✍ Guide · Beginner Friendly

How to Set Up Claude in Your Terminal — No Coding Experience Needed

📅 April 2026 👤 Pradip Karki ⏰ 5 min read

Claude Code is a version of Claude that runs directly in your computer's terminal and can read, write, and edit files on your machine. It's how this entire website was built — through conversation, no prior coding knowledge required.

This guide walks you through getting it set up from scratch, even if you've never opened a terminal before.

Who this is for: Anyone who wants to use Claude to build websites, documents, or projects — nurses, students, small business owners, anyone. You do not need to know how to code.

What You'll Need

  • A computer running macOS or Windows
  • An internet connection
  • An Anthropic account (free to create)
  • About 15 minutes

Step 1 — Open Your Terminal

The terminal is a text-based window where you type commands to control your computer. Don't worry — you'll only need a few simple ones.

On Mac

Press Command (⌘) + Space to open Spotlight, type Terminal, and press Enter. A black or white window will open.

⊞
On Windows

Press Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Enter. Or search for PowerShell in the Start menu.

Step 2 — Install Node.js

Claude Code requires Node.js — a tool that lets your computer run JavaScript programs. You only need to install this once.

  1. Go to nodejs.org
  2. Click the big green "LTS" download button (LTS = Long Term Support, the stable version)
  3. Open the downloaded file and follow the installer — just click Next/Continue through all the steps
  4. When it finishes, close and reopen your terminal

To confirm it installed correctly, type this in your terminal and press Enter:

node --version

You should see a version number like v22.0.0. If you do, Node.js is ready.

Step 3 — Install Claude Code

Now install Claude Code using a single command. Copy and paste this into your terminal and press Enter:

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

It will download and install automatically. This may take a minute. When you see your cursor return (the $ or > prompt), it's done.

Tip: If you see a permission error on Mac, add sudo at the front:
sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
It will ask for your Mac login password (you won't see it as you type — that's normal).

Step 4 — Get Your API Key

Claude Code needs an API key to connect to Anthropic's servers. Think of it like a password that identifies your account.

1
Go to console.anthropic.com

Sign in with your Anthropic account (or create one free at claude.ai).

2
Click "API Keys" in the left sidebar

Then click "Create Key", give it a name like "My Computer", and click Create.

3
Copy the key immediately

It starts with sk-ant-.... Copy it now — you won't be able to see it again after closing the page. Paste it somewhere safe temporarily.

Keep your API key private. Don't share it or post it anywhere public. It's like a password to your account.

Step 5 — Create a Project Folder

Before starting Claude, create a folder where your project files will live. In your terminal, type these commands one at a time:

# Create a folder called "my-project" on your Desktop cd Desktop mkdir my-project cd my-project
What these mean:
cd Desktop — navigate to your Desktop
mkdir my-project — create a new folder named "my-project"
cd my-project — go into that folder

Step 6 — Start Claude Code

Now start Claude Code inside your project folder:

claude

The first time you run it, Claude Code will ask for your API key. Paste the key you copied in Step 4 and press Enter. It will save it so you never have to enter it again.

After a moment you'll see the Claude Code prompt — a > where you can start typing. You're in.

You're Ready — What to Do Next

Claude Code can now read and write files in your project folder. Just talk to it like you would in a normal conversation. For example:

  • "Build me a professional portfolio website for a nurse practitioner named Jane Smith…"
  • "Read this PDF and create an HTML page with its content."
  • "Update the date on the philosophy page to match the new paper."
Pro tip: The more specific you are, the better the result. Instead of "make a website," describe exactly what pages you need, what content goes on each one, and how you want it to look.

Useful Terminal Commands to Know

# See what folder you're currently in pwd # List files in the current folder ls # Go back one folder level cd .. # Start Claude Code claude # Exit Claude Code exit
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