Installation

How to install Claude Code on your system

title: Installation description: How to install Claude Code on your system

System Requirements

Before installing Claude Code, ensure your system meets these requirements:

• Node.js: Version 18.0 or higher
• Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows (via WSL)
• Terminal: A modern terminal emulator

Installation Methods

Using npm (Recommended)

The fastest way to install Claude Code is via npm:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Using Homebrew (macOS)

If you're on macOS and prefer Homebrew:

brew install anthropic/tap/claude-code

Using pnpm

For pnpm users:

pnpm add -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Verify Installation

After installation, verify that Claude Code is properly installed:

claude --version

You should see output like:

Claude Code v1.x.x

Authentication

Before using Claude Code, you need to authenticate with your Anthropic account:

claude auth login

This will open a browser window where you can sign in with your Anthropic account. Once authenticated, you're ready to start using Claude Code!

First Run

To start your first Claude Code session:

claude

Or start with a specific prompt:

claude "Help me understand this codebase"

Updating Claude Code

To update to the latest version:

npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Or with Homebrew:

brew upgrade claude-code

Troubleshooting

Command Not Found

If you get a "command not found" error after installation, ensure your global npm bin directory is in your PATH:

export PATH="$PATH:$(npm bin -g)"

Add this line to your shell profile (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, etc.) to make it permanent.

Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors during installation, you may need to fix npm permissions:

mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

Next Steps

Now that you have Claude Code installed, check out the Quick Start guide to learn the basics.