How To Install And Configure Claude Code, Step By Step

12 hours ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Claude Code installation is straightforward arsenic agelong arsenic you travel a fewer elemental steps.
Projects are scoped by directory, truthful setup location matters.
Proper setup unlocks fast, stable, agentic improvement workflows.

Claude Code has been making waves successful nan improvement world. I precocious utilized Anthropic's coding adjunct to build a analyzable and reasonably blase iPhone app from commencement to finish.

I started by utilizing Claude Code wrong Apple's Code Intelligence characteristic of Xcode, but recovered Code Intelligence to beryllium buggy. It collapsed aliases hung reasonably consistently. I confirmed that it was Code Intelligence, not Claude Code, causing nan issues, because erstwhile I tried using OpenAI's Codex in Code Intelligence, I encountered nan aforesaid buggy behavior.

Also: How to create your first iPhone app pinch AI - nary coding acquisition needed

When I group up Claude Code to tally from nan terminal via bid line, everything settled down. I had an incredibly productive experience. That's what we'll talk successful this article: really to group up Claude Code successful nan terminal, and really to get it moving pinch Xcode.

Please don't deliberation this article will only beryllium adjuvant if you're readying to codification an Apple app. Everything I'm going to show you applies to different apps arsenic well. It's conscionable that my task is an iPhone app, truthful that's what will beryllium successful my examples.

Let's get you signed up

Here's nan thing: You can't get a batch of agentic coding done pinch nan free tier of Claude. You will request to motion up for nan Pro scheme ($17/month) aliases nan Max plan (starting astatine $100/month). I urge starting pinch nan Pro plan. After astir 5 hours, if you determine you for illustration Claude Code, you'll person to move to nan Max plan, but it's reasonably easy to do.

I've recovered that you get a batch of mileage from nan Max plan. I've been utilizing it extensively this month, and it hasn't trim maine disconnected yet. That puts Claude Code astatine astir $100/month little than OpenAI's Codex, which starts astatine $200/month if you do immoderate ongoing development.

Next, you'll request to link to GitHub. I recovered that moreover if you don't want to usage GitHub, you still request to link to it.

GitHub is simply a champion believe that galore developers use, but not each projects request GitHub, particularly if you're a lone developer. So, if you're already measurement into GitHub, you're golden.

Also: Claude Code made an astonishing $1B successful 6 months - and my ain AI-coded iPhone app shows why

If you're not utilizing GitHub, don't fuss trying to debar it. Signing up for GitHub is free, and truthful is creating repos. Claude has immoderate level of separation anxiety. It will not move connected pinch nan basal setup steps without a afloat authorized GitHub connection. Fortunately, nan process is beautiful overmuch connected rails, truthful travel my guidelines, and you'll get past this beautiful easily.

I person a GitHub relationship and immoderate repositories, truthful I created a caller repository and connected it to that. You'll first request to authorize your connection.

Next, you'll request to link your repos. It says you're installing nan Claude Code GitHub app, but that's not wholly accurate. You're adding immoderate search files. The existent instal will travel later.

Now, it will inquire wherever to instal Claude Code. This is simply a action container for each your GitHub accounts. You conscionable request to take your account. As I said, nan existent Claude Code instal will travel later. You're conscionable playing on to support nan robot happy.

Here's different one. This time, you're specifying nan repository you want to hook Claude Code up to. I'm moving connected a 3D printing spool filament inventory system, truthful excavation is called "filamentory." That's not its last name, but it useful for now.

OK, you're now hooked up capable to commencement pinch nan existent install. Let's do that next.

Install Claude Code connected your machine

Claude Code will tally wrong various improvement environments, but it's designed for and useful champion wrong your terminal application. I was a spot hesitant astir it, because I didn't want to move backmost and distant betwixt my terminal and my IDE, but it turned retired to beryllium a very smooth, very easy measurement to go.

Also: AI could double nan US economy's maturation complaint complete nan adjacent decade, says Anthropic

Get started by pointing your browser to Claude's settings, clicking nan small braces icon (shown astatine 1 below), and past nan "Install instructions here" nexus (shown astatine 2).

Next, you'll spot a bid line. In my case, I'm utilizing a Mac arsenic my improvement machine, truthful I chose nan Mac environment. Select nan action that is correct for you, click it, and past transcript nan bid line.

Paste that into your terminal program, and property Enter.

Let it tally until it says it's complete.

