Lesson 00: Quick Start Guide

Goal: Install Claude Code and have your first conversation in under 5 minutes.

This lesson gets you from zero to a working Claude Code session. No theory, no deep dives -- just the steps you need to start coding with Claude.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you need one of the following:

A Claude Pro or Max subscription
A Claude Console account (API access with pre-paid credits)
Access through a supported cloud provider (Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex AI)

You also need a terminal open and a code project to work with.

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Run the one-liner for your platform:

# macOS / Linux / WSL
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows PowerShell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

The native installer downloads the binary, puts it on your PATH, and sets up auto-updates. No Node.js or npm required.

Alternative package managers (these do NOT auto-update):

brew install --cask claude-code (Homebrew) or winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode (WinGet)

Verify the installation:

claude --version

Need more detail? Lesson 01 covers installation in depth, including system requirements, troubleshooting, and configuration options.

Step 2: Log In

Launch Claude Code for the first time. It walks you through authentication automatically:

claude

You will be prompted to log in through your browser. Follow the prompts to connect your account. Once authenticated, your credentials are stored locally and you will not need to log in again.

If you ever need to switch accounts later, use the /login command inside a session.

Step 3: Start Your First Session

Navigate to any project directory and launch Claude Code:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

You will see the Claude Code welcome screen. Type a question to start a conversation. Try this:

what does this project do?

Claude reads your files automatically -- you do not need to open or paste anything. It will analyze your code and give you a summary of the project.

Step 4: Try Something Simple

Now ask Claude to make a small change:

add a comment at the top of the main file explaining what it does

Claude will:

Find the right file
Show you the proposed change
Wait for your approval before editing

This approval step is important: Claude never modifies files without your permission.

Step 5: Confirm It Works

Let's try one more thing. Ask Claude a question about itself:

what can you help me with?

Claude will explain its capabilities. If you have gotten this far, everything is working.

Essential Commands

These are the commands you will use most often:

Command	What it does
`claude`	Start an interactive session
`claude "do something"`	Run a one-off task
`claude -c`	Continue your most recent conversation
`/help`	Show available commands (inside a session)
`/clear`	Clear conversation history
`exit` or `Ctrl+C`	Exit Claude Code

Tip: Press the up arrow to scroll through command history, and use Tab for command completion.

What to Explore Next

Now that Claude Code is running, here are good next steps:

Lesson 01: Installation & Configuration -- Detailed setup, system requirements, and configuration options
Lesson 03: Your First Real Project -- A full guided walkthrough of using Claude Code on a real codebase
Lesson 04: CLAUDE.md -- Teach Claude your project's rules so it follows your conventions automatically

Or just keep using it. Ask Claude to explain code, write tests, fix bugs, or refactor functions. Talk to it like you would a colleague -- describe what you want, and Claude will help you get there.