Claude Code Install & Setup

Get started with Claude Code quickly - from install to first run in just minutes

Install & Setup

Get started with Claude Code quickly - from install to first run in just minutes

System Requirements

Operating System

  • macOS 10.15+
  • Ubuntu 20.04+/Debian 10+
  • Windows (via WSL)

Hardware Requirements

  • Minimum 4GB RAM
  • Stable internet connection

Software Dependencies

  • Node.js 18+
  • git 2.23+ (optional)
  • GitHub/GitLab CLI (optional)
  • ripgrep (rg) (optional)

Install by Platform

Select your operating system for specific install instructions

Claude Code macOS Install

Claude Code install on macOS is straightforward

Prerequisites

  • macOS 10.15 or later
  • Node.js 18+ installed
  • Terminal access
1

Install Node.js

If not already installed, download from nodejs.org or use Homebrew:

brew install node@18

Verify install with 'node --version'

2

Install Claude Code

Open Terminal and run:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

If you encounter permission errors, do NOT use sudo

3

Navigate to Project

Change to your project directory:

cd ~/path/to/your/project

Replace with your actual project path

4

Launch Claude Code

Start Claude Code:

claude

First run will prompt for authentication

Terminal Optimization

For the best experience with Claude Code on macOS:

Line breaks

Set up Option+Enter for line breaks in Terminal.app:

  • Open Settings → Profiles → Keyboard
  • Check 'Use Option as Meta Key'
iTerm2 notifications

For iTerm2 alerts when tasks complete:

  • Open iTerm2 Preferences
  • Navigate to Profiles → Terminal
  • Enable 'Silence bell' and Filter Alerts → 'Send escape sequence-generated alerts'
  • Set your preferred notification delay

Authentication Options

Recommended

Anthropic Console

Default option, authenticate via OAuth flow

  • Select Anthropic Console option
  • Browser automatically opens authentication page
  • Log in to your Anthropic account
  • Authorize Claude Code access permissions

Claude App (Max Plan)

Requires Claude Max plan subscription

  • Ensure Claude Max plan subscription
  • Select Claude App option
  • Follow prompts to complete authentication

Enterprise Platform

Configure Amazon Bedrock or Google Vertex AI

  • Configure AWS Bedrock or Google Vertex AI
  • Set up corresponding API keys
  • Select Enterprise Platform option
  • Enter configuration information

Ready to Get Started?

After install, try running your first Claude Code command

$ claude "summarize this project"
View Official DocumentationLearn More Features

GUI Interfaces & Desktop Applications

Beyond the command line: Explore graphical interfaces, desktop applications, and IDE integrations for Claude Code

Official Applications

Claude Desktop

Official

Official desktop application with native experience

Supported Platforms
macOSWindowsLinux
Key Features
  • Native desktop experience
  • MCP server support
  • File upload and analysis
  • Multi-modal interaction
  • System notifications
Download Claude Desktop

Claude Mobile

Official

iOS and Android native applications

Supported Platforms
iOSAndroid
Key Features
  • Voice input support
  • Image analysis
  • Conversation sync
  • Offline reading
  • Push notifications
Download Claude Mobile

Third-Party Desktop Applications

Claude3-DesktopClient

Tauri + Rust

Tauri + Rust based desktop client

Features
  • Cross-platform support
  • Native performance
  • Secure and reliable
  • Fast startup
  • System tray functionality
View on GitHub
Build Instructions
git clone https://github.com/pliu22/Claude3-DesktopClient
cd Claude3-DesktopClient
cargo tauri build

Tauri-Claude

Tauri + Rust

Lightweight Tauri-based client

Features
  • Lightweight design
  • Cross-platform
  • Native experience
  • MIT license
  • Open source
View on GitHub
Build Instructions
npm install
npm run tauri build

Claude-Desktop (Electron)

Electron + Vue.js

Electron + Vue.js based application

Features
  • Web technology based
  • Easy to customize
  • Cross-platform support
  • Rich UI components
  • Plugin system
View on GitHub
Build Instructions
npm install
npm run build
npm run electron:build

