Quick Start 🚀
Welcome to Claude Code! This is a powerful AI programming assistant that helps you write, understand, and optimize code efficiently.
Install Claude Code
Method 1: Using npm (Recommended)
# Global installation
npm install -g claude-code
# Or using pnpm
pnpm add -g claude-code
# Or using yarn
yarn global add claude-code
Method 2: Using Homebrew (macOS)
brew install claude-code
Method 3: Using Scoop (Windows)
scoop install claude-code
Configure API Key
Get API Key: Visit Claude.ai to create an account and get your API key
Set Environment Variable
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
Or Use Configuration Command
claude config set api-key your_api_key_here
Your First Project
1. Initialize Project
# Create new project directory
mkdir my-claude-project
cd my-claude-project
# Initialize Claude Code configuration
claude init
2. Create Project Configuration
Claude Code will automatically generate the .claude
configuration folder:
my-claude-project/
├── .claude/
│ ├── settings.json
│ └── commands/
├── CLAUDE.md
└── README.md
3. Start Programming
# Start interactive session
claude "Help me create a simple React component"
# Or use file mode
claude -f components.js "Optimize this component's performance"
Basic Usage
Natural Language Commands
# Code generation
claude "Create a user login form"
# Code explanation
claude "Explain what this function does" -f utils.js
# Code optimization
claude "Optimize this algorithm's performance" -f algorithm.py
# Bug fixing
claude "Fix this bug" -f broken-code.js
Project-level Operations
# Analyze entire project
claude "Analyze project architecture and provide improvement suggestions"
# Add features
claude "Add user authentication to this project"
# Refactor code
claude "Refactor this module for better maintainability"
Common Features
🔧 Code Review
# Check code quality
claude review
# Check security issues
claude security-check
# Check performance issues
claude performance-check
📋 Documentation Generation
# Generate API documentation
claude docs generate
# Generate README
claude docs readme
# Generate type definitions
claude docs types
🧪 Testing Support
# Generate unit tests
claude test generate
# Run test analysis
claude test analyze
# Generate test data
claude test data
Advanced Features
MCP (Model Context Protocol) Integration
# Set up MCP server
claude mcp add
# List available MCP servers
claude mcp list
# Configure project-level MCP
claude mcp config
Custom Commands
Create custom commands in the .claude/commands/
directory:
// .claude/commands/deploy.md
Deploy current project to production environment, including build, test, and deployment steps
Use custom commands:
claude /deploy
Hooks System
Configure automated workflows:
// .claude/settings.json
{
"hooks": {
"pre-commit": "claude review --fix",
"post-commit": "claude docs update"
}
}
Best Practices
1. Project Structure
project/
├── .claude/
│ ├── settings.json # Project configuration
│ ├── commands/ # Custom commands
│ └── .mcp.json # MCP configuration
├── CLAUDE.md # Project description
├── src/
└── tests/
2. Configuration File Example
{
"model": "claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022",
"temperature": 0.7,
"tools": ["code_execution", "file_operations"],
"project_context": {
"language": "typescript",
"framework": "react",
"testing": "jest"
}
}
3. Writing Good Prompts
# Good prompt ✅
claude "Create a TypeScript React component with user login form, using Tailwind CSS styles, including form validation"
# Bad prompt ❌
claude "make login"
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
API Key Error: Check environment variables or use claude config show
to view current configuration
Network Connection Issues: Ensure network connection is stable, or configure proxy settings
Debug Mode
# Enable verbose logging
claude --debug "your command"
# View configuration
claude config show
# Check connection
claude health check
Next Steps
Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up Claude Code. Next, you can:
- 🎓 Complete Tutorial - Learn all features in depth
- 🔧 Resources & Tools - Explore more useful tools
- 📖 API Reference - View detailed API documentation
- ✨ What’s New - Learn about latest features
Tip: Join our GitHub Community to share experiences with other developers!
Need help? Check our Troubleshooting Guide or Contact Support .