Quickstart

Welcome to Claude Code!

This quickstart guide will have you using AI-powered coding assistance in just a few minutes. By the end, you’ll understand how to use Claude Code for common development tasks.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• Installed Claude Code
• A terminal or command prompt open
• A code project to work with

Step 1: Start your first session

Open your terminal in any project directory and start Claude Code:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

You’ll see the Claude Code prompt inside a new interactive session:

✻ Welcome to Claude Code!

...

> Try "create a util logging.py that..." 

Step 2: Ask your first question

Let’s start with understanding your codebase. Try one of these commands:

> what does this project do?

Claude will analyze your files and provide a summary. You can also ask more specific questions:

> what technologies does this project use?

> where is the main entry point?

> explain the folder structure

Claude Code reads your files as needed - you don’t have to manually add context.

Step 3: Make your first code change

Now let’s make Claude Code do some actual coding. Try a simple task:

> add a hello world function to the main file

Claude Code will:

1. Find the appropriate file
2. Show you the proposed changes
3. Ask for your approval
4. Make the edit

Claude Code always asks for permission before modifying files. You can approve individual changes or enable “Accept all” mode for a session.

Step 4: Use Git with Claude Code

Claude Code makes Git operations conversational:

> what files have I changed?

> commit my changes with a descriptive message

You can also prompt for more complex Git operations:

> create a new branch called feature/quickstart

> show me the last 5 commits

> help me resolve merge conflicts

Step 5: Fix a bug or add a feature

Claude is proficient at debugging and feature implementation.

Describe what you want in natural language:

> add input validation to the user registration form

Or fix existing issues:

> there's a bug where users can submit empty forms - fix it

Claude Code will:

• Locate the relevant code
• Understand the context
• Implement a solution
• Run tests if available

Step 6: Test out other common workflows

There are a number of ways to work with Claude:

Refactor code

> refactor the authentication module to use async/await instead of callbacks

Write tests

> write unit tests for the calculator functions

Update documentation

> update the README with installation instructions

Code review

> review my changes and suggest improvements

Remember: Claude Code is your AI pair programmer. Talk to it like you would a helpful colleague - describe what you want to achieve, and it will help you get there.

Essential commands

Here are the most important commands for daily use:

Command	What it does	Example
claude	Start interactive mode	claude
claude "task"	Run a one-time task	claude "fix the build error"
claude -p "query"	Run one-off query, then exit	claude -p "explain this function"
claude -c	Continue most recent conversation	claude -c
claude -r	Resume a previous conversation	claude -r
claude commit	Create a Git commit	claude commit
/clear	Clear conversation history	> /clear
/help	Show available commands	> /help
exit or Ctrl+C	Exit Claude Code	> exit

Pro tips for beginners

Be specific with your requests

Instead of: “fix the bug”

Try: “fix the login bug where users see a blank screen after entering wrong credentials”

Use step-by-step instructions

Break complex tasks into steps:

> 1. create a new API endpoint for user profiles

> 2. add validation for required fields

> 3. write tests for the endpoint

Let Claude explore first

Before making changes, let Claude understand your code:

> analyze the database schema

> how does error handling work in this app?

Save time with shortcuts

• Use Tab for command completion
• Press ↑ for command history
• Type / to see all slash commands

What’s next?

Now that you’ve learned the basics, explore more advanced features:

CLI reference

Master all commands and options

Configuration

Customize Claude Code for your workflow

Common workflows

Learn advanced techniques

Getting help

• In Claude Code: Type /help or ask “how do I…”
• Documentation: You’re here! Browse other guides
• Community: Join our Discord for tips and support