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Installing Claude Code

Claude Code is a command-line tool that lets Claude work directly in your project. Unlike the chat interface at claude.ai, Claude Code can read your files, write code, run commands, and iterate on your project — all from your terminal. This is the main tool we'll use to build your site.

Prerequisites​

Before installing Claude Code, make sure you have:

  • A Claude Pro or Max subscription (we did this in the previous step)

Installation​

For full installation instructions and troubleshooting, see the official Claude Code setup guide.

Open your terminal and run:

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

This downloads and runs the official installer for Mac and Linux.

Verify the installation​

claude --version

You should see a version number printed. If you see "command not found", close your terminal and open a new one, then try again.

First-time setup​

The first time you use Claude Code, you need to authenticate:

  1. Navigate to any folder in your terminal:

    cd ~

  2. Launch Claude Code:

    claude

  3. Claude Code will open a browser window asking you to log in to your Anthropic account. Log in and authorize the connection.

  4. Once authenticated, you'll see Claude Code's interactive prompt in your terminal. Type /exit to quit for now.

How we'll use Claude Code​

Throughout this guide, the workflow will look like this:

  1. Navigate to your project folder in the terminal
  2. Run claude to start Claude Code
  3. Describe what you want to build or change in plain English
  4. Review what Claude writes and approve the changes
  5. Repeat until the feature is done

Claude Code can:

  • Create and edit files
  • Run terminal commands (with your approval)
  • Debug errors by reading error messages and fixing code
  • Explain what it's doing and why

You don't need to write code yourself — but you should read what Claude produces so you understand your own project.

What's next?​

Next up: set up your Cloudflare account — this is where your finished site will live on the internet.