Claude Code Setup
Set up your AI coding assistant — the tool that separates this program from every other coding course.
Claude Code is not a chatbot. It's a professional coding assistant that runs inside your terminal and your VS Code editor. It reads your actual project files, writes real code, runs commands, fixes errors, and works alongside you — like having a senior developer sitting next to you who never gets tired and never judges your questions.
This is the tool that makes everything you'll build in this program possible. Spend time getting it right.
Before this page: Make sure you've completed the Tools page — specifically VS Code and Node.js. Claude Code requires both.
What's included in Claude Code Pro
Your training fee covers a Claude Code Pro subscription ($20/month) for the duration of the program. This gives you:
- Access to Claude's most capable models
- Up to 5x the usage limits of the free plan
- Full access to the CLI (command-line interface) and VS Code extension
- The ability to work on real projects without hitting daily limits
Important: Your subscription is personal to your account. Do not share login credentials with anyone — not even other trainees. Each person has their own account. Sharing violates Anthropic's terms of service and can result in your account being suspended.
Step 1 — Create your Anthropic account and subscribe
Go to claude.ai
Open claude.ai in your browser. Click "Sign up".
Create your account
Sign up with your Gmail address. Set a strong password. Verify your email when prompted.
Subscribe to Claude Pro
After your account is created and verified, click on your name or profile in the bottom left corner of the claude.ai interface. Select "Upgrade plan" or go directly to claude.ai/settings/billing.
Select the Pro plan — $20/month. Enter your payment details. The subscription starts immediately.
Payment: Use your personal card. Keep the receipt — you can submit this as part of your training expense. Subhash will confirm reimbursement arrangements for the batch.
Confirm your subscription
After subscribing, you'll see "Claude Pro" displayed on your account settings page. Your usage limits are now active.
claude.ai/settings/billing and confirm it shows "Claude Pro" with an active subscription date. Take a screenshot of this page for your records.Step 2 — Install the Claude Code CLI
Claude Code has two interfaces:
- The CLI (command-line interface) — you type commands in the terminal
- The VS Code extension — a sidebar inside VS Code where you chat with Claude about your code
Install both. You'll use both in different situations.
Install Claude Code CLI via npm
Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on Mac) and run:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
The -g flag means "install globally" — it makes the claude command available from anywhere on your computer, not just one project folder.
This takes 1–2 minutes. When it finishes, you'll see the cursor return.
Verify the CLI installed
Run claude --version. You should see a version number printed. If you see "'claude' is not recognized", close and reopen your terminal and try again. If it still doesn't work, make sure Node.js was installed correctly (run node --version to check).
Log in via the CLI
Run claude login. This opens a browser window asking you to authorize Claude Code with your Anthropic account. Click "Authorize". The browser will show a success message and the terminal will confirm you're logged in.
You'll see your account email printed in the terminal — that confirms the login worked.
claude whoami in the terminal. It should print your Anthropic account email. If it does, the CLI is installed and authenticated. If it shows "not logged in", run claude login again.claude command is only recognized in terminal windows opened after the install. Any terminal you had open before installing will not find the command — this is the most common source of "command not found" confusion.Step 3 — Install the Claude Code VS Code extension
Open VS Code
Open VS Code. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (four squares) or press Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+X (Mac).
Search and install
Search for "Claude Code". The publisher should be Anthropic. Click Install.
Sign in via the extension
After installing, you'll see a Claude Code icon in the left sidebar — it looks like an "A" or a small anthropic logo. Click it. The sidebar opens and asks you to sign in. Click "Sign in" and complete the browser authorization (same process as the CLI login).
Once logged in, you'll see a chat interface inside VS Code. This is where you can ask Claude about your code without leaving the editor.
Step 4 — Your first Claude Code command
Let's confirm everything works with a real test. This takes 5 minutes and shows you exactly how Claude Code works.
Create a test folder
Open your terminal and run mkdir claude-test then cd claude-test.
This creates a folder called claude-test and moves into it.
Start Claude Code
Type claude and press Enter. You'll see a prompt appear. Claude Code is now running and watching the current folder. It can see all files in this directory.
Give it your first instruction
Type this and press Enter:
Create a simple Hello World React component called Greeting.jsx
Watch what happens. Claude Code will:
- Write the React component code
- Create the file on your computer
- Show you what it wrote
- Ask if you want anything changed
Look at the file it created
Open a new terminal window (keep Claude Code running in the original) and run type Greeting.jsx (Windows) or cat Greeting.jsx (Mac).
