Claude Code shipping

Claude in a place where it can act.

Claude.ai is a chat. Claude Code is a coworker with hands. It reads files, edits them, runs commands, installs dependencies, runs the test suite, opens a browser, captures a screenshot, commits, opens a PR, ships. Same model, vastly more leverage.

Where it runs

Install in five minutes.

Anthropic now ships a native installer that doesn't depend on Node. The npm path still works and is documented as the alternative.

Recommended — native

• macOS / Linux / WSL: curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
• Windows PowerShell: irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
• Homebrew: brew install --cask claude-code
• WinGet: winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Alternative — npm

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

Requires Node 18+. Fine if you already have a Node toolchain — otherwise prefer the native installer.

Step-by-step beginner walk-throughs: /newby (Windows), /newby-mac (Mac), /newby-linux (Linux/Unix).

Your first real use.

1. Open a terminal in a project folder. Any folder with code, docs, or files you want Claude to know about.
2. Run claude. First time, it opens the browser to log in.
3. Run /init to generate a CLAUDE.md file documenting the codebase. Claude reads this every session.
4. Type a plain-English task. "Find the auth code, add rate limiting, write a test, run it." Claude shows what it'll do; you approve.
5. Watch one round. After that, you'll trust the patterns and can leave it running on bigger tasks.

The built-in vocabulary.

• /help — list every command and skill loaded in this session.
• /init — generate a CLAUDE.md for this codebase.
• /clear — reset the conversation (and the context window).
• /cost — what this session has spent.
• /review — review pending changes on the current branch.
• /security-review — scan pending changes for OWASP-style vulnerabilities.
• /loop <n>m <cmd> — run a command on a recurring interval.
• /schedule — schedule a remote agent on a cron.
• /exit — quit.

Plugins extend this vocabulary — see /skills.

Extend with plugins.

Anthropic and the community publish plugins that add slash commands, MCP servers, and skills. Examples bundled in Paul's setup:

• frontend-design — production-grade UI work without the AI-slop look. Adds /frontend-design. See /design.
• claude-api — building, debugging, optimizing Anthropic SDK apps; auto-applies prompt caching.
• fewer-permission-prompts — scans your transcripts and writes an allowlist so Claude stops asking permission for routine things.
• session-close — Paul's 9-step end-of-session checkpoint (deploy, backup, mirror, surface action items).

Build your own by dropping a SKILL.md into ~/.claude/skills/<name>/. Documented in /skills.

What we actually use it for.

• Daily news pipeline — fetch RSS, write articles with the API, post to 22+ sites. wholetech.com/worklog.
• Fleet security scans — Playwright-based, 100+ domains, A grades on every header. wholetech.com/playwright.
• Daily site sitemaps — diary at sitemap.wholetech.com.
• Tenant rent reminders, lease drafts, warranty claim correspondence.
• The site you are reading right now — built and maintained inside Claude Code.

Related products.

Every Anthropic surface has its own page on this guide.