How to Install Claude Code on Your Terminal: Mac & Windows Step-by-Step Guide

Updated October 18, 2026: We replaced the Node.js and npm steps with Anthropic's recommended native installer, corrected the installation steps for Mac and Windows, and added the system and plan requirements, verification and troubleshooting from Anthropic's setup docs. We also removed the price and delivery time of our website service from the closing section.

Why Claude Code?

We use Claude Code to build and maintain gugubrand.com: we describe each change in plain language, and a person reviews what it produces before it goes live.

If you want to understand what's possible with AI today, this is the place to start.

What You Need Before Starting

As of October 2026, Anthropic's system requirements and account requirements are:

• A Mac with macOS 13.0 or later, or a PC with 64-bit Windows 10 version 1809 or later (or Windows Server 2019 or later); Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 10+ and Alpine Linux 3.19+ also work
• At least 4 GB of RAM and an x64 or ARM64 processor
• An internet connection
• A location in one of Anthropic's supported countries
• A paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise) or a Claude Console account with pre-paid API credits; the free plan doesn't include Claude Code

Companies can also use Claude Code through Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform or Microsoft Foundry. As of October 2026, the cheapest plan that includes Claude Code, Pro, costs $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually (before tax) (Claude pricing).

You don't need Node.js. Older guides, including an earlier version of this one, started by installing it, but Anthropic's recommended native installer doesn't use it: only the optional npm method does (it requires Node.js 22 or later), and even then the installed claude program doesn't run on Node (Claude Code docs, Install with npm).

No coding experience needed either. Anthropic's terminal guide is written for people who have never used a terminal and don't know how to code. If you'd rather not use the terminal, the same guide notes that the Claude Code desktop app lets you skip it entirely.

Installing on Mac (or Linux)

Step 1: Open Terminal

Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter. A window with a blinking cursor appears: that's your terminal, where you type commands (Claude Code terminal guide, checked October 2026). Don't be scared — it's just a text-based way to talk to your computer. On Linux, open your distribution's terminal app; the commands below are the same (Claude Code docs, Install Claude Code). On Alpine Linux, first install the extra packages Anthropic lists in its Alpine notes.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

Copy and paste this line, then press Enter:

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

This is Anthropic's recommended native installer (Claude Code docs, Install Claude Code). The command shows no progress while it downloads Claude Code, so leave the window open and wait (Claude Code terminal guide). When it finishes, it prints Claude Code successfully installed! Native installs update themselves in the background.

If you already use Homebrew, this also works, but Homebrew installs don't update automatically (run brew upgrade claude-code from time to time):

brew install --cask claude-code

Step 3: Check That It Worked

Open a new terminal window (Cmd + N on a Mac) and run:

claude --version

You should see a version number followed by (Claude Code) (Claude Code quickstart). If you see command not found: claude instead, jump to Common Issues below.

Installing on Windows

Step 1: Open PowerShell

Press Win + X and choose Windows PowerShell (or Terminal); a window with a blinking cursor appears, and each line starts with PS C:\Users\YourName>, which tells you you're in PowerShell, not CMD (Claude Code terminal guide).

Open PowerShell normally: Anthropic's instructions say "You do not need to run as Administrator" (Claude Code docs, Set up on Windows). If you search the Start menu, pick Windows PowerShell, not Windows PowerShell (x86): the x86 entry makes the installer report that 32-bit Windows isn't supported, even on a 64-bit PC (Claude Code docs, 32-bit Windows).

Step 2: Install Claude Code

In PowerShell, copy and paste this line, then press Enter:

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

The command shows no progress while it downloads Claude Code, so leave the window open and wait (Claude Code terminal guide). When it finishes, it prints Claude Code successfully installed! Native installs update themselves in the background.

If you're in CMD (Command Prompt) instead of PowerShell, use this line:

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

WinGet also works, but WinGet installs don't update automatically (run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode from time to time):

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Optional: installing Git for Windows lets Claude Code use its Bash tool; without it, Claude Code uses PowerShell instead (Claude Code docs, Set up on Windows). If you use WSL, open your Linux distribution and run the command from the Mac (or Linux) section there.

Step 3: Check That It Worked

Close PowerShell, open a new PowerShell window and run:

claude --version

You should see a version number followed by (Claude Code). If you see 'claude' is not recognized instead, jump to Common Issues below.

Start Claude Code and Log In

Anthropic's quickstart has you start Claude Code inside a project folder (Claude Code quickstart). For a first project, create a new, empty folder so its files stay together. On a Mac:

mkdir ~/my-first-site
cd ~/my-first-site
claude

On Windows, in PowerShell:

mkdir $HOME\my-first-site
cd $HOME\my-first-site
claude

The first time you run claude, it opens a browser window so you can sign in with your Claude account; if the browser shows a code instead of sending you back, paste it at the Paste code here if prompted prompt, and when the terminal shows Login successful, press Enter (Claude Code docs, Authentication). You only log in once; to switch accounts later, type /login inside Claude Code.

