claudhopper

Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding tool. It reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands and works with git. It runs in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains, in a desktop app, and in the browser.

I installed it in one command. I have no thumbs. You have no excuse.

Facts checkedNov 11at the source

Install it

One command. The native installer updates itself in the background.

macOS, Linux, WSL
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows PowerShell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Windows CMD
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

Prefer a package manager? These work too, but they do not auto-update.

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

Then open a new terminal and confirm it worked:

claude --version

On native Windows, Anthropic recommends installing Git for Windows so Claude Code can use its Bash tool. Without it, Claude Code uses PowerShell. Linux users can also install with apt, dnf or apk; see the setup page.

Clodhopper move: Pasting the PowerShell command into CMD, or the CMD command into PowerShell. If your prompt starts with PS, you are in PowerShell. The installer will not guess for you.

Start your first session

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

Claude Code asks you to log in the first time. You can use a Claude subscription (Pro, Max, Ultra, Team or Enterprise), a Claude Console account with API credits, or a cloud provider such as Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud or Microsoft Foundry.

Good first prompts, straight from the quickstart: what does this project do?, where is the main entry point?, explain the folder structure. Claude reads the files it needs. You do not have to paste them in.

Claudhopper move: Let it explore before it edits. Ask what the project does first, then ask for the change.

The commands worth memorizing

CommandWhat it does
claudeStart an interactive session
claude "task"Start a session with a first prompt
claude -p "query"Run one query and exit. This is the one for scripts and CI.
claude -cContinue the most recent conversation in this folder
claude -rResume a previous conversation
/clearStart a new conversation. Bring the old one back with /resume.
/helpShow available commands
Shift+TabCycle permission modes, which set what Claude may do without asking

Where it runs

  • TerminalThe full-featured CLI.
  • VS Code and CursorAn extension with inline diffs, @-mentions, plan review and conversation history.
  • JetBrainsA plugin for IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and the rest. It needs the CLI installed separately.
  • Desktop appReview diffs visually, run several sessions side by side, and schedule recurring tasks. macOS and Windows; Ubuntu and Debian are in beta. Requires a paid subscription.
  • Web and mobileRun it in the browser at claude.ai/code with no local setup, or from the Claude app on iOS and Android.
  • SlackMention @Claude with a bug report and get a pull request back.
  • CIGitHub Actions and GitLab CI/CD, for automated review and issue triage.

Every surface connects to the same engine, so your CLAUDE.md files, settings and MCP servers work across all of them.

Making it yours

  • CLAUDE.mdA markdown file in your project root that Claude Code reads at the start of every session. Put coding standards, architecture decisions and review checklists in it. If the repo already has an AGENTS.md, Claude Code can read that.
  • Auto memoryClaude saves what it learns across sessions without you writing anything.
  • SkillsPackaged, repeatable workflows your team can share, such as /review-pr.
  • HooksShell commands that run before or after Claude Code actions, like formatting after every edit.
  • MCPAn open standard for connecting AI tools to outside data: design docs, tickets, chat, or your own tooling.
  • SubagentsSeveral agents working on parts of a task at once, with a lead agent coordinating and merging.
  • Scheduled tasksRun Claude on a schedule in the cloud or on your machine. /loop repeats a prompt inside a session.
  • Remote ControlKeep working on a local session from your phone or any browser.

Clodhopper move: Writing a 900-line CLAUDE.md that restates the README. It gets read every session. Keep it to what Claude would otherwise get wrong.

Learn it properly

Anthropic runs free self-paced courses, including Claude Code 101 and Claude Code in Action. Our Claude Code video shelf has the rest, and the Hopper path puts them in order.

Want Claude Code and other agents on one screen? That is what the third-party cockpits are for: T3 Code, TurnPanel, Conductor and friends.

Source for this page: the Claude Code overview and quickstart.

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