Claude Code Quickstart

Claude Code is Anthropic's AI programming assistant that helps you accomplish coding tasks efficiently through a command-line interface. This guide will get you up and running with Claude Code quickly.

Before you begin

Before installing and using Claude Code, please ensure you have:

• Terminal or command prompt
• A code project directory
• Claude.ai or Anthropic Console account

Step 1: Install Claude Code

NPM Install

For Node.js 18+ environments:

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

Native Install

For macOS, Linux, WSL:

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

For Windows PowerShell:

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

Step 2: Log in to your account

After installation, log in using:

claude /login

You can choose to use:

• Claude.ai (recommended) - More convenient web interface
• Anthropic Console - Developer console

Step 3: Start your first session

Navigate to your project directory and start Claude Code:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

Once started, Claude Code will enter interactive mode, waiting for your commands.

Step 4: Ask your first questions

Try asking some project-related questions to let Claude Code understand your code:

• "What does this project do?"
• "What technologies does this project use?"
• "Where is the main entry point?"
• "What is the directory structure of this project?"

Steps 5-8: Coding Tasks

Claude Code can help you accomplish various programming tasks:

Code Modification and Optimization

• Fix bugs in code
• Add new features
• Refactor existing code
• Optimize performance

Git Operations

• Auto-generate commit messages
• Create branches
• Merge code

Testing and Documentation

• Write unit tests
• Generate API documentation
• Create usage instructions

Example Conversations

User: "Fix the type error in this function"
Claude Code: Let me check the code and fix the type error...

User: "Add responsive design to this component"
Claude Code: I'll add CSS media queries to implement responsive layout...

Essential Commands Quick Reference

Command	Purpose	Example
claude	Start interactive mode	claude
claude "task"	Execute one-time task	claude "fix build error"
claude -p "query"	One-off query	claude -p "explain this function"
claude commit	Create Git commit	claude commit
/help	Show help information	/help
/exit	Exit program	/exit

Pro Tips for Efficient Usage

1. Be Specific in Requests

❌ Not good: "Improve this code"
✅ Better: "Add error handling to this function and optimize performance"

2. Use Step-by-Step Instructions

For complex tasks, break them down into smaller steps:

• "First analyze the existing code structure"
• "Then add the new feature"
• "Finally write test cases"

3. Let Claude Code Explore First

Before modifying code, let Claude Code understand the project structure:

• "Analyze this project's architecture"
• "Find all configuration files"

4. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

• Tab - Auto-complete
• ↑ - View command history
• Ctrl+C - Interrupt current operation

Getting Help

Within Claude Code

Use the /help command to get real-time help and command listings.

Online Resources

• Claude Code Official Documentation
• Discord Community
• GitHub Issues

Next Steps

After completing the quickstart, you can:

1. Read the Best Practices Guide
2. Explore Advanced Usage Tips
3. Check out Tool Comparisons

Start your AI-assisted programming journey! Claude Code will become your most capable programming companion.