Then type what you want in plain language. For example:

Create a simple website for a coffee shop called Bean & Brew

Claude Code creates the files and writes the code. It asks you to approve changes unless it's running in auto mode, where it edits most files and runs most commands without asking (Claude Code docs, permission modes).

As of October 2026, auto mode is usually the starting mode for terminal sessions (Claude Code docs, which mode a session starts in). Your settings or your organization can change that, and the first session after an install can start in a different mode. You can switch modes with Shift+Tab: from auto mode, one press switches to manual mode (the status bar shows manual mode on), where Claude Code asks you before most actions that edit files or run commands (Claude Code docs, switch permission modes). Anthropic notes that auto mode reduces permission prompts but does not guarantee safety.

To see the page, double-click the HTML file it created to open it in your browser (terminal guide).

Your First Project — Try This

Once Claude Code is running, try this prompt (replace the brackets with your details):

Build me a landing page for my business. My business is called [YOUR BUSINESS NAME]. I offer [YOUR SERVICE] in [YOUR CITY]. Make it bilingual English and Spanish. Include my phone number, and make it look professional.

Claude Code can create a first version from your description (terminal guide); review and test what it builds before you publish it. The result is a draft on your computer: putting it online needs hosting, and if you add a contact form, it needs a form service to actually deliver the messages.

Keeping It Updated

Installs from the native installer update automatically in the background. To update by hand, run:

claude update

By default, Homebrew and WinGet installs don't update automatically (Claude Code docs, Update Claude Code), so upgrade them from time to time. With Homebrew:

brew upgrade claude-code

With WinGet:

winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Common Issues (And Quick Fixes)

"command not found: claude" or "'claude' is not recognized"

If you see command not found: claude (Mac) or 'claude' is not recognized (Windows), the install folder isn't on your PATH yet: open a new terminal window and try again, and if it still fails, add the folder (~/.local/bin on Mac, %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin on Windows) to your PATH with Anthropic's PATH fix, then open a new terminal and run claude --version. The installer also prints the exact fix under Setup notes at the end of the install.

On a Mac (zsh, the default shell):

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

On Linux with Bash, use ~/.bashrc in place of ~/.zshrc in both lines.

On Windows, in PowerShell (then close and reopen PowerShell):

$currentPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', 'User')
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', "$currentPath;$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin", 'User')

If you use CMD, add %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin to your User PATH in Environment Variables, then restart the terminal.

"permission denied" during installation

Never install with sudo npm install -g, which Anthropic warns "can lead to permission issues and security risks" (Claude Code docs, Install with npm). If the native installer fails with a permission error, the folders it installs into may not be writable: check that your user can write to ~/.local/bin and ~/.claude (Claude Code docs, permission errors).

If you installed with npm before, switch to the native installer:

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

To check the two folders on a Mac:

test -w ~/.local/bin && echo "writable" || echo "not writable"
test -w ~/.claude && echo "writable" || echo "not writable"

If either says "not writable", use Anthropic's fix below (here sudo only creates the folder and gives it back to your user; Claude Code itself is never installed with sudo):

sudo mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.local

On Windows this rarely applies, because the install folder is under your user folder (%USERPROFILE%), which your user can already write to.

Wrong shell on Windows

If you see 'irm' is not recognized, you're in CMD, not PowerShell. If you see The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator, you ran the CMD line in PowerShell. If you see A parameter cannot be found that matches parameter name 'fsSL', you ran the Mac command in PowerShell (Claude Code docs, wrong install command on Windows). In all three cases, open PowerShell (the prompt starts with PS C:\) and run:

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

The login page doesn't open

If the browser doesn't open by itself, press c in the terminal to copy the login link, then paste it into your browser (Claude Code docs, Authentication). If the browser then shows a code, paste it at the Paste code here if prompted prompt.

Still stuck?

Run this for a diagnosis of your installation, and see Anthropic's installation troubleshooting page:

claude doctor

What Can You Build With Claude Code?

Some of what we've built on gugubrand.com with Claude Code:

• Pages with video backgrounds and animations
• An amortization calculator demo
• The Google Analytics setup
• Schema.org structured data
• The bilingual English and Spanish pages
• Forms that send submissions to Google Sheets

Whatever you build, review and test it before you publish it.

Prefer Not to Set This Up Yourself?

Not everyone wants to learn a new tool — and that's perfectly fine. A tool is only useful when the foundation it serves is in place.

We use Claude Code and other AI tools in our own work. To see which foundation of your business needs attention first, answer the five-question preparation check on identity, strategy, content, website and systems, and promotion and improvement. If a foundation is missing, we propose a defined preparation scope and fee in writing before any work begins, and you don't need a website to start.

Or call us directly: +1 (908) 812-9503.