Claude Code is an AI coding agent that runs in your terminal. If the word "terminal" already sounds like a wall, this guide is for you — install to first visible result, in the actual order. I've shipped real apps and sites with this tool.
What you need
- A computer (Mac or Windows)
- A Claude account with a paid plan (the $20/mo tier is enough to start — full cost picture)
Install (10 minutes)
- Open a terminal. Mac: hit ⌘+Space, type "Terminal". Windows: PowerShell.
- One install command:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
If it says npm not found, install Node.js from nodejs.org first (a next → next → done installer).
- Run it:
claude
First run opens a browser to log in. That's it.
Your first 30 minutes
Don't start with an empty idea — start with something visible:
> Build me a personal intro page. Dark theme, my name, a short bio, three links.
Claude creates the files and tells you how to open the result. Then practice the one skill that matters — reacting to what you see in plain language:
> Make the background darker, and make the links change color on hover
That loop is 90% of using Claude Code.
Where people get stuck
- "command not found: claude" — close and reopen the terminal. Still broken? Paste the exact error into Claude on the web and ask.
- It keeps asking permission — Claude Code asks before editing files or running commands. Early on, read and approve each one. Widen the permissions per session once you trust the flow.
- "I don't know what to tell it to build" — that's not a tool problem, it's a planning problem. The 10-step launch playbook exists for exactly this moment — including a version Claude runs for you as a skill.
What's next
Once your first page exists:
- How to validate an app idea — check it's worth building first
- Build a landing page with AI in a day — go all the way to deployed
- Claude Code vs Cursor vs Codex — if you're weighing alternatives
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