Install Claude Code: Beginner Guide and First Exercise

A good first task in Claude Code is something you can check with your own eyes: a small HTML page saved in a practice folder that works without a server. In this guide, you install from an official source, check that the command is available, sign in with an eligible account, and give the tool a clearly bounded task. At the end, you check both the page and the files that changed.

For current plans, prices and every Maitz article on Claude, see our Claude hub.

What you need: a supported computer, an internet connection, appropriate access to Claude Code, and a new folder containing no private information. Installation does not establish that usage is included in your account. Check eligibility and billing terms in your account before starting a session.

Checked against official documentation on October 3, 2026. Installation commands were verified in the documentation only. Claude Code was neither installed nor run while preparing this guide. The exercise files and their checks were tested locally, as described below.

Before installing: which Claude are you opening?

Claude Code is available through several interfaces, including the terminal, the Desktop app, and code-editor extensions. Here, we use the terminal to make it easy to see which folder we are working in and run a short check. You do not need to learn every interface at once. If you prefer a graphical window, start with the official guide to Claude Code on Desktop.

A regular conversation with Claude does not prove that Claude Code is installed on your computer. Switching to Cowork also does not replace explicitly selecting the Code interface. Make sure you are in the right tool before looking for a button or pasting a command. The official overview describes the interfaces.

On a work computer, first check that you may install the tool and use it with organizational files. Our exercise does not require a company repository, administrator privileges, a GitHub connection, an API key, or a new cloud service.

Step 1: Choose the command for your terminal

Open the official quickstart page and check the command for your operating system. The following commands appeared there on the date of our review. They download and run an installer from the internet, so run them only after verifying the address and source. If your organization blocks the installation for security reasons, contact the appropriate team rather than disabling the protection.

Windows with PowerShell

Open PowerShell from the Start menu. You will usually see the letters PS at the beginning of the prompt. Use this command for that route:

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

Do not paste it into a CMD window. If you choose CMD, return to the documentation and use the command labeled for CMD. Keeping them separate avoids errors such as an unrecognized irm command.

macOS, Linux, or WSL

Open Terminal in the system where you intend to work, and use the appropriate installation route:

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

On a Windows computer with WSL, the Linux terminal and PowerShell are different environments. Choose one for the exercise and keep the files in that environment. There is no need to install through several routes at once.

The setup page lists system requirements and alternative installation methods. Do not copy an old npm installation command simply because it appeared in an earlier video. Use a suitable route currently listed by the official source.

Step 2: Check the installation, then the account

After installation, close the terminal window and open a new one. Run:

claude --version

You want to see a version number, rather than an unrecognized-command message. Your version number may differ from one shown in a screenshot or another guide. If an additional installation check is needed, the documentation suggests:

claude doctor

A recognized command still does not prove that your account has access. According to the documentation reviewed, an eligible option is required, such as Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise, or Console; a standard free account does not include Claude Code access. An organizational environment may use another route. Check the current authentication requirements, and do not assume that the exercise is free or that billing is the same across plans.

Step 3: Open a separate practice folder

Download the exercise kit and extract it. Open the maitz-claude-demo folder created by extraction. It contains a starter page, a task brief, a check, and instructions. All content is fictional. There are no passwords, dependencies to install, or code that accesses the network.

Open a terminal in the extracted folder. The graphical method varies between systems; you can also type cd followed by the folder path in quotation marks. Before proceeding, run pwd in macOS/Linux/PowerShell, or cd with no parameters in CMD, and check that the printed path ends with the practice folder. Do not start from your home folder or work-documents folder.

Open index.html in a local browser. For now, it shows only a starter heading. This is your comparison point. Save a copy of the folder if you want to be able to return to the beginning.

Step 4: Sign in and check permissions

From the practice folder, run:

claude --permission-mode default

This flag selects a permission mode currently called Manual in the interface. On first launch, complete sign-in in the official window that opens. Do not paste a password or key into the conversation, an exercise file, or a screenshot. Check that you are signing in to the account and plan you intended to use.

Do not assume that every change always requires approval. Permission modes and defaults vary by version and configuration. Even in Manual mode, read operations and previously approved rules may run without a new question. Inspect the mode and rules using /permissions. This exercise does not require a permission-bypass mode, adding folders, or blanket approval for future commands. See the permissions explanation and the CLI flag documentation.

