Claude Code Setup for Beginners

What You Will Need Before You Start

A compatible computer (Mac on macOS 12 or later, or Windows 10 or later). An Anthropic account from anthropic.com — if you already use Claude at claude.ai, your credentials are the same. An Anthropic API key, which you generate once at console.anthropic.com by clicking your account name, selecting "API Keys," clicking "Create Key," and copying the key immediately (you will only see it once). Save it in a notes app.

Node.js installed on your computer. This is a technical runtime that Claude Code needs to operate — you do not need to know what it is, just install it. Go to nodejs.org, download the LTS version for your operating system, run the installer, and accept all default settings. This takes about three minutes.

And about 30 minutes. Do not rush this. A careful first setup saves hours of frustration later.

Step 1: Open Your Terminal

On Mac: press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search, type "Terminal," and press Enter. A window opens with a prompt that looks something like "YourName@MacBook ~ %" — this is just the terminal saying it is ready for input. Nothing has happened yet. You have not broken anything.

On Windows: press the Windows key, type "PowerShell," right-click "Windows PowerShell," and select "Run as Administrator." Click "Yes" if prompted. A blue window opens with a prompt — same as Mac, this is just the terminal ready for input.

Leave your terminal open for the rest of this guide.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

In your terminal, type the following exactly and press Enter: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

You will see a stream of text appearing — this is the installation running, which is normal. Wait until it stops and the prompt reappears. If you see a message containing the word "error" in red on Mac, try adding sudo before the command and entering your computer login password when prompted. On Windows, ensure you opened PowerShell as Administrator.

If the installation completes without an error message, move to Step 3.

Step 3: Navigate to Your Working Folder

Before starting a Claude Code session, tell the terminal which folder you want to work in. Claude Code will read and write files relative to the folder you are in when you start the session.

On Mac: type cd (the letters c and d, then a space) and then drag your target folder from Finder directly into the terminal window. The folder path will appear automatically. Press Enter. Alternatively, type cd ~/Desktop to navigate to your Desktop.

To confirm you are in the right place, type ls (Mac) or dir (Windows) and press Enter. You will see a list of the files in your current folder.

Step 4: Start Your First Claude Code Session

Type claude and press Enter. The first time you run this, Claude Code will ask for your API key. Paste the key you saved in the pre-steps and press Enter. You will not be asked for it again on this device.

After a moment, you will see Claude Code's welcome prompt with a > symbol — this means Claude Code is waiting for your instruction. You can type in plain English from this point forward.

Start simple for your first task. Ask Cowork to read the most recent file in your working folder and give you a brief summary, or to list all the files in the current directory. This is a read-only task — a safe, zero-risk way to confirm everything is working correctly.

Common Setup Problems

If "command not found" appears when you type claude: restart your computer, open the terminal again, and retype the installation command from Step 2. Verify Node.js installed correctly by typing node --version — if it shows a version number, Node.js is fine and the Claude Code installation needs to be retried.

If your API key is flagged as invalid: API keys are case-sensitive and must be pasted exactly as generated, with no extra spaces. Return to console.anthropic.com, generate a new key, and paste it carefully.

If Claude Code is producing errors on every task: check that you navigated to the right folder before starting the session. Exit the session, navigate to the correct folder, and restart.

What to Build First

You have Claude Code running. Start with your single most expensive manual process — the one that costs the most hours per week and follows the most consistent pattern. Define it precisely, brief it clearly, and build it completely before moving to the next one.

For a structured library of what other non-technical professionals have built, organised by role: Claude Code Use Cases. For a complete guide to how non-technical professionals use Claude Code effectively: Claude Code Without Coding.

If you want to accelerate the process with structured training, visit: Claude Code Training Singapore.