The period of getting to copy-paste code from an AI chat tab into your code editor has come to an finish some time in the past. AI-powered coding assistants have grow to be more and more refined, with instruments like Aider exhibiting how highly effective command-line AI integration could be for improvement workflows. As a draw back, these instruments typically require you to study particular instructions and syntax to speak successfully with the AI.
Claude Code builds on this basis with a extra intuitive method. As an alternative of memorizing instructions, you may describe what you need to do utilizing pure language.
Getting Began
Obtain the venture supplies by way of the Obtain Supplies hyperlink on the prime and backside of this web page. Subsequent, unzip the venture someplace for later use.
To comply with together with this tutorial, you’ll have to have the next put in:
With that taken care of, it’s time to take a better take a look at what you are able to do with Claude Code and how you can set up it.
What’s Claude Code?
Claude Code is an agentic command line software. That’s a flowery time period for a CLI program that may perceive what you need to accomplish after which determine and execute the steps to do it, reasonably than simply operating one particular command at a time. As an alternative of getting to change backwards and forwards between your code editor and an AI chat tab, you may delegate coding duties on to Claude proper out of your command line.
Consider it as a sensible assistant that may enable you to with something you must do, with entry to a variety of instruments and sources. It’s designed to streamline your improvement course of by bringing Claude‘s coding capabilities proper the place you’re already working.
Organising Claude Code
Earlier than delving into the set up, you must know that utilizing Claude Code isn’t free.
Claude Code wants both a Claude subscription or an Anthropic API key to operate. When you can swing it, I’d strongly suggest getting an annual Claude Professional subscription — it’s rather more cost-effective than paying per API name since Claude Code can burn by tokens shortly.
Unsure if Claude Code is value it? Seize an API key and cargo it with $10 in credit score. That’ll get you thru this tutorial with some tokens left over to experiment.
No matter possibility you go together with, the following step is to put in Claude Code!
Set up
Open a brand new terminal window and run the command beneath to put in Claude Code:
npm set up -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
You need to see the next message after the set up is full:
Configuring Claude Code
While you run Claude Code for the primary time, it should ask you to set a shade mode, select no matter appears to be like finest in your terminal. After that, you’ll get requested in your login technique:
In case you have a Claude Professional or Max account, select possibility 1 right here and it’ll attempt to open an online browser to register along with your account. When you want to make use of your Anthropic Console account, select possibility 2 and enter your API key when requested.
Notice: If the browser window doesn’t open mechanically, you may copy the URL from the terminal and paste it into your browser manually to get the code. Copy that code and paste it again into the terminal when prompted.
When you’re logged in, you’ll get a last disclaimer. Press Enter to dismiss it and also you’ll be good to go.
If all went properly, you need to see a field with a message asking you if you happen to belief the recordsdata within the folder just like the one beneath.
Select no for now and prepare to discover ways to use Claude Code.
Making a Challenge From Scratch
To get your toes moist, begin by making a recent Python venture utilizing Claude Code.
Create a brand new folder in your venture and title it “hello_claude_code“. Open a brand new terminal in that folder and run the next command:
claude
If it asks if you happen to belief the recordsdata within the folder, select sure. You need to now see the welcome message and a immediate enter.
Speaking with Claude
Now you can begin speaking with Claude Code. Kind your immediate and press Enter to ship it to Claude. For a primary immediate, strive saying “Good day”.
Claude will “suppose” for a short time earlier than responding.
To get Claude to create a venture for you, copy and paste the next immediate into the terminal and press Enter:
Create a Mad Libs Python program that:
1. Prompts the person for several types of phrases (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and many others.)
2. Shops a enjoyable story template with placeholders
3. Substitutes the person's phrases into the story
4. Shows the finished foolish story
5. Consists of enter validation and the choice to play once more
6. Use clear variable names and add useful feedback
Notice: At all times be particular in your prompts, don’t count on Claude to learn your thoughts. For one of the best outcomes, add clear particulars and context. Brief and imprecise prompts will end in less-than-ideal outcomes.
After a a while, the agent side of Claude Code will kick in. It received’t write code within the terminal simply but, however will as an alternative give you a plan of motion.
If all goes properly Claude will need to write a file. It received’t do that with out asking in your permission, so that you’ll see the code it needs to write down, adopted by a query just like the one beneath:
You’ve gotten three choices right here:
- Sure: this may permit Claude to write down this specific file.
- Sure, and don’t ask once more this session: Claude will write this file and received’t ask you once more if it might probably write recordsdata.
- No: Claude received’t write the file and can watch for a brand new immediate.
Test if the code appears to be like good after which press Enter to proceed and select the default possibility for now, which is “sure”.
At this level you may verify if the file truly exists within the venture folder.
For such a easy venture, there’s likelihood Claude will use a single file. If it does ask to write down extra, reply with sure.
As soon as Claude is finished, it should write a abstract of what it has completed and directions so that you can comply with up. I obtained the next message:
Strive operating the venture as instructed and verify if every little thing works as anticipated. For me, it labored, and I obtained the next output:
begin, however you may refine it to make it higher. For instance, if you happen to thought it wasn’t clear what sort of phrases it wished, suggest so as to add examples to every phrase immediate:
Please add examples to every phrase immediate. It wasn't at all times clear what was anticipated of me.
This time, Claude will ask if it’s alright to edit a file:
Select possibility 2 right here so future edits could be utilized with out having to ask you.
Now strive operating the venture once more with the enhancements in place.
This back-and-forth is key to working with Claude Code. Making gradual modifications and iterating on the outcomes is an effective way to refine your code.
Shut the terminal window and prepare to dive deeper. Within the subsequent part, you’ll discover ways to work with current initiatives and how you can get essentially the most out of Claude Code.
