What is Claude Code?
Claude Code is Anthropic’s AI coding tool. Instead of copying code in and out of a chat, you give it a task in plain English and it works inside your actual project: it reads the code, plans the change, edits files, runs commands and tests, and shows you what it did for you to review. It runs in the terminal, in editors like VS Code and JetBrains, in the Claude desktop app and on the web, and it needs a paid Claude plan or an API account.
What Claude Code does
- Explains a codebase you have never seen: “how does login work here?”
- Builds features across many files at once, not one snippet at a time.
- Fixes bugs: reads the error, finds the cause, makes the change and runs the tests.
- Runs commands for you — installs, builds, tests, git — asking permission first.
- Writes commit messages and pull request descriptions.
How is it different from asking a chatbot for code?
| Chat | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Sees your project | Only what you paste in | Reads the files it needs itself |
| Makes changes | You copy code back by hand | Edits the files directly |
| Checks its work | You run it and report errors | Runs the build and tests itself |
| Size of task | A function or a snippet | A feature across many files |
The skill shifts from typing code to directing the work: describing the task clearly, reviewing what it changed, and steering it when it goes the wrong way.
Who is it for?
Developers use it to move faster on real codebases. But it is also how many non-programmers now build their first working apps and internal tools: you describe what you want, and learn to read and judge what it produces. You do not need to be an expert — you do need to review the result, and to learn the basics as you go.
How to start with Claude Code
- Get accessA paid Claude plan, or an API account on the Claude Console. Install it using the instructions in Anthropic’s documentation, or use it from the Claude desktop app or the web.
- Open a projectStart it in a project folder that is under git, so every change can be seen and undone.
- Ask it to explain first“Explain how this project is organised.” It is the fastest way to learn a codebase and to see how Claude reads it.
- Make one small changeA specific, checkable task: “add a dark mode toggle to the settings page.” Review the changes before you accept them.
- Write a CLAUDE.mdA file in the project with your conventions, how to run the tests and what never to touch. Claude Code reads it at the start of every session.
Tips for getting good results
- Be specific about the outcome, and say how you will check it.
- For bigger work, ask for a plan first and agree it before any code is written.
- Keep tasks small and commit after each one that works.
- Read the changes. You are responsible for what goes live, not the tool.
- Never paste passwords or API keys into the conversation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Code free?
No. It needs a paid Claude plan or an API account with usage billing. The free Claude plan does not include it.
Do I need to know how to code to use Claude Code?
It helps, but beginners do build working apps with it by describing what they want and reviewing the result. You will learn faster if you ask it to explain each change.
Where does Claude Code run?
In your terminal, in editors such as VS Code and JetBrains, in the Claude desktop app and on the web.
Is it safe to let it run commands?
By default it asks before running commands or editing files, and you can choose what it may do without asking. Work in a git project so every change can be reviewed and undone.