easyai › How to install Claude Code

How to install Claude Code

The fastest way is the desktop app, not the terminal. Download it from claude.com/download, open the file, sign in with a free Claude account, and ask it to list the files in a folder. That takes about five minutes and needs no commands at all. The terminal version is below if you want it.

The easy way: the desktop app

Almost every other guide opens with a command you're meant to type into a black window. You don't need that. Claude Code has a normal desktop app with normal buttons, for Mac, Windows and Linux — and for most people it is the right answer.

Download it. Go to claude.com/download and pick your computer. Mac, Windows and Linux are all there.
Open the file you just downloaded and follow the installer, the same as any other app.
Sign in with your Claude account. A free account works to get started.
Prove it works. Pick a folder on your computer and ask it something harmless, like “list the files in this folder and tell me what they are.” When it answers, you're installed.

That last step matters. An install isn't finished when the installer closes. It's finished when you've watched it do something real on your own machine. Don't skip it.

No install at all

If you're on a work laptop that blocks new software, you can skip installing entirely and use it in your browser at claude.ai/code. There's also a Code tab in the Claude mobile app.

The terminal way

If you actually want the terminal version, use the official installer below. Don't start with npm — it needs Node.js 22 or newer installed first, which is one more thing to go wrong on day one.

Mac and Linux

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

Windows (PowerShell)

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

Check it worked

claude --version

If that prints a version number, you're done. Type claude to start.

If something went wrong

The claude command isn't found. Close the terminal window completely and open a new one — it only picks up new commands when it starts.
You're not sure what's broken. Run claude /doctor. It checks your whole setup and tells you what's wrong in plain words.
You installed it twice. If you tried npm first and the installer second, you can end up with two copies fighting. /doctor will spot that too.
Sign-in won't complete. You no longer need the browser step — you can sign in directly from the command line.

Questions

Do I need to know how to code to install Claude Code?

No. Installing it requires no coding at all. The desktop app installs like any other program: download, open, sign in. Whether you go on to write code with it is a separate question.

Is Claude Code free?

You can sign in and start with a free Claude account. Heavier use needs a paid plan, but you do not need to pay anything to install it and try it.

Do I have to use the terminal?

No. The desktop app for Mac, Windows and Linux gives you Claude Code in an ordinary window with ordinary buttons. You can also use it in a browser at claude.ai/code with no install at all.

Should I install with npm?

Not as your first choice. The npm package needs Node.js 22 or newer already installed, which is an extra thing to set up and an extra thing to break. The official installer script handles everything.

How do I know the install actually worked?

In the terminal, run claude --version and look for a version number. In the desktop app, open a folder and ask it to list the files in it. If it answers, it is working.

What do I do if it says the claude command is not found?

Close your terminal window completely and open a new one. Terminals only pick up newly installed commands when they start. If it still fails, run the /doctor check.

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