Quick Start

Get up and running with Claude Code in minutes

title: Quick Start description: Get up and running with Claude Code in minutes

Your First Session

After installing Claude Code, start your first session:

claude

You'll see Claude's prompt waiting for your input. Try asking it to help you understand your current project:

claude "What does this project do?"

Basic Commands

Interactive Mode

Start an interactive session where you can have a conversation:

claude

Single Query

Ask a single question and get a response:

claude "Explain this function: $(cat myfile.js)"

Working with Files

Claude Code can read and modify files in your project:

claude "Read the README and summarize it"
claude "Add a new feature to handle user authentication"

Project Context with CLAUDE.md

Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root to give Claude context about your project:

# Project Overview

This is a Next.js application for managing tasks.

## Key Files

- `src/app/page.tsx` - Main homepage
- `src/lib/db.ts` - Database utilities

## Conventions

- Use TypeScript strict mode
- Follow the existing code style

Claude will automatically read this file and use it to provide better assistance.

Common Workflows

Code Review

claude "Review the changes in my last commit"

Bug Fixing

claude "There's a bug where the form doesn't submit. Can you help debug it?"

Refactoring

claude "Refactor this component to use React hooks instead of class components"

Documentation

claude "Add JSDoc comments to the functions in src/utils/"

Tips for Better Results

1. Be specific: Instead of "fix the bug", describe what's happening and what you expect.

2. Provide context: Share relevant error messages, logs, or code snippets.

3. Use the filesystem: Claude can read files directly, so reference them by path.

4. Iterate: If the first response isn't quite right, provide feedback and ask for adjustments.

Next Steps

• Learn about CLAUDE.md configuration
• Explore prompting strategies
• Set up IDE integrations