by @must_be_ash

Claude Code - step 6

Discover Claude Code, the most powerful AI coding assistant available. While it requires the terminal, it offers unmatched context understanding and task execution capabilities.

Why Claude Code?

Claude Code is currently the most powerful AI coding assistant available. While tools like Cursor provide a familiar IDE experience, Claude Code offers significant advantages for complex projects:

Superior Context Window

Can handle much more code and data at once, understanding larger codebases better

Better Code Execution

Executes complex tasks more reliably and handles multi-step operations seamlessly

Automatic Task Breakdown

Creates checklists and executes step-by-step without needing you to micromanage

Full Tool Access

Can read images, visit websites, and use all available tools just like other Claude interfaces

💻 Terminal-Based Interface

Unlike Cursor or VS Code, Claude Code has no GUI - everything happens in the terminal. This can feel intimidating at first, but don't let it stop you! Claude Code works just like any chat app - you type messages and get responses. After a few conversations, you'll find it's actually faster than switching between IDE windows.

Learn More

For comprehensive guides and advanced features, check out the official Claude Code documentation.

Installation (30 seconds)

Installing Claude Code is incredibly simple. You just need Node.js (which you should already have from the previous steps).

Install Claude Code globally:

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

Navigate to your project and start coding:

cd your-project-folder
claude

Working with Existing Projects

If you're starting with an existing project (perhaps one you created with v0, Bolt, or Cursor), Claude Code needs to understand your codebase first.

For existing projects, always start with:

claude
/init

The /init command tells Claude Code to:

  • Read through your entire codebase
  • Understand the project structure and architecture
  • Identify the frameworks and libraries you're using
  • Write itself comprehensive notes about your project
  • Prepare to work efficiently with your specific setup

Why This Matters

Without /init, Claude Code starts "blind" to your project. With it, Claude understands your context and can make much better suggestions and changes.

Your First Conversation

Once you run claude, you'll see a simple prompt. Think of it like texting - just type what you want and hit Enter.

Try these first commands:

  • what does this project do? - Let Claude explore your codebase
  • add a hello world function to the main file - Make your first change
  • fix any linting errors - Clean up your code
  • commit my changes - Save your work to Git

Essential commands to remember:

/helpShow available commands
exit or Ctrl+CExit Claude Code
claude -cContinue recent conversation

Automatic Task Breakdown

Here's where Claude Code truly shines. You don't need to break down complex tasks yourself - Claude Code automatically creates checklists and executes them step-by-step.

Claude Code will automatically:

  • Create a task checklist
  • Execute each step methodically
  • Handle errors and edge cases
  • Test the implementation
  • Update you on progress

Pro Tip

Be specific about what you want, but don't worry about the how. Say "add user authentication with email verification" instead of listing every technical step.

My Current Workflow

Claude Code is now my preferred choice over Cursor. Since starting this guidebook, I've switched to mostly using Claude Code. I still start with v0 and then open the project in Cursor, but then use Claude Code to iterate instead of Cursor's agent. When Claude Code gets stuck, I still use Cursor's agent but set it to 'Claude Sonnet 4'.