Or navigate to the folder in Windows Explorer and open the file in VS Code. You should see a proper React component — a real .jsx file that Claude wrote from your instruction.
Ask a follow-up
Back in the Claude Code terminal, type this:
Now add a prop called name so the greeting says "Hello, [name]"
Claude Code updates the file. Check it again.
Exit Claude Code
Type exit or press Ctrl+C to leave the Claude Code session.
What just happened? You gave an instruction in plain English. Claude Code wrote actual, working code and saved it to your computer. That's it. That's how this program works — you describe what you want, Claude builds it, you review and refine. Over the next weeks, you'll get very good at giving better instructions and understanding what Claude produces.
claude-test folder in Windows Explorer. You should see Greeting.jsx sitting there as a real file that Claude created. Open it in VS Code by double-clicking. This is the first piece of code Claude wrote for you — look at it even if you don't understand it yet.Step 5 — Create your first CLAUDE.md file
CLAUDE.md is a special file that Claude Code reads at the start of every session. It's your set of standing instructions — who you are, what the project is, how you want things done. Think of it as briefing notes that you'd give a new team member before they start work.
Every project you build in this program will have its own CLAUDE.md. Let's create a simple personal one now.
claude in a folder, it automatically reads the CLAUDE.md in that folder — before doing anything else. Without it, Claude starts each session as a stranger. With it, Claude starts as a colleague who already knows your context, preferences, and project details.Create the file
From the terminal (still inside the claude-test folder), run:
echo. > CLAUDE.md (Windows) or touch CLAUDE.md (Mac)
Then open VS Code in that folder by running code .
VS Code opens with the claude-test folder in the sidebar. Double-click CLAUDE.md to open it for editing.
Paste this starter template
Copy and paste the following into the file, replacing the bracketed values with your own information:
Starter CLAUDE.md — copy this exactly, fill in your name:
# CLAUDE.md
## Who I am
Name: [Your full name]
Background: Chartered Accountant / Finance Professional
Program: Sahinov AI Training, Batch 01 (May 2026)
Coding experience: Beginner — first month of training
## What I am building
Currently in Phase 1 of the Sahinov AI Training program.
Learning React + Supabase + Claude Code.
Training platform: sahinov.in/training
## How to help me
- I am new to coding. Keep explanations brief and practical.
- Use plain English. Avoid jargon unless you explain it.
- Show the simplest working solution first.
- When you create a file, tell me what it does in one sentence.
Save the file
Press Ctrl+S (Windows) / Cmd+S (Mac). The file is saved.
Test that Claude reads it
Go back to your terminal in the claude-test folder and run claude.
Once Claude Code starts, type:
What project is this and who am I?
Claude should respond with information from your CLAUDE.md — your name, that you're a CA professional, what you're building. If it does, CLAUDE.md is working correctly.
What should I avoid when writing Python? If Claude tailors its response to your "beginner" context from CLAUDE.md, you'll know it's reading the file correctly.CLAUDE.md evolves over time. As you learn more and your projects grow, you'll add more to it. By the end of the program, your CLAUDE.md will contain your full technical stack, coding preferences, project context, and quality standards. It's the document that makes Claude Code work like a colleague who knows you — not a stranger you have to re-introduce yourself to every session.
What to do if something doesn't work
"claude: command not found" after installation:
Close your terminal completely and open a new one. The PATH update (which makes claude available as a command) only takes effect in new terminal windows.
Browser doesn't open during login:
Run claude login --browser to force the browser to open. If that fails, copy the URL that appears in the terminal and open it manually.
Extension shows "Not signed in" even after signing in: Close VS Code completely (all windows) and reopen it. The session token sometimes needs a full restart to take effect.
"npm: command not found" when trying to install Claude Code: This means Node.js isn't installed or isn't on your PATH. Go back to the Tools page and reinstall Node.js. Make sure to close and reopen your terminal after installing.
Any other error: Screenshot the error message (the full terminal output, not just the last line) and post it in the WhatsApp group with the message "Claude Code setup issue." Include what step you were on. We'll fix it before Session 1.
You're set up
If Claude Code is running, reading your CLAUDE.md, and responding to instructions — you have the most important tool in this program working. Everything else builds on top of this.
Move on to the Verification page to confirm all your tools are working together.