Claude Code in the Terminal: A Beginner's Guide
Claude Code in the terminal: paste one install command, open your project folder, type claude. After that you type plain English, not code.
To use Claude Code in the terminal, paste one install command, open the terminal in your project folder, and type claude. From then on you type plain English, not code.
You’re right that the terminal looks hostile. A dark window, a blinking cursor, no buttons. Here’s why none of that matters once Claude Code is running.
Isn’t the terminal only for programmers?
It used to be. And it still looks like it.
You can’t click on anything in there. Anthropic’s own beginner guide says so, and tells you to use the arrow keys instead. If that sounds like a step backwards, I get it.
But think about what that means for Claude Code. The terminal is just a text box. You type a sentence, press Enter, and Claude does the work. “Add a contact page” is a valid command. So is “why is this button blue?”
You need a handful of real commands. The rest is English.
How do you install Claude Code from the terminal?
One pasted line. The command depends on your computer.
On a Mac: press Cmd+Space, type Terminal, and press Enter. Paste this and press Enter:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
On Windows: press Win+X and pick Windows PowerShell or Terminal. Check that each line starts with PS. Paste this with Ctrl+V or a right-click, then press Enter:
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
The installer shows no progress bar, so leave the window alone and wait. When it finishes, you’ll see “Claude Code successfully installed!” Open a new terminal window and type claude --version. A version number means it worked.
On Windows, Anthropic also suggests installing Git for Windows first. It’s optional. Without it, Claude Code uses PowerShell instead.
How do you start it in the right folder?
Move into your project folder with cd, then start Claude Code.
cd /path/to/your/project
claude
Swap in your own folder’s path. The first time, a browser window opens so you can sign in with your Claude account. After that, it remembers you.
Don’t start it from your whole home folder. Move into the one project you want it working on first. That folder is where it reads, writes and runs things.
Which commands do you actually need?
These cover almost everything a beginner does. Print them out if it helps.
| Type or press | What it does |
|---|---|
claude | Start Claude Code in the current folder |
claude -c | Continue your last conversation in this folder |
claude -r | Pick an older conversation to resume |
/help | List the commands you can use |
/clear | Start fresh when you switch to a new task |
| Esc | Stop Claude mid-task |
Esc twice, or /rewind | Go back to an earlier checkpoint |
| Shift+Tab | Switch permission mode |
/exit, or Ctrl+D twice | Leave Claude Code |
Press the up arrow to bring back something you typed earlier. Type / on its own to see every command and skill available to you.
What if it does something you didn’t want?
This is the fair worry. A tool that can edit files and run commands sounds like a tool that can break things.
Here’s what’s built in. New sessions start in Auto mode, where a safety check reviews most actions instead of asking you. Press Shift+Tab once and you’re in Manual, where Claude asks before it edits a file or runs most commands. While you’re learning, use Manual.
If Claude heads the wrong way, press Esc. It stops on the spot. If it already changed files, press Esc twice or type /rewind to roll back to an earlier point.
Keep your project in Git as well. Then any change can be undone, even days later.
Why use the terminal when there’s an app?
You don’t have to. Claude Code also runs in a desktop app, in VS Code and JetBrains editors, and on the web. Anthropic’s guide points nervous beginners to the desktop app.
But the terminal is the full version. Every command lives there, while the VS Code extension has a subset. It works in any terminal, including the one built into most code editors. And once you’ve typed claude a few times, the scary window is just a place you type.
How much does it cost?
Claude Code comes with Claude’s paid plans. Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month billed yearly. The free plan doesn’t include it. I use it every day on the $100 Max plan. The full breakdown is in How Much Does Claude Code Cost?
Not sure what the tool is yet? Read What Is Claude Code? first.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know terminal commands to use Claude Code?
No. You need cd, claude and a few shortcuts like Esc and Shift+Tab. Everything else you type in plain English.
Does Claude Code work in the Windows terminal? Yes. It needs Windows 10 version 1809 or later and runs in PowerShell. Git for Windows is optional and gives Claude a Bash shell to use.
How do I stop Claude Code in the middle of a task?
Press Esc and it stops right away. To undo changes it already made, press Esc twice or type /rewind.
What does “command not found: claude” mean? The install folder isn’t on your PATH yet. The installer prints the fix under “Setup notes.” Run it, then open a new terminal window and try again.
Want to watch it build a real site from an empty folder? I made a free video that shows every step. Watch the free video.