Claude Code: Beginner Tutorial
Based on Claude Code v2.1.89 (April 2026). Details may vary in newer releases. Everything you need to go from zero to productive with Claude Code. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll understand the core concepts and be able to use Claude Code for everyday development tasks. Table of Contents What is Claude Code and Why Use It Installation and First Run Basic CLI Usage Essential Slash Commands Understanding the Context Window Your First CLAUDE.md File Plan Mode Basics Basic Prompting Tips Using Screenshots for UI Tasks The /compact Command Understanding Permissions Model Selection Terminal Setup Recommendations What is Claude Code and Why Use It Claude Code is an agentic coding assistant available in your terminal, VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, a standalone desktop app, and even in the browser at claude.ai/code. Unlike chat-based assistants that just give you code to copy-paste, Claude Code can: ...