Installing Claude Code and your first run | Start Here

Claude Code is the terminal version of the same agent you met in Cowork. It trades a friendly window for more control and a small amount of typing. If a command line does not scare you, this track is a gentle on-ramp.

The easiest install

You actually have two paths, and the first needs no terminal at all:

Desktop app. The Claude desktop app from claude.com/download includes Claude Code. If you installed it for Cowork, you already have it.
Command line. If you prefer the CLI, on macOS or Linux run the install script:
```
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
```
On Windows, use winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode.

Either way you end up with the same tool. Beginners should start with the desktop app and reach for the CLI later.

Signing in

The first time you run it, Claude Code asks you to sign in. Use the same account as your paid plan, the one Cowork uses. There is no separate purchase. Your Pro or Max plan covers both.

Your first run

Open your terminal, type one word, and press enter:

claude

That starts a session. Ask it something plain, like "what files are in this folder?" or "explain what this project does." You are now talking to the agent from the terminal. Next, point it at a real folder and ask for a change.