A separate folder and instructions in the conversation reduce mistakes, but they are not a hard security boundary. If you cannot understand the organization’s settings or a requested permission, stop before approving it.

Step 5: Give one task with a clear result

Paste the following request. The filenames match those in the kit. The request repeats the brief’s exact title, heading and language settings, which the supplied check compares against. This prompt was not separately tested, and Claude Code was not run for this guide.

Task prompt (not separately tested):

Read input-brief.txt and index.html in the current folder. Briefly explain what you will change, then edit only index.html according to the requirements.
Create an HTML page with lang="en", left-to-right direction, and UTF-8 encoding, as the brief requires.
Use this exact browser-tab title: My first attempt
Use this exact main heading: Three tasks for the week
Below it, list the three tasks from the brief in the same order, retaining their exact text.
Do not install anything, use web search or network downloads, add network requests or JavaScript to the page, create additional files, or change the test files.
At the end, show which files you changed and how to check the result.
If you need to go beyond this scope, stop and explain.

Keep the text exactly as shown so it matches the supplied exercise and checks. If you change the brief’s wording or language, the supplied check will no longer match it.

The network restriction applies to the editing task and the resulting page. Claude Code itself requires an internet connection to operate.

When the tool shows a change or asks to run a command, read exactly what will happen. A change to the local HTML file fits the task. Installing a package, accessing another folder, or changing computer settings is unnecessary. There is no reason to approve those actions merely to move forward.

Step 6: Check the result outside the conversation

Reopen index.html in your browser or refresh the tab. Check the tab title, page direction, and text.
Compare it with input-brief.txt: exactly three tasks, in the same order, with no missing text.
Check the folder to confirm that the requested change is in index.html. State files that Claude itself may create are not part of the exercise’s output; inspect them if they appear, and do not share them automatically.
If Python 3 is already installed, run the supplied check in the terminal. You do not need to install Python just for this exercise: you can complete the manual checklist instead.

python3 check.py index.html

On Windows, if the Python launcher is py, use py -3 check.py index.html. The check only reads the file and returns PASS or FAIL. It checks structure, text, and a few obvious deviations, but it is not a full security audit or proof of good design. Do not let the tool “fix” the check just to obtain a PASS.

While preparing the guide, the starter page failed as expected and the reference page passed. Deliberately broken versions were also checked: a changed task, incorrect direction, and an added script. This was a local test of the practice kit, not a measurement of Claude Code performance. The validation log and reference solution are available for comparison after your attempt.

Still deciding between Claude Code and an AI-first editor? Our Cursor vs Claude Code comparison covers prices, usage and who should pick which.

Frequently asked questions and startup problems

The claude command is not recognized. Should I reinstall?

First open a new terminal and check that you have not switched between Windows and WSL. Then follow the official troubleshooting page. Do not add random paths or repeatedly run different installers.

The tool is asking for a permission I do not understand. What should I do?

Reject the action and ask for an explanation of the command, the file, and why it is needed. Local HTML editing is sufficient for this exercise. A verbal assurance that an action is safe does not replace reading the action itself.

The page looks right, but the check fails. What now?

Read the FAIL item. Request a targeted correction in index.html only, for example (an example prompt, not separately tested): “The check says the second task is different. Correct it to match the text in the brief, and leave the other two tasks unchanged.” Run the same check again.

When can I move on to a real project?

When you can identify the folder, inspect a change, and restore files to their previous state. A suitable next step is a small fix in a copy of a project, with a backup and a defined check. You do not need to start with deployment to the internet or connections to additional accounts.

A short final checklist

The installation came from official documentation, and a version number is displayed.
The account and usage entitlement have been checked.
The permission mode and path were verified before starting the task.
The page matches the brief, and the test files are unchanged.
The result was checked in a browser, rather than relying only on the tool’s completion message.

Sources

Claude Code documentation: Overview
Claude Code documentation: Quickstart
Claude Code documentation: Setup (system requirements, installation and authentication)
Claude Code documentation: Claude Code on Desktop
Claude Code documentation: Permissions
Claude Code documentation: CLI reference
Claude Code documentation: Troubleshooting