Building & Product

How do I get started with Claude Code?

You need a paid Claude plan (Pro is $20 a month, $17 billed yearly) or a Claude Console account with prepaid API credits; the free Claude plan does not include Claude Code. 1) Install it: on Mac, Linux or WSL run curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash, on Windows PowerShell run irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex, or use Homebrew or WinGet, then check with claude --version. 2) Open a terminal in your project folder and type claude; the first time, it asks you to log in through the browser. 3) Run /init so it writes a CLAUDE.md with your build and test commands. 4) Ask about the code first, then give one small task and approve each change; Shift+Tab changes how much it may do without asking. 5) Commit with Git as you go. If you prefer an editor, install the extension for VS Code or JetBrains, or use the desktop or web app.

Part of AI coding on eChai Explore.

On the AI map, 29 October 2026 Coding agents App builders

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