Getting Started with Claude Code

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's official CLI tool for working with Claude directly in your terminal. Unlike the web chat, Claude Code can read your files, run commands, edit code, and interact with your entire project.

Think of it as having a senior developer sitting next to you — except it never gets tired, never judges your questions, and works at the speed of your terminal.

Installation

You need Node.js 18+ installed. Then:

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

Verify it's installed:

claude --version

You'll need an Anthropic API key. Set it up:

claude config set api_key sk-ant-...

Your first conversation

Navigate to any project folder and start Claude Code:

cd my-project
claude

That's it. You're now in an interactive session where Claude can see your entire project.

Try these first commands:

• "What does this project do?" — Claude reads your files and explains the project
• "Find all TODO comments" — Claude searches your codebase
• "Write a README for this project" — Claude generates documentation based on your actual code

Key concepts

The context window

Claude Code reads your files into its context window. This means it understands your project structure, your code patterns, and your conventions. The more it reads, the better its suggestions.

CLAUDE.md

The most important file in any Claude Code project. Create a CLAUDE.md at the root of your project:

# Project Context

## What is this?
A brief description of your project.

## Tech stack
- Next.js 14
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS

## Conventions
- Use functional components
- Prefer named exports
- Tests go in __tests__/ folders

Every time Claude Code starts, it reads this file first. It's your project's brain.

Tools and MCP

Claude Code comes with built-in tools (file reading, editing, terminal commands). You can extend it with MCP servers — plugins that give Claude access to external services like databases, APIs, or specialized tools.

Your first workflow

Let's build something. Say you have a Next.js project and you need a new page:

You: "Create a /pricing page with three tiers: Free, Pro, and Enterprise.
     Use our existing design system and match the style of the /about page."

Claude will:

1. Read your existing pages to understand the patterns
2. Check your design system / Tailwind config
3. Create the new page file
4. Match your existing code style

What's next?

Now that you have Claude Code running:

1. Add a CLAUDE.md to your most important project
2. Try a real task — something you'd normally spend 30 minutes on
3. Install your first agent from Forgeant.ai to unlock specialist skills

Next guide: How Claude Code Works Under the Hood →