How to Install Claude Code – step-by-step guide for beginners (2026)

How to Install Claude Code (Step-by-Step, 2026)

Install Claude Code on macOS, Linux, or Windows in under 15 minutes – complete walkthrough with commands, troubleshooting tips, and your first test project.

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If you read my previous post on what Claude Code is and came away thinking “I want to try this,” – this guide is for you.

I’m going to walk you through the complete installation process, step by step, on any operating system. No assumptions about your technical background. By the time you reach the end of this post, you will have Claude Code running on your machine, and you will have sent your very first instruction to it.

Let’s go.

Step 1: Check what you need (prerequisites)

Before installing Claude Code itself, you need four things in place. Three of them are completely free.

Everything you need before installing Claude Code

Requirement	Notes
A computer	macOS 12+, any Linux distro, or Windows 10/11 (WSL recommended)
Anthropic account	Free to create at anthropic.com – takes 2 minutes
Node.js version 18+	Free to download from nodejs.org – takes about 5 minutes to install
Claude Pro or Team plan	Claude Code requires a paid Anthropic subscription

Why does Claude Code need a paid plan?Claude Code uses the same powerful AI model that runs Claude Pro, making real decisions and executing real code. The computational cost of that is why it requires a paid subscription. Claude Pro is currently $20/month – and for what it enables, that is genuinely good value.

How to install Node.js

Node.js is the runtime environment Claude Code needs to operate. If you’ve never heard of it, think of it as the engine it runs on. Here’s the quickest way to install it:

macOS or Linux (recommended method – nvm)

nvm (Node Version Manager) is the cleanest way to install Node.js. Open your terminal and run:

# Install nvmcurl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash # Restart your terminal, then install Node.jsnvm install –ltsnvm use –lts # Verify it workednode –version    # Should show v20.x.x or highernpm –version     # Should show 10.x.x or higher

Windows

Windows users: Claude Code works best through WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Before anything else:

1. Install Git for Windows from git-scm.com
2. Enable WSL2 – open PowerShell as Administrator and run: wsl –install
3. Open WSL, then follow the macOS/Linux nvm instructions above

Already have Node.js?Run node –version in your terminal. If it shows v18.x.x or higher, you are good to go. If it shows something older, run: nvm install –lts && nvm use –lts to upgrade.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

With Node.js in place, installing Claude Code is a single command. Open your terminal (or WSL on Windows) and run:

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

The -g flag installs Claude Code globally, meaning you can run it from any folder on your computer. The installation takes 30–60 seconds.

When it’s done, verify it worked:

Claude –version

You should see a version number printed back. If you do, Claude Code is installed.

Alternative installation methods: macOS Homebrew: brew install claude-code, Windows WinGet: winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCodeNote: Homebrew and WinGet installs do NOT auto-update. Run brew upgrade claude-code or winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode periodically to stay current. The npm install method above auto-updates in the background.

Step 3: Log in with your Anthropic account

Claude Code needs to authenticate with your Anthropic account before it can do anything. This is straightforward:

1. Navigate to any folder in your terminal (your desktop is fine for now)
2. Type claude and press Enter
3. On first launch, Claude Code will display a link and prompt you to authenticate
4. Click the link, log in with your Anthropic account, and authorise Claude Code
5. Return to your terminal – you should now see the welcome screen

The Claude Code welcome screen after successful login

Session expired?If Claude Code ever says your session has expired or authentication failed, simply run: claude /login – this re-authenticates you without needing to reinstall anything.

Step 4: Run your first command

This is the moment. Claude Code is running. Let’s give it something to do.

Start by creating a test folder and navigating into it:

mkdir my-first-projectcd my-first-projectclaude

Now, at the Claude Code prompt, type this instruction:

Your first instructionCreate a file called hello.html that contains a simple webpage. It should have my name as the page title, a heading that says ‘Hello from Claude Code!’, and a short paragraph below it welcoming visitors to my site. Make it look clean and professional.