IDE Integrations

VS Code Extensions

Cline
Popular

Most popular Claude integration for VS Code

  • • Autonomous programming agent
  • • File creation and editing
  • • Terminal command execution
  • • Browser integration
ext install cline.cline
Claude Dev
Legacy

Original Claude development assistant

  • • Code generation
  • • Documentation
  • • Code review
  • • Refactoring
ext install claude-dev.claude-dev
Anthropic Claude
Coming Soon

Official extension (planned)

  • • Official support
  • • Full feature set
  • • Regular updates
  • • Enterprise features
Coming soon...

JetBrains Plugins

Claude Assistant
Available

IntelliJ IDEA integration

  • • Code completion
  • • Refactoring
  • • Documentation
  • • Code analysis
Install from JetBrains Marketplace
AI Code Helper
Beta

Multi-IDE support

  • • Cross-IDE compatibility
  • • Code suggestions
  • • Error fixing
  • • Performance tips
Search 'AI Code Helper' in plugins

Vim/Neovim Plugins

claude.nvim
Community

Neovim plugin for Claude integration

  • • Lua configuration
  • • Async operations
  • • Buffer integration
  • • Custom commands
Plug 'claude-ai/claude.nvim'

Web Interface Solutions

Browser Extensions

Enhance web-based Claude experience

Claude Web Enhancer

Enhanced web functionality

Claude Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts support

Claude Export

Conversation export features

Self-hosted Solutions

Deploy your own Claude interface

Docker Deployment

Containerized Claude UI

Custom Web UI

Build your own interface

API Integration

Direct API implementation

Self-hosted Docker Example

# Deploy Claude Web UI with Docker
docker run -d \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  -e ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key \
  claude-web-ui

Custom Interface Development

Build your own Claude interface using the API

Code Example

// React Example
import { Anthropic } from '@anthropic-ai/sdk';

const claude = new Anthropic({
  apiKey: process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY,
});

function ChatInterface() {
  const [messages, setMessages] = useState([]);
  
  const sendMessage = async (content) => {
    const response = await claude.messages.create({
      model: 'claude-3-sonnet-20240229',
      max_tokens: 1024,
      messages: [{ role: 'user', content }]
    });
    
    setMessages(prev => [...prev, response]);
  };
  
  return (
    <div className="chat-interface">
      {/* Chat interface components */}
    </div>
  );
}

Best Practices

  • Responsive design for different screen sizes
  • Real-time feedback and progress indicators
  • Keyboard shortcuts for common actions
  • Dark/light theme support
  • Accessibility features for screen readers

Choose Your Preferred Interface

From command line to desktop apps, find the perfect way to interact with Claude Code

Download Claude DesktopTry Command Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Claude Code and how it can transform your development workflow.

Claude Code is a revolutionary AI-powered coding tool that serves as your intelligent pair programming assistant powered by Claude 4 Sonnet and Claude 4 Opus. Designed for modern organizations committed to software development, enabling you to code faster and smarter than ever before.

Unlike traditional code assistants, Claude Code understands your entire codebase context, can make complex edits across multiple files, and follows your natural language instructions with remarkable accuracy.

Claude Code transforms your development workflow by providing intelligent assistance throughout the entire development process:

  • Code Understanding: Claude Code can analyze and understand your entire codebase, including dependencies, architecture, and patterns.
  • Efficient Coding: Write code faster with intelligent suggestions and auto-completions that understand your project context.
  • Debugging Support: Get help identifying and fixing bugs with contextual understanding of your code.
  • Refactoring Assistance: Safely refactor code with intelligent suggestions for improvements.
  • Documentation Generation: Create high-quality documentation for your code automatically.
  • Learning and Skill Development: Learn new programming concepts, frameworks, and best practices directly in your coding environment.

