Install Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic’s agentic coding tool. Unlike a normal chat, it works directly in a folder on your computer: it reads files, edits them, runs commands and checks its own work, with your approval. This article helps you pick the right way to run it, install it and start your first session.

What you need

• A paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise) or an Anthropic Console account. The Free plan does not include Claude Code.
• A supported computer: a recent macOS, Windows 10 or 11, or a common Linux distribution. The official setup page lists the exact versions.
• An internet connection.
• A project folder to work in, such as a website repository.

On a Team or Enterprise plan, your admin may need to give you a seat that includes Claude Code.

Choose how you want to use it

All versions use the same engine, so your project settings, skills and CLAUDE.md work everywhere.

Option	Good for	Needs a terminal
Desktop app (Code tab)	Non-developers and anyone who prefers buttons and visual diffs	No
Terminal (CLI)	Developers, automation, the full feature set	Yes
VS Code or JetBrains	Working inside your code editor	Partly
Web (claude.ai/code)	Running tasks in the cloud on a GitHub repository	No

If you are unsure, start with the desktop app. For the web version, see Run Claude Code in the cloud.

Option 1: Desktop app

1. Download the Claude desktop app from claude.com/download and install it.
2. Open the app and sign in.
3. Click the Code tab at the top.
4. Choose Local to work with files on your computer.
5. Click Select folder and choose your project folder.
6. Type a first request and press Enter.

The desktop app already contains Claude Code. You do not need to install anything else.

Option 2: Terminal

Install

Open a terminal and run the command for your system. These are the official native installers.

macOS, Linux or WSL:

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

Windows PowerShell:

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

Windows Command Prompt (CMD):

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

If you use Homebrew on a Mac, brew install --cask claude-code works too. Other options (WinGet, Linux package managers, npm) are on the official setup page.

Note: On Windows, installing Git for Windows is recommended so Claude Code can use Bash. Without it, Claude Code uses PowerShell instead.

Check the installation

Open a new terminal window and run:

claude --version

You should see a version number. If the terminal says claude is not found, close and reopen the terminal first. If that does not help, run claude doctor or follow the PATH fix in the official troubleshooting guide.

Start and sign in

Go to your project folder and start Claude Code:

cd path/to/your-project
claude

1. The first time, Claude Code asks you to log in and opens a browser window.
2. Sign in with your Claude account and approve.
3. Back in the terminal, you see the Claude Code prompt. You stay signed in from now on.

Option 3: VS Code

1. Open the Extensions view in VS Code.
2. Search for “Claude Code” and install the extension published by Anthropic.
3. Open the Command Palette, type “Claude Code” and open it in a new tab.
4. Sign in when asked.

For JetBrains IDEs, install the Claude Code plugin from the JetBrains Marketplace. It also needs the terminal version installed.

Your first session

Start by letting Claude look around before it changes anything:

What does this project do? Explain the folder structure in plain language.

Then try a small, safe change, and review it before you accept it. Useful commands and keys:

Command or key	What it does
/help	Lists available commands
/init	Creates a starter CLAUDE.md for the project
Shift+Tab	Switches permission mode (for example to plan first, or to accept edits)
Esc	Stops Claude mid-task so you can redirect it
/rewind	Rolls back the conversation and Claude’s file edits to an earlier point
/clear	Starts a fresh conversation

Warning: Rewind only undoes edits Claude made with its own editing tools, not everything a command did. Use Git (or at least a backup copy) for any project you care about.

Keep it up to date

The native installer updates itself in the background. Homebrew and WinGet installs do not: run brew upgrade claude-code or winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode from time to time. You can always update manually with claude update.

Next steps

• Write a CLAUDE.md
• Claude Code for non-developers
• Run Claude Code in the cloud
• Edit your site with Claude Code