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What is Claude Code and how to install it

Anthropic's tool for writing code with AI, straight from your terminal. What it does, what it costs, how to start it on Mac, Windows or Linux, and the first commands to try.

What Claude Code is

Claude Code is an AI coding tool that runs in your terminal, in your editor (VS Code, JetBrains), in the desktop app, or in the browser. It reads the code in your project, edits files, runs commands, and works with git: it writes commits and resolves merge conflicts.

It isn't a chat window disconnected from your project: it works directly on your project files. One detail to know: on the Pro, Max and Team plans, in the terminal and the VS Code extension, it starts in auto mode by default, where a classifier reviews actions instead of you and Claude edits most files and runs most commands without asking. You can switch modes at any time, including manual mode, where it asks before acting: Shift+Tab in the terminal, the mode indicator in VS Code, or the mode selector in the desktop app.

Who it is for

How to install it

Commands copied from code.claude.com/docs, checked on September 25, 2026.

macOS, Linux, WSL

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

Windows PowerShell

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

Windows CMD

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

Homebrew

brew install --cask claude-code

WinGet (Windows)

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

On Debian, Fedora, RHEL or Alpine it also works through apt, dnf or apk — the exact steps are in the official docs, the Linux package manager install section.

Starting it, after installing

cd your-project claude

The first time you run it, you're prompted to log in. If you already have an API key set in the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable, it skips the login and just asks you to approve the key.

What it costs

Claude Code is included in every paid Claude plan and shares the plan limits: Pro (20 USD/month, 17 USD/month billed annually), Max (5x or 20x more usage than Pro, from 100 USD/month), Team (from 20 USD/month per seat billed annually, 25 USD billed monthly) and Enterprise. It is not available on the Free plan. For heavy coding sessions you can switch to pay-as-you-go API credits through a Console account.

Checked on claude.com/pricing on September 25, 2026 — plans and prices change, confirm on the official page before you choose.

First tasks to try

The examples above come from the official Claude Code docs. Type the first two after starting claude in your project folder; the third starts with the request directly. You can write your request in plain language: Claude Code does not need special syntax.

Not sure if Claude is the right pick versus ChatGPT? Read the ChatGPT vs Claude comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Claude Code?

An Anthropic tool that writes and edits code straight from the terminal, an IDE (VS Code, JetBrains), the desktop app, or the browser. It reads your project, edits files, runs commands, and creates commits.

How much does Claude Code cost?

It is included in every paid Claude plan — Pro (20 USD/month, or 17 USD/month billed annually), Max (5x or 20x more usage than Pro, from 100 USD/month), plus Team and Enterprise plans. It is not available on the Free plan. It shares the same usage limit as the rest of your subscription; for heavy coding sessions you can switch to pay-as-you-go API credits through a Console account.

Does it work on Windows?

Yes — natively, through PowerShell or WinGet, or through CMD. On native Windows (not WSL), Git for Windows is also recommended so Claude Code can use the Bash tool; without it, Claude Code uses PowerShell as the shell.

What do I do if I get an install error?

Two examples: a "command not found" message means the install folder (~/.local/bin) is not in your PATH; "syntax error near unexpected token '<'" means the install URL returned an HTML page or an error instead of the script, and for this case the troubleshooting page also links to the list of supported countries. A bare 403 can also come from a corporate proxy or firewall. The official docs have a dedicated install troubleshooting page.

Do I need to already know how to code?

It helps. If you are starting out, pick manual mode (in the terminal, Shift+Tab changes the mode): Claude Code asks before most file edits and commands, so you see each step before it happens. For your own projects, understanding what the code does still matters, not just approving.

Want to learn Claude from scratch?

The course "Claude de la zero" does not teach Claude Code. It is the starting point for working with Claude: clear requests, good context and checking the answer, practiced on everyday tasks, in Romanian, in 18 lessons. We believe they are the same skills you need in Claude Code. "Agenți AI de la zero" is a conceptual course about agents (tools, memory, MCP), also without Claude Code.