Claude Code offers a comprehensive set of powerful features designed to enhance every aspect of your development experience:

  • Intelligent Code Understanding: Deep semantic analysis of your codebase with context-aware suggestions
  • Real-time Collaboration: Seamless pair programming experience with your AI assistant
  • Full-stack Development Support: Assistance across all languages and frameworks
  • Semantic Code Search: Find relevant code by describing functionality in natural language
  • Live Code Editing: Get intelligent suggestions while you write code
  • Project-wide Refactoring: Safely improve your codebase with comprehensive changes
  • Database Design: Get help designing and optimizing database schemas
  • API Development: Assistance creating and documenting APIs
  • Git Integration: Seamless integration with version control workflows
  • MCP Protocol Support: Advanced multi-agent collaboration features

Getting started with Claude Code is simple. Follow these steps:

  1. Connect Your Repository: Link Claude Code to your Git repository or local development environment
  2. Describe Your Task: Tell Claude Code what you need help with using natural language
  3. Review & Collaborate: Work with Claude as it provides intelligent suggestions and code edits

Claude Code seamlessly integrates with your existing development workflow and tools. Check out our install guide for detailed instructions for your specific environment.

Yes, Claude Code is built with security as a foundational principle. We implement enterprise-grade security measures to protect your code and intellectual property:

  • Local Processing Options: Code can be processed locally without leaving your environment
  • End-to-End Encryption: All data in transit is encrypted using industry-standard protocols
  • Data Isolation: Your code is processed in isolated environments
  • No Training on Your Code: We never use your proprietary code to train our models
  • SOC 2 Compliance: Our infrastructure follows strict security standards
  • Access Controls: Granular permission settings for team environments

Our secure integration ensures that your codebase remains protected while still benefiting from AI assistance.

Absolutely! Claude Code excels at real-time processing and problem-solving. It can:

  • Analyze code issues as you type and suggest improvements
  • Help debug complex problems by understanding the full context
  • Suggest optimizations for performance bottlenecks
  • Provide immediate assistance for coding challenges
  • Help implement new features based on your specifications
  • Generate test cases to verify your solutions

Claude Code's real-time capabilities make it an invaluable partner for tackling difficult programming challenges and accelerating your development process.

Claude Code supports a comprehensive range of programming languages and technologies, including:

Programming Languages:
  • JavaScript/TypeScript
  • Python
  • Java
  • C/C++
  • C#
  • Go
  • Rust
  • Ruby
  • PHP
  • Swift
  • Kotlin
Web Technologies:
  • React
  • Angular
  • Vue
  • Next.js
  • HTML/CSS
  • Tailwind CSS
  • SASS/LESS
Backends & Databases:
  • Node.js
  • Django
  • Flask
  • Spring
  • SQL (various dialects)
  • MongoDB
  • GraphQL

Claude Code's language support is continuously expanding, and it can also help with configuration files, build scripts, and documentation in various formats.

Claude Code distinguishes itself from other AI coding assistants in several key ways:

  • Whole Codebase Understanding: Unlike most assistants that only see snippets, Claude Code can understand your entire project's context.
  • Advanced Reasoning: Powered by Claude 4 Sonnet and Claude 4 Opus, our assistant has superior reasoning capabilities for complex coding tasks.
  • Multi-file Edits: Can make coordinated changes across multiple files to implement features or fixes.
  • Human-like Collaboration: Works more like a human pair programmer with natural conversation and explanations.
  • Learning Your Style: Adapts to your coding style and preferences over time.
  • MCP Protocol: Supports Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol for more sophisticated workflows.

While other AI coding tools offer helpful suggestions, Claude Code functions as a true collaborator that understands your project goals and can help implement complex features from start to finish.

Yes, Claude Code is an excellent learning companion for programmers at all skill levels:

  • Provides contextual explanations of code concepts as you work
  • Can generate example code to demonstrate programming patterns
  • Offers interactive tutorials for learning new frameworks or languages
  • Suggests best practices and improvements to your code
  • Can simplify complex documentation into practical examples
  • Answers questions about how to implement specific features

Claude Code bridges the gap between theory and practice by providing real-time guidance in your actual coding environment, making it easier to apply new concepts immediately in your projects.