the Console for centralized cost tracking.
• Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform, or Microsoft Foundry (enterprise cloud providers)
• A self-hosted Claude apps gateway, if your organization runs one: your admin pre-configures the gateway URL, and /login opens directly on the Cloud gateway screen for you to sign in with corporate SSO

Once logged in, your credentials are stored and you won't need to log in again. Learn more in Credential Management.

Step 3: Start your first session

Open your terminal in any project directory and start Claude Code:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

Replace /path/to/your/project with the path to the project you want to work on.

You'll see the Claude Code prompt with the version, current model, and working directory shown above it. Type /help for available commands or /resume to continue a previous conversation.

Step 4: Ask your first question

Let's start with understanding your codebase. Try one of these commands:

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 Claude about its own capabilities:

what can Claude Code do?

how do I create custom skills in Claude Code?

can Claude Code work with Docker?

Step 5: Make your first code change

Now let's make Claude Code do some actual coding. Try a simple task:

add a hello world function to the main file

Claude Code finds the appropriate file and shows you the change. If it asks before making the change, select Yes to approve.

Auto mode is the built-in starting permission mode for interactive terminal sessions on Pro, Max, and Team plans: a classifier reviews actions instead of you, and Claude edits most files and runs most commands without asking you. On other plans, Manual mode is the built-in starting permission mode. For the session you start right after installing, see First session after an install or upgrade.

Step 6: Use Git with 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 me the last 5 commits

help me resolve merge conflicts

Step 7: Fix a bug or add a feature

Claude is proficient at debugging and feature implementation.

Describe what you want 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 the relevant code
• Understand the context
• Implement a solution
• Run tests if available

Step 8: Test out other common workflows

There are a number of ways to work 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

Essential commands

Here are the most important commands for daily use. Shell commands run from your terminal to start or resume Claude Code. Session commands run inside Claude Code after it starts.

Shell commands

Session commands

See the CLI reference for the complete list of shell commands and the commands reference for the complete list of session commands.

Pro tips for beginners

For more, see best practices and common workflows.

Try: "fix the login bug where users see a blank screen after entering wrong credentials"

```text wrap theme={null}
1. create a new database table for user profiles
2. create an API endpoint to get and update user profiles
3. build a webpage that allows users to see and edit their information
```

```text wrap theme={null}
analyze the database schema
```

```text wrap theme={null}
build a dashboard showing products that are most frequently returned by our UK customers
```

What's next?

Now that you've learned the basics, explore more advanced features:

Getting 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