Install Claude Code Step-by-Step (2026 Mac, Windows, Linux)

Quick Answer

Install Node.js 18+, then run: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Authenticate with a Claude Pro subscription ($20/mo) or API key. Run claude in any project directory. Total install time: 3-5 minutes. Windows users should use WSL2 for best compatibility.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or newer (recommended: 22 LTS). Check: node --version
• npm (ships with Node.js). Check: npm --version
• A terminal: Mac Terminal/iTerm2, Windows Terminal + WSL2, Linux any shell
• Claude account: Pro $20/mo or Max $100/mo OR Anthropic API key. Get an API key.

Install on Mac

1. Open Terminal.
2. Install nvm (if you don't have Node.js):

   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.0/install.sh | bash
   source ~/.zshrc
   nvm install 22

3. Install Claude Code globally:

   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

4. Verify: claude --version
5. Run claude in any project directory to start.

Install on Windows (WSL2 Recommended)

Option A: WSL2 (recommended)

1. Open PowerShell as Admin and run: wsl --install (installs Ubuntu by default)
2. Restart Windows when prompted.
3. Open Ubuntu from Start Menu, complete first-run setup.
4. Inside WSL, follow the Mac install steps above.

Option B: Native Windows (less polished)

1. Download Node.js 22 LTS from nodejs.org and install.
2. Open PowerShell as Admin:

   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

3. Open a new PowerShell window.
4. Test: claude --version

WSL is recommended because Claude Code uses Unix shell semantics (forward slashes, env vars). Native Windows works but expect occasional path issues.

Install on Linux

1. Install Node.js 22 via nvm (same as Mac steps).
2. npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
3. Test: claude --version

Tested on Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 12, Fedora 41, Arch.

Authenticate

First time you run claude, it prompts for authentication:

1. Browser OAuth (recommended): Claude opens your browser, you log into Anthropic Console, click Authorize. Token saved to ~/.claude/credentials.json.
2. API key: set environment variable ANTHROPIC_API_KEY before running. Claude Code uses it directly.
3. Switch auth: run claude /logout then claude /login.

Pick a Permission Mode

• default — prompts before file edits and shell commands. Safest for first-time users.
• acceptEdits — auto-applies file edits, prompts only for shell commands. Most professional users live here.
• plan — read-only mode. Claude can analyze code but cannot edit. Useful for code review.
• bypassPermissions — Claude takes any action without prompting. Only use in sandboxed/disposable environments.

Set with claude --permission-mode acceptEdits or change with /permission-mode inside a session.

Your First Claude Code Session

1. cd into a project directory: cd ~/projects/my-app
2. Run claude
3. Type your task: “Add a TypeScript interface for User with id, email, createdAt”
4. Claude reads relevant files, proposes changes, asks for approval (default mode).
5. Approve with Enter. Claude applies edits.
6. Run tests with: !npm test (the ! prefix runs commands in your shell from inside Claude.)
7. Iterate. Ctrl+C to exit.

Common Errors and Fixes

“zsh: command not found: claude”

npm installed Claude Code but the bin directory isn't in PATH. Fix:

# Find npm prefix
npm config get prefix
# /Users/you/.nvm/versions/node/v22.0.0

# Add to ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bashrc)
export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"

# Reload
source ~/.zshrc

# Test
which claude

“Authentication failed”

Either your browser blocked the OAuth callback, or your API key is invalid. Try: claude /logout, then claude /login. If still failing, set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY env var directly.

“You've exceeded your rate limit”

You're on Free or Pro and hit the cap. Either wait 5 hours for reset, or upgrade to Max ($100/mo) for 5x more headroom. See Claude pricing guide.

Slow performance

Check your Claude tier (Pro shares limited compute), and switch from Opus to Sonnet for non-complex tasks (Sonnet is much faster).

Master Claude Code for Production AI Development

Installation is step 1. Building production AI products is the actual work. Our AI SaaS Builder course shows you how to use Claude Code + Cursor + n8n to ship AI SaaS products at $10K MRR.

Related Reads

• Claude coding complete guide
• Claude pricing complete guide
• How to get a Claude API key
• Claude API pricing tutorial
• OpenAI API key guide
• Claude vs GPT-4
• Cursor vs Windsurf