Set up Claude Code

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

System requirements

• Operating Systems: macOS 13.0+, Ubuntu 20.04+/Debian 10+, or Windows 10 1809+ / Windows Server 2019+ (with WSL 1, WSL 2, or Git for Windows)
• Hardware: 4 GB+ RAM
• Network: Internet connection required (see network configuration)
• Shell: Works best in Bash or Zsh
• Location: Anthropic supported countries

Additional dependencies

• ripgrep: Usually included with Claude Code. If search fails, see search troubleshooting.
• Node.js 18+: Only required for deprecated npm installation

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

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

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

cd your-awesome-project
claude

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

Authentication

For individuals

1. Claude Pro or Max plan (recommended): Subscribe to Claude's Pro or Max plan for a unified subscription that includes both Claude Code and Claude on the web. Manage your account in one place and log in with your Claude.ai account.
2. Claude Console: 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.

For teams and organizations

1. Claude for Teams or Enterprise (recommended): Subscribe to Claude for Teams or Claude for Enterprise for centralized billing, team management, and access to both Claude Code and Claude on the web. Team members log in with their Claude.ai accounts.
2. Claude Console with team billing: Set up a shared Claude Console organization with team billing. Invite team members and assign roles for usage tracking.
3. Cloud providers: Configure Claude Code to use Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex AI, or Microsoft Foundry for deployments with your existing cloud infrastructure.

Install a specific version

The native installer accepts either a specific version number or a release channel (latest or stable). The channel you choose at install time becomes your default for auto-updates. See Configure release channel for more information.

To install the latest version (default):

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

To install the stable version:

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

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1))) stable

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

To install a specific version number:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash -s 1.0.58

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1))) 1.0.58

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 (deprecated)

NPM installation is deprecated. Use the native installation method when possible. To migrate an existing npm installation to native, run claude install.

Global npm installation

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

Windows setup

Option 1: Claude Code within WSL

• Both WSL 1 and WSL 2 are supported
• WSL 2 supports sandboxing for enhanced security. WSL 1 does not support sandboxing.

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"
  

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

Configure release channel

Configure which release channel Claude Code follows for both auto-updates and claude update with the autoUpdatesChannel setting:

• "latest" (default): Receive new features as soon as they're released
• "stable": Use a version that is typically about one week old, skipping releases with major regressions

Configure this via /config → Auto-update channel, or add it to your settings.json file:

{
  "autoUpdatesChannel": "stable"
}

For enterprise deployments, you can enforce a consistent release channel across your organization using managed settings.

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

WinGet installation

winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode

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"