Claude Code - Setup Guide

Version: 1.1 | Date: February 2026

This guide covers a basic setup to get you running with Claude Code. It's enough to start doing real work: drafting content, preparing client materials, building a knowledge base that compounds over time. You can go deeper later, but this gets you productive on day one.

A note on data privacy: Claude Code runs on a Pro (or Max/Teams) subscription. On these plans, Anthropic may use your conversations to improve its models unless you opt out. To disable this, go to claude.ai > Settings > Privacy and toggle off "Help improve Claude." It takes ten seconds. If you're using Claude for Work or API access, your data is not used for training by default.

WHAT YOU NEED

A computer (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
A Claude subscription (Pro, Max, or Teams) at claude.ai/pricing
A terminal — called Terminal on macOS and PowerShell on Windows (both come pre-installed)
Windows only: Git for Windows — download free from git-scm.com/downloads/win. macOS and Linux need nothing extra.

STEP 1: INSTALL CLAUDE CODE

This is the most technical part of the guide. If you're not used to working in a terminal, that's fine — you're just typing short commands and pressing Enter. A command is a text instruction you give your computer instead of clicking through menus.

Open your terminal:

macOS: Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal (or search "Terminal" in Spotlight)
Windows: Search for "PowerShell" in the Start menu and open it
Linux: You already know where it is

Paste this line and press Enter:

macOS or Linux:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

This downloads and installs Claude Code. Two minutes.

STEP 2: CREATE A WORKING FOLDER AND LOG IN

Claude Code works inside a folder on your computer. It can read and create files in that folder, which is how it builds context about your business. You can use any folder, but to start with, create one dedicated space for working with Claude.

Create a folder called something like "MyBusiness" or "Consulting" inside your Documents folder. You can do this the normal way: right-click in Finder or File Explorer and create a new folder.

Every folder on your computer has a full path — an address that describes exactly where it lives. Replace "yourname" with your actual username on the computer.

In your terminal, type cd, then a space, then the full path to your folder. Press Enter:

macOS or Linux:

cd /Users/yourname/Documents/MyBusiness

Windows:

cd C:\Users\yourname\Documents\MyBusiness

Now type claude and press Enter:

Your browser opens. Log in with your Claude account. Credentials are stored locally. You only do this once.

STEP 3: BUILD YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE

This is the step that separates a chatbot from an operating system. You're going to give Claude your business context so it stops asking you to explain yourself.

Create a file called CLAUDE.md in your project folder. The .md extension stands for Markdown: a plain text format that uses simple symbols for formatting. You don't need special software to create one; open any text editor (TextEdit on macOS, Notepad on Windows), write in plain text, and save the file with .md at the end.

This file loads automatically every time you start a Claude session. Think of it as a standing brief — everything Claude needs to work independently.

What a good CLAUDE.md does:

Eliminates repeat explanations — Claude knows what you do, who you serve, and how you talk
Sets guardrails — spelling conventions, forbidden words, quality standards
Maps the territory — where files live, what tools are connected
Defines workflows — repeatable processes so Claude can execute, not just advise
Prevents mistakes — the things Claude should never do

How to build it: five questions

Start a Claude session and work through these five questions in conversation. Claude will draft the file for you based on your answers.

1. "Describe your business in three sentences."

This gives Claude the core context. Three sentences forces clarity.

2. "How should I sound when I write for you?"

An example is worth more than adjectives. Paste something you've written that sounds right.

3. "What are the three tasks you repeat most often?"

Content drafting, client prep, proposal writing — whatever recurs weekly.

4. "What mistakes would make you lose trust in me immediately?"

Wrong spelling convention, over-promising, sounding too corporate.

5. "What reference files do you already have?"

Drop your existing files into the folder. Claude will reference them directly.

Good starting documents:

Service descriptions — what you offer
A recent proposal or SOW — shows structure and detail
Pricing or rate card — for referencing real numbers
Bio or about page copy — how you describe yourself

After the conversation: Ask Claude: "Now draft me a CLAUDE.md based on everything we've discussed." Review it once, adjust it, and save it. From that point, every session starts with full context.

STEP 4: YOUR FIRST SESSION

With your CLAUDE.md in place, start Claude and try these:

"Summarise what you know about my business"
"Draft a 200-word LinkedIn post about [topic] in my voice"
"What documents do I have in this project?"

Claude reads your files, follows your standards, and produces work that sounds like you. Not like a template.

THE COMPOUNDING EFFECT

Week one feels like setup. By week two, it starts pulling its weight. By week four, it's a second pair of hands that already knows the brief.

Three habits for success:

Tell Claude to save corrections: "Add that to my CLAUDE.md as a preference."
Turn good workflows into skills. Capture it so Claude can repeat it.
Mention new documents: "Update CLAUDE.md to reference my new template."

TERMINAL COMMANDS

claude — Start a session
claude -c — Continue last conversation
/init — Generate a starter CLAUDE.md
/cost — Show token usage and cost
/help — Show all available commands