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quickstart.md

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# Quickstart¶

> Welcome to Claude Code!¶

This quickstart guide will have you using AI-powered coding assistance in just a few minutes. By the end, you'll understand how to use Claude Code for common development tasks.¶

## Before you begin¶

Make sure you have:¶

* A terminal or command prompt open¶
* A code project to work with¶
* A [Claude subscription](https://claude.com/pricing) (Pro, Max, Teams, or Enterprise) or [Claude Console](https://console.anthropic.com/) account¶

## Step 1: Install Claude Code¶

To install Claude Code, use one of the following methods:¶

<Tabs>¶
<Tab title="Native Install (Recommended)">¶
**macOS, Linux, WSL:**¶

```bash theme={null}¶
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash¶
```¶

**Windows PowerShell:**¶

```powershell theme={null}¶
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex¶
```¶

**Windows CMD:**¶

```batch theme={null}¶
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd¶
```¶
</Tab>¶

<Tab title="Homebrew">¶
```sh theme={null}¶
brew install --cask claude-code¶
```¶
</Tab>¶

<Tab title="NPMWinGet">¶
If you have [Node.js 18 or newer installed](https://nodejs.org/en/download/):¶

```sh```powershell theme={null}¶
npmwinget install -g @aAnthropic-ai/c.Claude-cCode¶
```¶
</Tab>¶
</Tabs>¶

## Step 2: Log in to your account¶

Claude Code requires an account to use. When you start an interactive session with the `claude` command, you'll need to log in:¶

```bash theme={null}¶
claude¶
# You'll be prompted to log in on first use¶
```¶

```bash theme={null}¶
/login¶
# Follow the prompts to log in with your account¶
```¶

You can log in using any of these account types:¶

* [Claude Pro, Max, Teams, or Enterprise](https://claude.com/pricing) (recommended)¶
* [Claude Console](https://console.anthropic.com/) (API access with pre-paid credits)¶

Once logged in, your credentials are stored and you won't need to log in again.¶

<Note>¶
When you first authenticate Claude Code with your Claude Console account, a workspace called "Claude Code" is automatically created for you. This workspace provides centralized cost tracking and management for all Claude Code usage in your organization.¶
</Note>¶

<Note>¶
You can have both account types under the same email address. If you need to log in again or switch accounts, use the `/login` command within Claude Code.¶
</Note>¶

## Step 3: Start your first session¶

Open your terminal in any project directory and start Claude Code:¶

```bash theme={null}¶
cd /path/to/your/project¶
claude¶
```¶

You'll see the Claude Code welcome screen with your session information, recent conversations, and latest updates. Type `/help` for available commands or `/resume` to continue a previous conversation.¶

<Tip>¶
After logging in (Step 2), your credentials are stored on your system. Learn more in [Credential Management](/en/iam#credential-management).¶
</Tip>¶

## Step 4: Ask your first question¶

Let's start with understanding your codebase. Try one of these commands:¶

```¶
> what does this project do?¶
```¶

Claude will analyze your files and provide a summary. You can also ask more specific questions:¶

```¶
> what technologies does this project use?¶
```¶

```¶
> where is the main entry point?¶
```¶

```¶
> explain the folder structure¶
```¶

You can also ask Claude about its own capabilities:¶

```¶
> what can Claude Code do?¶
```¶

```¶
> how do I use slash commands in Claude Code?¶
```¶

```¶
> can Claude Code work with Docker?¶
```¶

<Note>¶
Claude Code reads your files as needed - you don't have to manually add context. Claude also has access to its own documentation and can answer questions about its features and capabilities.¶
</Note>¶

## Step 5: Make your first code change¶

Now let's make Claude Code do some actual coding. Try a simple task:¶

```¶
> add a hello world function to the main file¶
```¶

Claude Code will:¶

1. Find the appropriate file¶
2. Show you the proposed changes¶
3. Ask for your approval¶
4. Make the edit¶

<Note>¶
Claude Code always asks for permission before modifying files. You can approve individual changes or enable "Accept all" mode for a session.¶
</Note>¶

## Step 6: Use Git with Claude Code¶

Claude Code makes Git operations conversational:¶

```¶
> what files have I changed?¶
```¶

```¶
> commit my changes with a descriptive message¶
```¶

You can also prompt for more complex Git operations:¶

```¶
> create a new branch called feature/quickstart¶
```¶

```¶
> show me the last 5 commits¶
```¶

```¶
> help me resolve merge conflicts¶
```¶