Watch what Claude Code does. It will:

• Create hello.html in your current folder
• Write all the HTML, CSS, and content
• Confirm exactly what it was built

Then open the file in your browser:

# macOSopen hello.html # Linuxxdg-open hello.html # Windows (WSL)explorer.exe hello.html

You should see a proper webpage in your browser. You just built something with AI in under two minutes – without touching any code yourself.

Step 5: Learn the essential commands

Once you’re inside Claude Code, here are the built-in commands you’ll use most often:

Command	What it does
/help	Shows all available commands and keyboard shortcuts
/init	Scans your project and generates a CLAUDE.md memory file
/clear	Clears the conversation history and starts a fresh session
/compact	Summarises the conversation to free up context space
/model	Switch between Claude models (speed vs. power)
/cost	Shows how many tokens you have used and the estimated cost
/mcp	Shows the status of any connected external tools
/doctor	Runs diagnostics — useful if something isn’t working
Escape	Cancel the current operation or stop a running task
Ctrl+C	Exit Claude Code completely

Pro tip: run /init on every new projectThe /init command creates a CLAUDE.md file in your project root. This is a plain text file where Claude Code stores memory about your project – your tech stack, your coding standards, your preferred commands. Without it, every new session starts from scratch. With it, Claude Code already knows your project.

Optional: Install the VS Code extension

If you use VS Code as your code editor, you can bring Claude Code directly into it – inline diffs, chat panel, the works. Here’s how:

1. Open VS Code
2. Press Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) to open the Extensions panel
3. Search for Claude Code and click Install
4. Open the Command Palette with Cmd+Shift+P and type Claude Code
5. Select Open in New Tab to start a session inside VS Code

RecommendationEven if you plan to use the VS Code extension long-term, spend your first few sessions in the terminal. The terminal gives you the most transparent view of what Claude Code is doing at every step. Once that clicks, the extension feels natural.

Troubleshooting: if something goes wrong

Here are the most common issues and their fixes:

Error	Fix
claude: command not found	Run: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code again. On Mac, try: sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Authentication failed	Run: claude /login to re-authenticate your Anthropic account
node: command not found	Node.js isn’t installed or isn’t in your PATH. Restart your terminal after installing via nvm
Permission denied errors	On macOS/Linux run: sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, or configure npm to use a local directory
Windows path issues	Make sure you’re running commands inside WSL, not native Windows PowerShell
Claude Code running slowly	Switch to a faster model inside Claude Code using the /model command

If you’re still stuck, run /doctor inside Claude Code for automated diagnostics, or check the official documentation at docs.anthropic.com.

You’re set up. Now what?

You now have Claude Code installed, authenticated, and ready to build. The hello.html file you created is just a taste – the same workflow scales to complete websites, APIs, full-stack apps, and automated pipelines.

The most important thing at this stage is to start giving Claude Code real instructions. Don’t wait until you have the perfect project idea. Practice describing things in plain English and see what it builds. The more specific your instructions, the better the results.

What to read nextNow that Claude Code is installed, the next skill to develop is prompting – writing instructions that get exactly the result you want. Read: The CRISP Prompting Framework – Get Better Results from Claude Code →

Go deeper with the book. Everything in this post is covered in far more detail – including building your first complete project – in How to Use Claude Code to Create Anything by Ifeyinwa C. Ofulue (2026). Get your copy at the link below.

About the author

Ifeyinwa C. Ofulue is a writer, web developer, UX designer, digital product creator, and researcher focused on AI tools, automation, UX design, and online business systems. He is the author of How to Use Claude Code to Create Anything and several other digital guides on online income, AI tools, and building profitable digital products. He helps beginners learn how to create digital products, build profitable websites, and use modern AI tools to generate income online. Find his work at digitalprofit101.com.

Through this website, I share practical tutorials, step-by-step guides, and proven strategies on topics such as AI productivity tools, website monetization, digital marketing, and automation.

My mission is simple: to make online business and digital skills accessible to anyone willing to learn.

When I’m not researching new web designs, AI tools, or writing tutorials, I focus on building scalable online systems and testing new ways to help creators earn online.

👉 Learn more about Ifeyinwa on the About page.