Skip to main content

Installation Guide

What you'll learn in this chapter: Prerequisites for Claude Code, OS-specific installation steps, and how to verify your installation

Prerequisites

Before starting this chapter, you'll need:

  • An internet connection
  • Basic familiarity with a terminal (Command Prompt / PowerShell / Terminal)

System Requirements​

RequirementMinimum
macOS13.0 (Ventura) or later
Windows10 (1809) or later + Git for Windows
LinuxUbuntu 20.04+ / Debian 10+ or other glibc-based distros
RAM4GB or more
ShellBash, Zsh, PowerShell, or CMD
Node.js Not Required

The native install (recommended) does not require Node.js. Node.js is only needed for the legacy npm install method.

Installing Claude Code​

Supports auto-updates and does not require Node.js.

macOS / Linux / WSL:

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

Windows PowerShell:

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

Windows CMD:

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

Windows requires Git for Windows. Install it first if you don't have it.

Method 2: Package Manager​

Homebrew (macOS):

brew install --cask claude-code

WinGet (Windows):

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode
No Auto-Updates

Homebrew/WinGet installs do not auto-update. Run brew upgrade claude-code or winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode to update manually.

Legacy: npm Install (Not Recommended)

Requires Node.js 18+. Native install is recommended instead.

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

The -g flag installs globally, so you can use the claude command from any directory.

Verifying the Installation​

claude --version

Expected output (the version number may vary depending on when you install):

1.x.x (Claude Code)

For more detailed diagnostics:

claude doctor

First Run and Login​

cd your-project
claude

On first launch, a browser window opens with a login page:

  • Claude.ai account (Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise), or
  • Anthropic Console account (API billing)

Log in to complete authentication.

Subscription Plans

Claude Code is available on Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise paid plans. The free plan is not supported. API key authentication is also available — see the next chapter for details.

Common Installation Issues​

Issue 1: claude: command not found​

Close and reopen your terminal completely to refresh the PATH environment variable. If that doesn't work, the install path is missing from your PATH.

Diagnosis:

# Check where claude is located in PowerShell
Get-Command claude -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# If nothing appears → PATH issue confirmed. Find where it was installed:
Get-ChildItem -Path $env:USERPROFILE -Recurse -Filter claude.exe -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Add to PATH (PowerShell):

$currentPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', 'User')
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', "$currentPath;$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin", 'User')
Restart Terminal After PATH Change

After adding to PATH, you must close PowerShell completely and reopen it. Otherwise the same error will persist.

On macOS/Linux, if you encounter the same issue:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc  # macOS
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc  # Linux
source ~/.zshrc  # or source ~/.bashrc

If the problem persists, run claude doctor for detailed diagnostics.

Issue 2: EACCES: permission denied (macOS/Linux, npm install)​

mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

This issue does not occur with the native install method.

Issue 3: Installation fails on a corporate network​

You may need to configure a proxy:

# For npm install
npm config set proxy http://your-proxy-address:port
npm config set https-proxy http://your-proxy-address:port

Issue 4: Windows PowerShell execution policy error​

# Open PowerShell as Administrator and run
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Key Takeaways​

  • Native install is recommended — no Node.js required, auto-updates included
  • macOS/Linux: curl ... | bash / Windows: irm ... | iex
  • Verify with claude --version
  • First run authenticates via browser login
  • Paid plan (Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise) required
Get weekly Claude Code tips by email

Get weekly Claude Code tips by email — real usage insights, delivered free. Subscribe →

Last updated on