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Setting Up VS Code + Claude Code

Your AI-powered development environment in 15 minutes

beginner2 min read
setupvscodeclaude-codeai-codingswe

This guide will walk you through setting up Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and Claude Code — the two tools you need to start coding with AI assistance. No prior experience required.

iWhat you'll need
A computer running macOS, Windows, or Linux. About 15 minutes. An internet connection.

Step 1: Install VS Code

  1. 1Go to code.visualstudio.com and click the download button for your operating system
  2. 2Run the installer — accept the default settings
  3. 3Open VS Code. You should see a Welcome tab
  4. 4Take a moment to look around: the file explorer is on the left, the editor is in the center, and the terminal is at the bottom (you may need to open it)
✓The File Explorer
The left sidebar in VS Code is the File Explorer — this is your main view for navigating your project files. You'll use it constantly. If it's not visible, press Cmd+Shift+E (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+E (Windows/Linux).

Step 2: Open the Terminal in VS Code

  1. 1In VS Code, go to the menu: Terminal → New Terminal (or press Ctrl+` / Cmd+`)
  2. 2A terminal panel should appear at the bottom of VS Code
  3. 3This is where you'll run commands — it's the same as your system terminal, but conveniently built into VS Code

Step 3: Install Claude Code

  1. 1Make sure you have Node.js installed (download from nodejs.org if not)
  2. 2In the VS Code terminal, run the install command below
  3. 3Once installed, type 'claude' and press Enter to start Claude Code
  4. 4Follow the authentication prompts to connect your Anthropic account
macOS
$npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Step 4: Your First Interaction

  1. 1Create a new folder for your project: File → Open Folder → create a new folder
  2. 2In the VS Code terminal, type 'claude' to start Claude Code
  3. 3Try asking Claude to create a simple file: 'Create a hello world HTML file'
  4. 4Watch as Claude creates the file — you'll see it appear in the file explorer on the left
  5. 5Open the file by clicking on it in the explorer to see the code
✓Pro tip
When working with Claude Code, always have your project folder open in VS Code. Claude works best when it can see and navigate your files.

You're all set! You now have a professional development environment with AI assistance built in. Next, check out our Terminal Basics guide to learn the essential commands you'll use every day.