Claude Code for beginners: the actual starting point

Most Claude Code guides assume you've already used it a bit. This one starts from zero. What you need Claude Code installed (from Anthropic — it runs in your terminal) A project directory with code in it An Anthropic API account with credits, or a Max subscription That's the full list. No plugins, no IDE setup, no additional tools required. Your first session Open your terminal in a project directory. Run claude . You're in. For your very first task, pick something small and self-contained. "Add a comment explaining what this function does" or "Write a test for this function." Not "refactor the whole authentication system." Small tasks let you see how Claude works, understand the review flow, and build trust before you give it more latitude. The one file to create first Before you do anything else: create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root. It doesn't need to be good yet. Just add: ## Build commands [how to run tests in your project] [how to build your project] ## Language and stack