Think of Claude Code as hiring an incredibly smart assistant who lives inside your computer. You tell it what you want — in plain English — and it builds it for you. No coding knowledge required.

What You'll Need Before Starting

Before you can start talking to Claude Code, you need three things on your computer. Don't worry — each one takes about 2 minutes to set up.

1. Node.js (the engine that runs Claude Code)

Node.js is like the engine under the hood. You won't interact with it directly, but Claude Code needs it to run. Think of it like how your car needs gasoline — you don't touch the engine, but it has to be there.

1. Go to nodejs.org
2. Click the big green button that says "LTS" (this is the stable version)
3. Open the downloaded file and click "Next" through the installer

2. A Claude subscription or API key

This is your "membership card" that lets you use Claude. If you have a Claude Pro or Max subscription, you're already set. If not, sign up at claude.ai.

3. A terminal (your command center)

A terminal is just a text-based way to talk to your computer. It looks like a black or white window with a blinking cursor. You type commands and press Enter.

• On Windows: Press the Windows key, type "PowerShell", and click on it
• On Mac: Press Cmd+Space, type "Terminal", and press Enter
• In VS Code: Press Ctrl+` (the backtick key, usually above Tab)

What this means for you

After these three steps, you have everything you need. You will never need to install anything else — Claude Code handles the rest.

Installing Claude Code

Open your terminal and paste this one line. This tells your computer to download and install Claude Code:

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

Press Enter and wait about 30 seconds. You'll see some text scroll by — that's normal. When it stops and you see your cursor again, you're done.

Signing In

Now you need to connect Claude Code to your Claude account. Type this and press Enter:

claude auth login

Your web browser will open automatically. Sign in with your Claude account (the same one you use at claude.ai). Once you approve the connection, you can close the browser tab and go back to your terminal.

What this means for you

You only need to sign in once. Claude Code will remember you on this computer going forward.

Your First Conversation

Now for the exciting part. Navigate to any folder on your computer where you want to work (or just stay where you are for now), and type:

claude

That's it. Just the word "claude". Press Enter, and Claude Code will start up. You'll see a prompt where you can type your requests in plain English.

Try these to get a feel for it:

> What files are in this folder?

> Create a simple to-do list webpage for me

> Write a thank-you email to a client named Sarah about our meeting today

> Make me a spreadsheet that tracks my monthly expenses

What this means for you

You're not "coding" — you're directing an AI. Think of it like telling a really smart intern what to do. The more clearly you describe what you want, the better the result.

What Happens Behind the Scenes

When you start Claude Code, it automatically does a few things to be helpful:

1. Reads your project instructions — if you've written any preferences down (more on this later), it loads them
2. Remembers past conversations — if you've used it in this folder before, it remembers what you told it
3. Connects to your tools — if you've connected it to other services (like a database), it links up
4. Asks before making changes — by default, it will always ask your permission before creating or editing files

The Basic Workflow

Here's how people actually use Claude Code day to day. It boils down to four things:

1. Ask questions

Just ask about anything in your project or on your mind:

> What does this spreadsheet contain?
> Summarize the key points from this PDF
> How is my project organized?

2. Ask it to build things

Describe what you want and Claude Code creates it:

> Build me a landing page for my dog walking business
> Create an invoice template I can reuse
> Make a budget tracker that totals up my categories

3. Ask it to fix or change things

Point it at something that's not working right:

> The contact form on my website isn't sending emails — fix it
> Change the header color from blue to green
> This report has a calculation error in the totals row

4. Ask it to search and organize

Let it dig through files so you don't have to:

> Find all the files that mention "quarterly report"
> Which of my documents were updated this week?
> Organize my notes by topic

How Much Freedom to Give Claude Code

Claude Code can work at different levels of independence — like the difference between a new employee who checks with you on everything vs. a trusted team member who just gets it done.

Level	What it does	Best for
Cautious (default)	Asks your permission before every change	When you're getting started or working on something important
Trusted	Makes file changes automatically, but asks before running commands	Day-to-day work once you trust it
Planning only	Only reads and suggests — never changes anything	When you want ideas without any risk
Fully autonomous	Does everything on its own with safety guardrails	Long tasks you want to walk away from

You can switch between these anytime by pressing Shift+Tabduring a session. Start with "Cautious" until you feel comfortable, then move up.

How Claude Code Remembers

Claude Code has two ways of remembering things:

• Your project instructions file — a simple text file called CLAUDE.mdwhere you write down rules and preferences. Claude reads this every time it starts. Think of it as a "welcome packet" you give to a new hire.
• Automatic memory — Claude naturally remembers things you tell it during your conversations, like your preferred writing style or project details.

You can create your first instructions file by typing /init in a session. Claude Code will look at your project and draft one for you.

Quick Reference: The Most Useful Commands

While most of your interaction is just typing what you want in plain English, here are a few special commands that start with /:

Type this	What it does
/help	Shows all available commands
/init	Creates a project instructions file for you
/memory	Shows what Claude Code remembers about you
/compact	Frees up memory if the conversation gets long
/clear	Starts fresh (like opening a new conversation)
/cost	Shows how much this session has used
/resume	Pick up a previous conversation where you left off

Real-Life Things People Use Claude Code For

Small Business Owner

"Build me a professional website for my bakery with a menu, hours, and a contact form."

Student

"Organize my research notes by topic and create an outline for my thesis."

Manager

"Create a dashboard that shows our team's project status from this spreadsheet data."

Entrepreneur

"Build a landing page for my new product with an email signup form that saves to a spreadsheet."

Hobbyist

"Help me track my garden plantings — what I planted, when, and when to water them."

Next Steps

You're ready to go! Here's what to explore next:

• What Claude Code Can Do — the full list of capabilities
• Setting It Up Your Way — customize how Claude Code works for you
• Your Shortcuts — save and reuse your favorite instructions