Set up Claude Code

Install, authenticate, and start using Claude Code on your development machine.

System requirements

• Operating Systems: macOS 10.15+, Ubuntu 20.04+/Debian 10+, or Windows 10+ (with WSL 1, WSL 2, or Git for Windows)
• Hardware: 4 GB+ RAM
• Software: Node.js 18+ (only required for npm installation)
• Network: Internet connection required for authentication and AI processing
• Shell: Works best in Bash, Zsh or Fish
• Location: Anthropic supported countries

Additional dependencies

• ripgrep: Usually included with Claude Code. If search fails, see search troubleshooting.

Standard installation

To install Claude Code, use one of the following methods:

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

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

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

brew install --cask claude-code

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

After the installation process completes, navigate to your project and start Claude Code:

cd your-awesome-project
claude

Claude Code offers the following authentication options:

1. Claude Console: The default option. Connect through the Claude Console and complete the OAuth process. Requires active billing in the Anthropic console. A "Claude Code" workspace is automatically created for usage tracking and cost management. You can't create API keys for the Claude Code workspace; it's dedicated exclusively for Claude Code usage.
2. Claude App (with Pro or Max plan): Subscribe to Claude's Pro or Max plan for a unified subscription that includes both Claude Code and the web interface. Get more value at the same price point while managing your account in one place. Log in with your Claude.ai account. During launch, choose the option that matches your subscription type.
3. Enterprise platforms: Configure Claude Code to use Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex AI, or Microsoft Foundry for enterprise deployments with your existing cloud infrastructure.

Windows setup

Option 1: Claude Code within WSL

• Both WSL 1 and WSL 2 are supported

Option 2: Claude Code on native Windows with Git Bash

• Requires Git for Windows
• For portable Git installations, specify the path to your bash.exe:

  $env:CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH="C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe"
  

Alternative installation methods

Claude Code offers multiple installation methods to suit different environments.

If you encounter any issues during installation, consult the troubleshooting guide.

Native installation options

The native installation is the recommended method and offers several benefits:

• One self-contained executable
• No Node.js dependency
• Improved auto-updater stability

If you have an existing installation of Claude Code, use claude install to migrate to the native binary installation.

For advanced installation options with the native installer:

macOS, Linux, WSL:

# Install stable version (default)
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Install latest version
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash -s latest

# Install specific version number
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash -s 1.0.58

Windows PowerShell:

# Install stable version (default)
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# Install latest version
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1))) latest

# Install specific version number
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1))) 1.0.58

Windows CMD:

REM Install stable version (default)
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

REM Install latest version
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd latest && del install.cmd

REM Install specific version number
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd 1.0.58 && del install.cmd

Binary integrity and code signing

• SHA256 checksums for all platforms are published in the release manifests, currently located at https://storage.googleapis.com/claude-code-dist-86c565f3-f756-42ad-8dfa-d59b1c096819/claude-code-releases/{VERSION}/manifest.json (example: replace {VERSION} with 2.0.30)
• Signed binaries are distributed for the following platforms:
  • macOS: Signed by "Anthropic PBC" and notarized by Apple
  • Windows: Signed by "Anthropic, PBC"

NPM installation

For environments where NPM is preferred or required:

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

Running on AWS or GCP

By default, Claude Code uses the Claude API.

For details on running Claude Code on AWS or GCP, see third-party integrations.

Update Claude Code

Auto updates

Claude Code automatically keeps itself up to date to ensure you have the latest features and security fixes.

• Update checks: Performed on startup and periodically while running
• Update process: Downloads and installs automatically in the background
• Notifications: You'll see a notification when updates are installed
• Applying updates: Updates take effect the next time you start Claude Code

Disable auto-updates:

Set the DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER environment variable in your shell or settings.json file:

export DISABLE_AUTOUPDATER=1

Update manually

claude update

Uninstall Claude Code

If you need to uninstall Claude Code, follow the instructions for your installation method.

Native installation

Remove the Claude Code binary and version files:

macOS, Linux, WSL:

rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude
rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude

Windows PowerShell:

Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe" -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\claude" -Recurse -Force

Windows CMD:

del "%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\claude.exe"
rmdir /s /q "%USERPROFILE%\.local\share\claude"

Homebrew installation

brew uninstall --cask claude-code

NPM installation

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

Clean up configuration files (optional)

To remove Claude Code settings and cached data:

macOS, Linux, WSL:

# Remove user settings and state
rm -rf ~/.claude
rm ~/.claude.json

# Remove project-specific settings (run from your project directory)
rm -rf .claude
rm -f .mcp.json

Windows PowerShell:

# Remove user settings and state
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude.json" -Force

# Remove project-specific settings (run from your project directory)
Remove-Item -Path ".claude" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item -Path ".mcp.json" -Force

Windows CMD:

REM Remove user settings and state
rmdir /s /q "%USERPROFILE%\.claude"
del "%USERPROFILE%\.claude.json"

REM Remove project-specific settings (run from your project directory)
rmdir /s /q ".claude"
del ".mcp.json"

To find navigation and other pages in this documentation, fetch the llms.txt file at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt