Module 2Lesson 3 of 15

Setting Up Claude Code

Step-by-step guide to installing Claude Code on macOS, Linux, Windows, and WSL. Learn how to authenticate, configure cloud providers, and set up a project for AI-assisted development.

Getting Claude Code running on your machine takes just a few minutes. This guide walks you through installation on every supported platform, initial authentication, and optional cloud provider configuration so you can start coding with AI assistance right away.

Installing Claude Code

Claude Code runs as a terminal application. Choose the installation method that matches your operating system:

macOS (Homebrew)

1brew install --cask claude-code

macOS, Linux, and WSL

1curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows (CMD)

1curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

First Launch and Authentication

After installation, open your terminal and run the claude command. The first time you launch Claude Code, it will prompt you to authenticate with your account. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the sign-in flow.

1claude

Cloud provider setup

If your organization uses AWS Bedrock or Google Cloud Vertex AI to access Claude models, additional configuration is needed. Check the official documentation for Bedrock and Vertex AI setup instructions specific to your provider.

Setting Up a Project

Claude Code works best when it has a project to explore. Navigate to any existing project directory and launch Claude Code from there. It will automatically detect your project structure and start building context about your codebase.

If you do not have a project handy, you can create a simple one to follow along with. Any codebase works — a React app, a Python script, a Go service, or even a static website. The key is having real files for Claude Code to read and modify.

1

Navigate to your project

Open a terminal and cd into your project directory.

2

Launch Claude Code

Run the claude command to start an interactive session.

3

Let Claude Code explore

Give Claude Code a moment to understand your project structure before asking it to make changes.

Key Takeaways

  • 01Claude Code installs via a single command on macOS, Linux, Windows, and WSL.
  • 02Run claude in your terminal to start — first launch will prompt you to authenticate.
  • 03Optional: configure AWS Bedrock or Google Cloud Vertex AI for enterprise model access.
  • 04Launch Claude Code from inside your project directory for the best experience.