## Step 7: Fix a bug or add a feature¶

Claude is proficient at debugging and feature implementation.¶

Describe what you want in natural language:¶

```¶
> add input validation to the user registration form¶
```¶

Or fix existing issues:¶

```¶
> there's a bug where users can submit empty forms - fix it¶
```¶

Claude Code will:¶

* Locate the relevant code¶
* Understand the context¶
* Implement a solution¶
* Run tests if available¶

## Step 8: Test out other common workflows¶

There are a number of ways to work with Claude:¶

**Refactor code**¶

```¶
> refactor the authentication module to use async/await instead of callbacks¶
```¶

**Write tests**¶

```¶
> write unit tests for the calculator functions¶
```¶

**Update documentation**¶

```¶
> update the README with installation instructions¶
```¶

**Code review**¶

```¶
> review my changes and suggest improvements¶
```¶

<Tip>¶
**Remember**: Claude Code is your AI pair programmer. Talk to it like you would a helpful colleague - describe what you want to achieve, and it will help you get there.¶
</Tip>¶

## Essential commands¶

Here are the most important commands for daily use:¶

| Command | What it does | Example |¶
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------- |¶
| `claude` | Start interactive mode | `claude` |¶
| `claude "task"` | Run a one-time task | `claude "fix the build error"` |¶
| `claude -p "query"` | Run one-off query, then exit | `claude -p "explain this function"` |¶
| `claude -c` | Continue most recent conversation in current directory | `claude -c` |¶
| `claude -r` | Resume a previous conversation | `claude -r` |¶
| `claude commit` | Create a Git commit | `claude commit` |¶
| `/clear` | Clear conversation history | `> /clear` |¶
| `/help` | Show available commands | `> /help` |¶
| `exit` or Ctrl+C | Exit Claude Code | `> exit` |¶

See the [CLI reference](/en/cli-reference) for a complete list of commands.¶

## Pro tips for beginners¶

<AccordionGroup>¶
<Accordion title="Be specific with your requests">¶
Instead of: "fix the bug"¶

Try: "fix the login bug where users see a blank screen after entering wrong credentials"¶
</Accordion>¶

<Accordion title="Use step-by-step instructions">¶
Break complex tasks into steps:¶

```¶
> 1. create a new database table for user profiles¶
```¶

```¶
> 2. create an API endpoint to get and update user profiles¶
```¶

```¶
> 3. build a webpage that allows users to see and edit their information¶
```¶
</Accordion>¶

<Accordion title="Let Claude explore first">¶
Before making changes, let Claude understand your code:¶

```¶
> analyze the database schema¶
```¶

```¶
> build a dashboard showing products that are most frequently returned by our UK customers¶
```¶
</Accordion>¶

<Accordion title="Save time with shortcuts">¶
* Press `?` to see all available keyboard shortcuts¶
* Use Tab for command completion¶
* Press ↑ for command history¶
* Type `/` to see all slash commands¶
</Accordion>¶
</AccordionGroup>¶

## What's next?¶

Now that you've learned the basics, explore more advanced features:¶

<CardGroup cols={3}>¶
<Card title="Common workflows" icon="graduation-cap" href="/en/common-workflows">¶
Step-by-step guides for common tasks¶
</Card>¶

<Card title="CLI reference" icon="terminal" href="/en/cli-reference">¶
Master all commands and options¶
</Card>¶

<Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/en/settings">¶
Customize Claude Code for your workflow¶
</Card>¶

<Card title="Claude Code on the web" icon="cloud" href="/en/claude-code-on-the-web">¶
Run tasks asynchronously in the cloud¶
</Card>¶

<Card title="About Claude Code" icon="sparkles" href="https://claude.com/product/claude-code">¶
Learn more on claude.com¶
</Card>¶
</CardGroup>¶

## Getting help¶

* **In Claude Code**: Type `/help` or ask "how do I..."¶
* **Documentation**: You're here! Browse other guides¶
* **Community**: Join our [Discord](https://www.anthropic.com/discord) for tips and support¶


---¶

> To find navigation and other pages in this documentation, fetch the llms.txt file at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt

Unified Diff

--- a/quickstart.md
+++ b/quickstart.md
@@ -43,11 +43,9 @@
     ```
   </Tab>
 
-  <Tab title="NPM">
-    If you have [Node.js 18 or newer installed](https://nodejs.org/en/download/):
-
-    ```sh  theme={null}
-    npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
+  <Tab title="WinGet">
+    ```powershell  theme={null}
+    winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode
     ```
   </Tab>
 </Tabs>