Claude Code Installation & Setup

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

Installation & Setup

Get started with Claude Code quickly - from installation 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)

Installation Steps

Install Claude Code

Install Claude Code globally via npm

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

Note: Don't use sudo npm install -g, this may cause permission issues

Navigate to Project Directory

Switch to your project directory

cd your-project-directory

Replace with your actual project path

Start Claude Code

Run claude command to start the AI assistant

claude

First run will prompt for authentication setup

Complete Authentication

Choose authentication method and complete setup

# Choose authentication option:
# 1. Anthropic Console (Recommended)
# 2. Claude App (Max Plan)
# 3. Enterprise Platform (Bedrock/Vertex AI)

Recommended to use Anthropic Console for OAuth authentication

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 installation, try running your first Claude Code command

$ claude "summarize this project"

View Official Documentation Learn 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 Desktop Try Command Line

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about Claude Code installation, usage, pricing, and troubleshooting

Getting Started

Claude Code requires a Claude Max subscription (starting from $100/month) or API access through Anthropic Console. There's no standalone free version, but you can use the API with pay-per-use pricing.

Claude Code supports all major programming languages including Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C++, Rust, Go, PHP, Ruby, and more. It understands project context regardless of the language stack.

Currently, Claude Code requires WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) to run on Windows. Native Windows support may be added in future releases. macOS and Linux are fully supported.

Claude Code offers project-level understanding, extended thinking capabilities, Git integration, and terminal-native operation. While Copilot focuses on code completion, Claude Code acts as a comprehensive development assistant.

Pricing & Costs

Claude Code uses usage-based pricing (~$8 for 90 minutes), which can be 4x more expensive than Cursor ($20/month) but offers more advanced capabilities. Consider your usage patterns and feature needs when choosing.

Use the /clear command regularly to clean context, choose the right model for each task (Haiku for simple tasks, Opus for complex reasoning), and monitor your usage through the Anthropic Console.

Yes, Claude offers Team plans ($25-30/user/month) and Enterprise plans with custom pricing. These include central billing, collaboration features, and enhanced security controls.

Claude Max includes 5x or 20x Pro usage, higher output limits, direct terminal Claude Code access, advanced research features, integration capabilities, and priority access during peak times.

Setup & Configuration

Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root with bash commands, code style preferences, and workflow instructions. Claude automatically reads this file to understand your project context and preferences.

Yes, through CLAUDE.md files, custom slash commands in .claude/commands folder, and MCP integrations. You can define project-specific workflows, coding standards, and tool integrations.

You can authenticate via Anthropic Console (recommended), Claude App with Max plan, or enterprise platforms like Amazon Bedrock or Google Vertex AI for organizational deployments.

Claude Code integrates with Git, GitHub/GitLab CLI, and supports MCP servers for connecting to databases, APIs, and other development tools. It works alongside your existing terminal workflow.

Troubleshooting

Ensure you're running Claude from your project root directory. Create a CLAUDE.md file with project information, and make sure your project has clear file organization and documentation.

Check your API key configuration, ensure your Claude subscription is active, and verify network connectivity. Try re-authenticating through the Anthropic Console if issues persist.

This may be due to large project context or complex requests. Use /clear to reduce context size, break complex tasks into smaller steps, and ensure stable internet connectivity.

Claude Code connects directly to Anthropic's API without intermediate servers. However, avoid sharing sensitive credentials or proprietary algorithms. Use environment variables and .gitignore for sensitive data.

Advanced Usage

MCP (Model Context Protocol) allows Claude Code to connect to external tools and data sources. You can create custom MCP servers to integrate with databases, APIs, monitoring tools, and enterprise systems.

Yes, through shared CLAUDE.md files, team subscriptions, and collaborative workflows. Multiple team members can work with consistent project configurations and shared best practices.

Use the 'think' keyword in your prompts to trigger extended thinking mode. Claude will show its reasoning process and provide more thoughtful, detailed responses for complex architectural decisions.

Yes, you can run multiple Claude instances in different project directories, use git worktrees for parallel development, or create multiple git checkouts for different features.

Security & Privacy

Claude Code connects directly to Anthropic's API without intermediate servers. Your code is processed securely, but avoid sharing sensitive credentials or proprietary algorithms in prompts.

No, Anthropic does not use Claude Code feedback to train generative models. User feedback is only retained for 30 days and used for product improvement, not model training.

Claude Code collects usage patterns, error reports, and feedback to improve the service. Personal code and project data are processed but not stored long-term or used for training.

Yes, enterprise plans include SSO, domain capture, role-based access control, audit logs, and can be configured with Amazon Bedrock or Google Vertex AI for additional compliance requirements.

Still Have Questions?

Can't find what you're looking for? Check out our comprehensive documentation or join the community

Official Documentation Join Discord Community