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Claude Code: Install, Sign In and Run Your First Coding Task

By og.cc.cd · Published · Updated · 3 min read

TL;DR: Claude Code is Anthropic’s coding agent: install it with the official one-line installer, sign in with a Claude subscription (Pro and up) or a Claude Console account, and run it in your repo from the terminal, IDE, desktop app or browser.

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Claude Code is Anthropic’s agentic coding tool: it reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands and works with git. It runs in the terminal, VS Code and JetBrains, a desktop app and the browser. This guide uses Anthropic’s own install commands and plan table.

Generate a CLAUDE.md for your repo →All guides

What you need

  • A Claude subscription: Claude Code is included in Pro ($20/month, or $17/month billed annually) and Max (from $100/month); the Free plan does not include it.
  • Or an Anthropic Console account / API key: the terminal CLI, VS Code and JetBrains also accept ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and third-party providers. See our Claude API key guide.
  • On native Windows, Git for Windows is recommended so Claude Code can use its Bash tool; WSL does not need it.

Install

# macOS, Linux, WSL
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows PowerShell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# Homebrew / WinGet alternatives
brew install --cask claude-code
winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

# check, then start in a project
claude --version
cd your-project
claude

Native installs update themselves in the background; Homebrew and WinGet installs do not, so upgrade them yourself. If claude is “not found”, the install directory is not on your PATH yet — open a new terminal first.

Sign in and run a first task

  1. Run claude inside a project folder. It asks you to log in on first use (or uses ANTHROPIC_API_KEY if you approve it).
  2. Give it a small, checkable job — Anthropic’s own example:
claude "write tests for the auth module, run them, and fix any failures"
  1. Review the diff before you accept it, then ask it to commit with a descriptive message.
  2. Add a CLAUDE.md at the project root with your build, test and style rules; Claude Code reads it at the start of every session (it can also read an existing AGENTS.md). Our CLAUDE.md guide and generator help.

Other ways to run it

  • VS Code / Cursor: install the “Claude Code” extension; JetBrains: the plugin needs the CLI installed separately.
  • Desktop app (macOS, Windows, Windows ARM64; Linux in beta): open the Code tab; a paid subscription is required.
  • Web: claude.ai/code runs long tasks in the cloud with no local setup, also from the iOS and Android app.
  • Scheduled tasks: cloud scheduled tasks keep running when your computer is off; create them with /schedule.
  • Computer use is listed in the docs as a preview — see Computer use (preview).

FAQ

Pro or Max?

Start on Pro. Max offers 5× or 20× Pro’s usage from $100/month, plus $100–$200 a month in API credits; upgrade only if you keep hitting limits.

Does Claude Code use my API key or my subscription?

Either. If ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is set and you approve it, Claude Code skips the login prompt and bills the API; otherwise it uses your Claude plan.

Compare it with the other assistants in our personal AI agents overview.

Sources

Vendor features and prices were checked against these official pages on 2026-10-21. Products change; if something here no longer matches, the official page is right.

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