Install Claude Coder

Get started with Claude's powerful AI coding assistant

What is Claude Coder?

Claude Coder (Claude Code) is an AI coding assistant that runs in your terminal. It acts as an "active collaborator" in coding – it can read and modify files, generate new code, run tests, and even use command-line tools on your behalf. Unlike GUI-based code assistants, Claude Coder is text-based, so we interact with it through typed commands.

Prerequisites

Step 1: Choose Your Operating System

Step 2: Install Claude Coder

Open your terminal and run the following command:

This installs Claude Coder globally on your system using npm.

Step 3: Initialize a Project

You need a folder to work in. You have two options:

Option 1: Using your terminal

mkdir my-claude-project cd my-claude-project

Option 2: Using your file explorer

  1. Open Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows)
  2. Navigate to a location where you want to create your project
  3. Create a new folder named "my-claude-project"
  4. Open your terminal
  5. Navigate to your folder using the cd command:
cd path/to/my-claude-project

Tip: On Mac, you can drag a folder from Finder into the terminal to automatically fill in its path.

Once you're in your project folder, start Claude Coder:

claude

This will:

  • Launch Claude Coder in your terminal
  • On first use, it will perform setup and open a browser window for authentication with your Anthropic account
  • Scan your project directory and create a claude.md file for context

Step 4: Basic Commands

After successful installation, you'll see the Claude Code ASCII logo and a prompt waiting for your input.

Essential Commands:

  • /help - View available commands
  • ! - Execute shell commands directly (e.g., !ls to list files)
  • / - Input special commands (e.g., /clear to clear the conversation)
  • Esc - Cancel a command or exit a mode

Try asking Claude Coder something simple:

Create me a website that teaches how to install Claude Coder

Claude will help you create a simple website, guiding you through the process step by step!

Installation Complete!

You've successfully installed Claude Coder and are ready to start coding with AI assistance!

Pro Tips:

  • Run Claude Coder in one terminal window while keeping your code editor open for manual edits
  • The interface is minimalist by design - all interactions happen through natural language
  • Use /cost to track your API usage
  • Claude Coder can help you debug, refactor, and generate code - just ask!

For more information and tutorials, check out the official documentation.