Chapter 0 · How this series works, and getting set up

Prefer to watch? This chapter goes with Episode 0 (3:15). Open it on YouTube.

Goes with Episode 0"How does this series work?". Watch it just above, or read this page at your own pace. It teaches the same steps.

In a hurry?Jump to the quick reference: every command and key in this chapter, what it does, and when to use it.

Every prompt, ready to copyThis chapter's prompts and commands, each with a Copy button. Type them yourself first; copy if you are stuck or behind.

Nothing is assumedNever used a terminal? This chapter shows every line to type, and what you should see.

How this series works

We learn Claude Code by building one app, start to finish. Each chapter starts with a problem we hit while building. Then we find the Claude Code feature that solves it, and use it at once.

The app is DevPulse: you type what you worked on and for how long, and it shows your day, your week and your streak. By chapter 14 it has tests, its own tools for Claude, and a public page on the internet.

Each chapter goes with one video, the episode with the same number. The video shows it; the page lets you build along at your own pace. Every chapter ends with a quick reference and homework.

What you need

Everything here is free, except one thing.

A Claude plan with Claude Code. The Free plan does not include it; Pro is the smallest plan that does. This is the only thing you pay for.
A 64-bit computer: Windows 10 or 11, or a Mac with macOS 13 or later.
Free tools: Git, Python 3.12 or later, Node.js 20 or later, and a free GitHub account. The install guide on the blog links each one.

Install Claude Code

I recorded this on a brand-new Windows, so you see exactly what a first install looks like.

Press the Windows key and type powershell.

Windows search for powershell: Best match Windows PowerShell; under Apps, Windows PowerShell ISE, Windows PowerShell ISE (x86) and Windows PowerShell (x86). — Open **Windows PowerShell**, the best match. Not the ones marked **(x86)**: those are 32-bit, and Claude Code needs 64-bit.

First, see that Claude Code is not there yet. Type claude and press Enter.

PowerShell: claude : The term 'claude' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. — Red text: *the term 'claude' is not recognized*. Windows does not know it yet. Now install it.

Windows: paste this into PowerShell and press Enterirm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Mac: paste this into Terminal and press Entercurl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

It takes a minute or two. On our clean Windows it finished with a note that matters.

Claude Code successfully installed! Version 2.1.312, Location C:\Users\...\.local\bin\claude.exe. Setup notes: Native installation exists but ...\.local\bin is not in your PATH. Then the line [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable(...) is typed. — Installed, version 2.1.312. Read the **Setup notes**: the folder is *not in your PATH*, so Windows will not find `claude`. The line under it fixes that.

PATH is the list of folders Windows searches when you type a command. If you see that note, paste this line once.

Windows, only if you see the PATH note: paste this into PowerShell[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User") + ";$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin", "User")

Check it is found

Close PowerShell and open a new one, so it reads the new PATH. Then ask for the version.

Type this in a new PowerShell or Terminalclaude --version

A new PowerShell: claude --version prints 2.1.312 (Claude Code). — **2.1.312 (Claude Code)**. Your number may be newer; the words *(Claude Code)* are what matter.

Sign in, the first time

Claude Code works inside a folder. Make a small one to try it in, and start Claude Code there.

Windows: type this in PowerShell, one line at a timemkdir C:\code\hello cd C:\code\hello claude

Mac: type this in Terminal, one line at a timemkdir -p ~/code/hello cd ~/code/hello claude

The first start asks a few things, one screen at a time.

A colour style for your terminal. Dark mode is fine.
How you sign in. Choose Claude account with subscription.
Your browser opens. Sign in with the account that has your plan.
The trust question for this folder.

Claude Code's first start: Let's get started. Choose the text style that looks best with your terminal: Auto, Dark mode (selected), Light mode and more, with a sample diff below. — 1. The colour style, with a sample below so you can see it.

Select login method: 1. Claude account with subscription (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise), 2. Anthropic Console account, 3. 3rd-party platform. — 2. Choose **1. Claude account with subscription**.

The browser after signing in: Build something great. You're all set up for Claude Code. You can now close this window. — 3. After you sign in: *You're all set up for Claude Code.* Close the browser tab and go back to the terminal.

Accessing workspace C:\code\hello. Quick safety check: Is this a project you created or one you trust? No, exit / Yes, I trust this folder. — 4. This is your own empty folder, so choose **Yes, I trust this folder**.

You are in. Type /status to see your version, folder, account and model. Then type /exit.

The health check

One last command, outside Claude Code. It checks the whole installation.

Type this in PowerShell or Terminalclaude doctor

claude doctor: Running native (2.1.312), Platform win32-x64, Path ...\.local\bin\claude.exe, Auto-updates enabled, and: No installation issues found. — **No installation issues found.** It also says Claude Code keeps itself up to date.

If something did go wrong, the install guide on the blog has a table of the usual errors and their fixes.

Before chapter 1

Claude Code is installed, found, signed in and healthy. That is all you need to start.

But a working install is not a working habit. In chapter 1 we ask it to build something, and see how much it decides on its own.

Quick reference

The prompts from this chapter, ready to copy: every prompt, chapter 0.

Command or key	What it does	Use it when
`irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 \| iex`	Installs Claude Code on Windows (in PowerShell)	Claude Code is not on your computer yet
`curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh \| bash`	Installs Claude Code on a Mac or Linux (in Terminal)	The same, on a Mac
`claude --version`	Prints the version, ending in (Claude Code)	You want to know it is installed and found
`claude`	Starts Claude Code in the folder you are in; the first time, it signs you in	You begin work
`Yes, I trust this folder`	Lets Claude read, edit and run files there	It is your own folder
`claude doctor`	Checks the installation and names any problem	Something looks wrong
`/exit`	Ends the session	You are done

Your homework

Ask it one question

The goal: see Claude Code work in a folder before chapter 1.

The steps: in your hello folder, run claude and type: Create a file called hello.txt with one line about what I want to build. Then open the file.

Guess first: will it create the file straight away, or ask you first?

One question for you: what do you want to build with Claude Code? Keep the answer for the end of the series.

References

Where each step on this page comes from. The screenshots are from a clean Windows 11 (Windows Sandbox) on 29 Oct 2026, Claude Code 2.1.312.

Anthropic · Claude Code quickstart The native installer for Windows and Mac, and signing in on first start. https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart
Anthropic · Troubleshoot installation claude --version, claude doctor, and the install folder that must be on your PATH. https://code.claude.com/docs/en/troubleshoot-install
Anthropic · Claude pricing Claude Code is not in the Free plan; Pro is the smallest plan that includes it (checked 28 Oct 2026). https://claude.com/pricing
Microsoft · Windows Sandbox A clean, throwaway Windows inside Windows 11 Pro, used here to record a real first install. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/

New chapters and episodes come out every week. Follow along on YouTube or the WhatsApp channel. Questions? Ask under the video on YouTube; I read every comment.

← SeriesAll chaptersNext →Chapter 1 · A first DevPulse page