Verification
The complete checklist for confirming Claude Code is installed, configured, and ready to use on your first project.
Before you use Claude Code on any real project work, confirm that every piece is in place. Go through this checklist in order. Don't skip items because you think you probably got it right — verify every one.
Installation Checks
Run each of these commands in your terminal. Every one should return a version number, not an error.
node --version— Expected output:v20.x.xor similar (any version 18 or above)npm --version— Expected output:10.x.xor similarclaude --version— Expected output:1.x.xor similar
If any of these returns "command not found" or another error, stop here and fix the installation before continuing.
Login Check
Open your terminal and type claude, then press Enter.
You should see the Claude Code welcome screen and the > prompt. If it asks you to log in again, follow the login flow from the Install & Login page.
Once you are at the prompt, type /help and press Enter. You should see a list of available commands.
Type Ctrl+C to exit for now.
/help output should list commands including /clear, /compact, and /help. If you see this list, login is working correctly.VS Code Extension Check
Open VS Code. Look in the left sidebar for the Claude icon. If you don't see it:
- Press
Ctrl + Shift + Xto open Extensions - Search "Claude Code"
- Confirm it's installed (shows "Installed" not "Install")
- Click the Claude icon in the sidebar
You should see the Claude Code panel. If it asks you to sign in, sign in with your Anthropic account.
CLAUDE.md Check
Navigate to your first project folder (or any test folder). Start Claude Code by typing claude.
At the Claude prompt, type Describe this project based on the CLAUDE.md file. and press Enter.
If CLAUDE.md exists: Claude should describe your project accurately, based only on what is in the file. If its description is incomplete or wrong, update the CLAUDE.md.
If CLAUDE.md does not exist: Claude will tell you it could not find the file. Create one now using the template from the CLAUDE.md Mastery page, even if it is minimal.
claude).Skills Directory Check
Confirm your skills directory exists. In your terminal (Git Bash), run ls ~/.claude/skills/. If the directory exists, you will see its contents (or an empty result).
On Windows PowerShell, use Test-Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude\skills" — it should return True.
If the directory does not exist yet, create it with mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills.
You do not need skill files yet — you will write your first one after Project 1. But the directory should exist.
ls ~/.claude/ should show at minimum a skills folder. If it shows "No such file or directory", create the directory with mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills and run the check again.Full System Test
This is the definitive test. It confirms everything is working together.
Open a project folder in VS Code
Use any project folder — your test folder or an existing project.
Open the terminal and start Claude Code
Type claude and press Enter. Wait for the > prompt.
Give Claude a multi-step instruction
Type List every file in this project and briefly describe the purpose of each one. and press Enter.
Watch the tool calls
You should see Claude use ListDirectory() and Read() tool calls — each one shown in the terminal before Claude responds. This confirms tool calls are working.
Evaluate the response
Claude's answer should be accurate and specific to your actual project files — not generic. If the response is generic or vague, Claude may not be reading your files correctly.
Run one more test
Type Create a file called test-output.txt containing the text "verification test". Claude should create the file. Check that it actually appears in your project folder in the VS Code Explorer sidebar. Then delete it with rm test-output.txt in the terminal.
Confirm it is gone from your folder.
test-output.txt should have appeared in your project and then been deleted. If Claude created the file but it did not appear in VS Code Explorer, press the refresh icon in the Explorer sidebar — VS Code may not have detected the new file automatically.If all of that worked, Claude Code is fully functional on your machine.
Plan Check
Log in to your Anthropic account at console.anthropic.com and confirm:
- You are on Claude Pro ($20/month) or higher
- Your billing is active
- Your next renewal date is visible
During training, Pro is sufficient. When you move to Phase 5 and start client project work, you'll need to evaluate whether to upgrade to Max.
Final Checklist
Before moving on, confirm every item:
-
node --versionreturns a version number -
claude --versionreturns a version number -
claudeopens the Claude Code prompt without login errors - VS Code extension is installed and authenticated
- A
CLAUDE.mdfile exists in your project folder - Claude accurately describes your project when asked
-
~/.claude/skills/directory exists - The full system test completed without errors
- Anthropic account shows an active subscription
Troubleshooting
claude: command not found
Node.js may not be installed, or the installation path isn't in your system PATH. Re-run the installation from the Install & Login page.
Claude opens but immediately closes or shows an error
Sign out and back in: inside Claude Code, type /logout (if available), or delete the credentials file at ~/.claude/ and re-run claude to trigger the login flow.
VS Code extension shows "Unable to connect" Ensure you're signed in to the same Anthropic account in both the CLI and the extension. The extension shares credentials with the CLI.
Claude says it can't find CLAUDE.md
Confirm the file is named exactly CLAUDE.md (all caps) and is in the root folder of the project — the same folder where you ran claude.
Claude reads files but gives generic responses The CLAUDE.md may be empty or minimal. Add more project-specific context: what you're building, your tech stack, your key rules. The more context Claude has, the more specific its responses.
If everything on this checklist passes, you're ready to start Project 1.