But, alas, it's not really complete. Notice successful nan pursuing screenshot that nan original bid statement is shown astatine 1. At 2, nan installer indicates that a way alteration is required. It shows you nan bid statement for that. So, astatine 3, I went up and pasted successful that bid statement and deed return.

Now, Claude Code is installed.

Get started coding

Here's nan large concealed astir utilizing Claude Code: Everything useful from nan existent moving directory. So, if you person a task successful /a/b/c/project1 and different successful /a/b/c/project2, Claude moving successful project1 will cognize thing of project2. And Claude, erstwhile moving successful project2, will cognize thing of project1.

Also: The champion free AI for coding - only 3 make nan trim now

As agelong arsenic you support that successful mind, and cd to nan due directory earlier initiating Claude, each will beryllium good. So let's do that. I support my Development files successful My Documents. It's an easy measurement to make judge it gets picked up connected each nan backup sweeps, and it works. I person a reasonably heavy files building inside, but my existent iPhone task is located successful a files called xcode.

So, nan first point I do is cd to that folder. Then, spell up and motorboat Claude by typing 'claude' connected your bid line. Claude will execute a bid of startup steps that will beryllium repeated for each caller task files you group up. Here, it's asking astir nan theme. Dark, of course.

Next, it will request to link to your subscription. Most of you will spell done nan subscription option, truthful prime that.

Next, you'll request to authorize nan link.

At this point, Anthropic will stock pinch you nan facts of life. Press Enter to judge nan truth that our robot overlords are fallible.

I strongly urge you fto Claude Code usage its recommended settings. You tin alteration things later, if you wish. But this is nan astir straightforward measurement to get things working.

Now, you request to corroborate you're successful nan correct folder, want to activity connected it, and spot what's successful it. Trust is an ephemeral thing. At immoderate point, you person to spot something, aliases you'll beryllium wholly connected your ain (Mom Cautionary Life Lesson #47).

And now, we're here.

You could commencement moving now, but location are a fewer much things you should do to guarantee everything is group up correctly. We'll jump into that next.

Also: Linus Torvalds is 'a immense believer' successful utilizing AI to support codification - conscionable don't telephone it a revolution

Initializing and first steps

Claude Code utilizes respective slash commands that modify its behavior. You tin moreover adhd your ain slash commands down nan road.

The first 1 you should tally is /init. It will scan your folder, create a CLAUDE.MD file, which it tin usage arsenic a reference, and mostly go acquainted pinch your code.

As you tin see, it has built up an knowing of what's wrong my codebase.

My files is not pristine. I initially created nan task utilizing Claude successful Xcode pinch Code Intelligence. That process was documented successful this article. So, arsenic Claude does its /init process, it's getting to cognize that code.

Finally, erstwhile it completed that scan, I gave Claude its first agentic assignment. I wanted it to excavation done nan messiness that Code Intelligence near and guarantee location were nary copy files aliases codification instances.

From here, I went connected to "vibe code" my measurement to a afloat moving iPhone app. I dream this helped you get started.

Claude's caller Slack integration

Here's a speedy mention of different measurement to talk to Claude Code: via Slack. Anthropic announced this a fewer days agone arsenic a investigation preview.

Also: I tested GPT-5.2 and nan AI model's mixed results raise reliable questions

I deliberation it's an absorbing approach, but I'd beryllium concerned astir accidentally typing thing into Slack and having it nonstop Claude into immoderate benignant of agentic tizzy. It's worthy considering, but don't get carried distant pinch this relationship mode until you do immoderate much research. It's astir apt champion to hold until nan characteristic comes retired of beta.

Have you tried Claude Code?

What astir you? Have you tried Claude Code yet, either wrong an IDE aliases from nan terminal? If so, really did it comparison to devices for illustration OpenAI Codex aliases built-in Code Intelligence features? Do you for illustration AI coding assistants embedded straight successful your editor, aliases do you find a command-line workflow much unchangeable and productive? And really do pricing, reliability, and setup clash facet into whether you'd adopt a instrumentality for illustration this long-term? Let america cognize successful nan comments below.

You tin travel my day-to-day task updates connected societal media. Be judge to subscribe to my play update newsletter, and travel maine connected Twitter/X astatine @DavidGewirtz, connected Facebook astatine Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, connected Instagram astatine Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, connected Bluesky astatine @DavidGewirtz.com, and connected YouTube astatine YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.