Installation

Getting Claude Code running takes about two minutes: install the binary, sign in, and confirm everything works.

Choose an install method

The native installer is recommended because it auto-updates in the background. Pick whichever row fits your setup.

Method	Command	Notes
Native (macOS/Linux/WSL)	curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash	Recommended. Auto-updates.
Native (Windows PowerShell)	irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex	Recommended on Windows.
Homebrew	brew install --cask claude-code	No auto-update; run brew upgrade claude-code.
npm	npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code	Requires Node.js 18+.

The native install drops a binary at ~/.local/bin/claude. Make sure that directory is on your PATH if the claude command isn't found after installing.

TIP

On a fresh Mac, you can skip the manual steps entirely. See the one-command setup for a one-command setup that installs everything at once.

Platform notes

• Windows: Installing Git for Windows lets Claude Code use the Bash tool; without it, it falls back to PowerShell. WSL setups don't need Git for Windows.
• Linux: You can also install via apt, dnf, or apk on Debian, Fedora, RHEL, and Alpine.

Sign in

Claude Code requires an account on a paid plan — the free Claude tier won't work. Any of these work:

• Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise (recommended)
• Claude Console (API access with pre-paid credits)
• Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex AI, or Microsoft Foundry (enterprise cloud)

NOTE

Claude Code can also be pointed at a non-Anthropic endpoint that speaks the same protocol. Anthropic doesn't support that configuration, and several features stop working silently — see Run against a non-Anthropic endpoint. It is a way to add capacity beside a Claude plan, not a supported way to run Claude Code without one.

Start a session and you'll be prompted to log in on first use:

claude

This opens your browser to complete authentication. Your credentials are stored afterward, so you only do this once. To switch accounts later, type /login inside a running session.

Verify your setup

Confirm the install and check for common problems:

claude --version
claude doctor

claude doctor inspects your installation, PATH, shell, and permissions, and flags anything that needs attention. If it reports a clean bill of health, you're ready.

NOTE

If claude isn't recognized, open a new terminal so your shell picks up the updated PATH, then try claude doctor again.

Next: Quickstart

Source: Set up Claude Code