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Set up Claude Code

Install the assistant that does the rest of this wiki's setup for you. Once it's running, most "how do I…" steps become one sentence: you ask, it does it.

Time: ~10 min, once. [estimate] Last verified: 2026-06-07 · the install command auto-updates and can change — the source of truth is the official setup guide. [confirmed]

Before you begin

  • A paid Claude account — Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise. The free Claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code. (You can instead use an Anthropic API key or a cloud provider, but a subscription is simplest.) [confirmed]
  • A terminal — the text window where you type commands. You already have one: Terminal on Mac, PowerShell on Windows, your terminal app on Linux.
  • 4 GB+ RAM and a recent OS: macOS 13+, Windows 10 (1809)+, or Ubuntu 20.04+ / Debian 10+ and similar. [confirmed]

Never opened a terminal? Don't want to? Two on-ramps: Anthropic's terminal guide for new users walks you through it click by click, or skip the terminal entirely with the Desktop app (graphical, no commands).

The one command

One line installs it. Pick your system, paste it into your terminal, press Enter:

=== "macOS"

Press `⌘ + Space`, type `Terminal`, press Enter. Then paste:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
```

Prefer Homebrew? `brew install --cask claude-code` works too — but you'll have to update it by hand. `[confirmed]`

=== "Windows"

Press `Win + X`, pick **Windows PowerShell** (or **Terminal**). Then paste:

```powershell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
```

`irm not recognized`? You're in CMD, not PowerShell — see the FAQ below. Prefer WinGet? `winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode`. `[confirmed]`

=== "Linux"

Open your terminal (`Ctrl + Alt + T` on most distros). Then paste:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
```

Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora/Alpine also have signed apt/dnf/apk packages — see the [setup guide](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup#install-with-linux-package-managers). `[confirmed]`

You'll see text scroll, then "Claude Code successfully installed!" The native install keeps itself up to date in the background — you won't reinstall. [confirmed]

Then start it

  1. Open a fresh terminal window (Windows especially needs this, so it picks up the new claude command).
  2. Start it. Type claude and press Enter.
  3. Sign in. A browser window opens — log in with your Claude account. Back in the terminal, you're in. [confirmed]
  4. Browser didn't open? Press c to copy the link, paste it into any browser.

Now try it

Open the terminal in any folder, run claude, and ask in plain English:

What's in this folder, and what does it do?

If it answers, you're set. From here, any tutorial that says "your agent does it" means: run claude and ask.

One catch: the agent acts inside whatever folder you start it in — so move into your project folder first, or just tell it where things are.

If it doesn't work

  • command not found: claude (Mac/Linux) / 'claude' is not recognized (Windows) → the install landed, but your terminal can't find it yet. Close the terminal and open a new one — that fixes it most of the time. Still stuck? Add it to your PATH per the PATH fix (one copy-paste line per OS). [confirmed]
  • irm is not recognized / '&&' is not a valid statement separator (Windows) → you ran the wrong shell's command. PS C:\ at the prompt means PowerShell (use irm …); plain C:\ means CMD (use the curl … install.cmd line). [confirmed]
  • syntax error near unexpected token '<' or HTML in the output → the download returned a web page, not the script. If it says "App unavailable in region," Claude Code isn't in your country yet. Otherwise retry, or use Homebrew (Mac) / WinGet (Windows). [confirmed]
  • Could not establish trust … SSL/TLS (older Windows 10) → run [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12 first, then the install line again. [confirmed]
  • On a work laptop and it's blocked → a firewall or proxy may be stopping the download. Ask IT for the proxy address and set HTTPS_PROXY before installing, or try the Desktop app. [confirmed]
  • Logged in but 403 Forbidden → check your subscription is active at claude.ai/settings; an old ANTHROPIC_API_KEY left in your shell can also override it. [confirmed]
  • Anything else → Anthropic's installation & login troubleshooting page is a symptom-by-symptom index ("What you see → Solution"). Run claude doctor for an automatic diagnosis. [confirmed]

Watch / read

  • Best written walkthrough: Anthropic's own terminal guide for new users — open a terminal, install, first session, with a per-OS troubleshooting box. The most current and authoritative, and it matches the commands above. [confirmed]
  • Video: Claude Code Tutorial #1 — Introduction & Setup — Net Ninja, ~10 min. Caveat: not re-verified against the current native-installer command; if it shows only npm install -g, that still works but isn't the recommended path now. [unclear — video content not verified from this environment]

Prefer a one-time check, no auto-update?

The native installer above updates itself silently, which is what most people want. If you need to pin a version or control updates (locked-down work machines), the setup guide covers release channels, minimumVersion, and DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER. Most readers can ignore this.

Sources