Before we can start building, we need to set up our primary tool: Claude Code. This is an agentic coding assistant from Anthropic that runs directly in your terminal. Think of it as a collaborator that can read your project files, write code, and even run tests based on your instructions. It operates on your local filesystem, making it a powerful partner for development.

First, let's cover the system requirements. The main dependency is Node.js, which you'll need version 18 or newer. If you've been working with modern web development frameworks, you likely already have this installed. You can quickly check your version by running node -v in your terminal.

The most straightforward way to install Claude Code is globally using npm (Node Package Manager), which comes bundled with Node.js. A global installation makes the claude command available from any directory in your terminal.

Alternatively, native installers are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux on the official Anthropic website. These can be a good option if you prefer a standalone installation that doesn't rely on your system's Node.js setup.

With Claude Code installed, the next step is authentication. The first time you run the claude command, it will guide you through the login process. You have two primary options.

Once you complete the process, the CLI securely stores your credentials, so you won't need to authenticate every time. This setup allows the tool to make secure requests to the Claude models on your behalf.

Let's confirm everything is working correctly. You can check the installed version with a simple command. This is also useful for ensuring you're running the latest release.

If that command returns a version number, you're all set. Now, you can start your first interactive session. Simply type claude and press Enter. You'll be greeted by the AI assistant, ready to receive your instructions right in the terminal. This is where the fun begins—you can now ask it to analyse files, suggest refactors, or write new code.

Before diving into our project, take a moment to review the key terms from this setup process.

Ready to check your understanding? This short quiz will cover the main points of installing and authenticating Claude Code.

Now that Claude Code is installed and authenticated, you have a powerful AI collaborator integrated directly into your development environment. In the next section, we'll start putting it to work on our full-stack project.