What is Claude Code and why you need it

Claude Code is Anthropic's official command-line tool that lets you use Claude AI directly from your terminal. With it, you can code, debug, refactor, build entire projects, and automate development tasks without leaving your editor.

It's the tool used by the most productive development teams worldwide, and now you can have it on your Windows PC.

Prerequisites
Windows 10 (version 1809+) or Windows 11, at least 4 GB of RAM, internet connection, and an Anthropic account (Claude Pro, Max, or API).

Method 1: Native Windows installation (Recommended)

Since 2025, Claude Code runs natively on Windows without WSL. You just need Git for Windows installed (includes Git Bash).

Step 1: Install Git for Windows

If you don't have Git yet, download and install it from git-scm.com. Accept the default options during installation.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

Open PowerShell as administrator and run:

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

Alternatively, using CMD:

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

Or install with WinGet:

PowerShell 
winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Step 3: Verify the installation

Terminal 
claude --version
claude doctor

The claude doctor command verifies everything is properly configured.

Method 2: WSL installation (Alternative)

If you prefer working in a Linux environment inside Windows, you can use WSL 2.

Step 1: Enable WSL

PowerShell (Administrator) 
wsl --install

Restart your PC when prompted. This installs WSL 2 with Ubuntu by default.

Step 2: Install Claude Code inside WSL

Open your Ubuntu terminal (WSL) and run:

WSL / Ubuntu 
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | sh
WSL 2 vs WSL 1
WSL 2 is recommended because it supports security sandboxing. WSL 1 works but with limited support.

Set up your account

Once installed, launch Claude Code:

Terminal 
claude

An authentication prompt will appear. You can sign in with:

  • Claude Pro or Max - Personal subscription at claude.ai/pricing
  • Claude Console - For API usage at console.anthropic.com
  • Claude for Teams / Enterprise - For teams and organizations

Your first time using Claude Code

Navigate to your project and launch Claude Code:

Terminal 
cd my-project
claude

Now you can ask anything in natural language:

Claude Code 
> what does this project do?
> create a function that validates emails
> find and fix the login bug
> add unit tests to the payment function

Essential commands

1
claude Start interactive mode in the current directory
2
claude "task" Run a specific task and exit
3
claude -c Continue the most recent conversation
4
claude -p "query" Quick query without interactive mode
5
/help Show all available commands inside Claude Code
6
/login Switch accounts or re-authenticate

Tips and tricks for Windows

Custom Git Bash path
If you have Git installed in a custom path, set the environment variable: $env:CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH="C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe"
  • Claude Code auto-updates on native installations
  • Use claude update to force a manual update
  • Works with VS Code, Cursor, and any IDE with an integrated terminal
  • Projects with .git automatically get better context
  • You can use Claude Code on multiple projects at once by opening several terminals

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