Getting Started

Welcome to Claude Code! Whether you're a complete beginner or experienced developer, this guide will help you start building amazing software with AI assistance.

Choose Your Starting Point

🌱 Complete Beginner (No coding experience)

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, business owners, creative professionals, or anyone with great ideas

👉 Start Here: Beginner's Guide to Building Your First App

Learn to transform your ideas into working software using simple, conversational English. No coding knowledge required!

👩‍💻 Developer (Some coding experience)

Perfect for: Programmers, web developers, software engineers

Continue with the developer setup below to configure Claude Code for your existing workflow.

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Developer Setup

This section helps you set up Claude Code for maximum effectiveness in your development workflow.

Prerequisites

• Claude Code installed
• Active Claude subscription (Pro or Max recommended for best experience)
• Git repository for your project

Initial Setup

1. Create CLAUDE.md

Every project should have a CLAUDE.md file in the root directory:

# CLAUDE.md

This file provides guidance to Claude Code when working with code in this repository.

## Project Overview
Brief description of what this project does and its main components.

## Development Commands
- `npm run dev` - Start development server
- `npm test` - Run tests
- `npm run build` - Build for production
- `npm run lint` - Run linting

## Architecture Notes
Key architectural decisions, patterns, and conventions used in this codebase.

2. Configure MCP Servers

Create .mcp.json in your project root to enable additional capabilities:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "browsermcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@browsermcp/mcp@latest"]
    },
    "sequential-thinking": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sequential-thinking"]
    }
  }
}

3. Set Local Settings

Create .claude/settings.local.json for project-specific preferences:

{
  "allowedTools": ["*"],
  "autoAccept": false,
  "defaultModel": "claude-3-5-sonnet-20251022"
}

Two Proven Workflows

Choose the approach that matches your working style:

🚀 Quick Start Workflow (Recommended for experienced developers)

1. Start with context: Use @filename to reference specific files
2. Be specific: Provide clear requirements and constraints
3. Use thinking mode: Say "think" for complex problems
4. Leverage todos: Let Claude manage task lists for complex work
5. Iterate incrementally: Break large changes into smaller steps

📋 7-Stage Structured Workflow (Recommended for new projects)

This comprehensive approach ensures thorough planning and successful execution:

Stage 1: Define Vision & Purpose

"I want to build [your project idea]. Let's start by clarifying the core purpose and main features."

• Clarify the problem you're solving
• Define target users and their needs
• Identify core features vs. nice-to-haves

Stage 2: Research & Validate

"Help me research existing solutions and validate this approach before we start building."

• Study similar projects and competitors
• Identify potential technical challenges
• Validate assumptions with market research

Stage 3: Plan Architecture

"Based on our research, let's design the technical architecture and choose our tech stack."

• Choose appropriate technologies and frameworks
• Design database schema and API structure
• Plan component hierarchy and data flow

Stage 4: Create Project Context

Update your CLAUDE.md with:

## Project Vision
[Brief description of what you're building and why]

## Tech Stack
- Frontend: [e.g., React + TypeScript + Tailwind]
- Backend: [e.g., Node.js + Express + PostgreSQL]
- Deployment: [e.g., Vercel + Railway]

## Architecture Decisions
- [Key patterns and conventions to follow]
- [Security considerations]
- [Performance requirements]

Stage 5: Iterative Build Loop

"Let's implement [specific feature] following our established patterns."

• Build one feature at a time
• Test each feature before moving to the next
• Commit working code frequently

Stage 6: Test & Refine

"Let's review what we built and identify areas for improvement."

• Run comprehensive tests
• Check performance and security
• Refine user experience based on testing

Stage 7: Deploy & Monitor

"Help me deploy this to production and set up monitoring."

• Set up CI/CD pipeline
• Configure production environment
• Implement monitoring and analytics

💡 Success Tips for Both Workflows

• Start fresh for major features: Use /clear or start new sessions
• Be explicit about scope: Tell Claude exactly what to change and what to leave alone
• Iterate, don't perfect: Accept good solutions and refine them later
• Use version control aggressively: Commit working changes frequently
• Cost-conscious prompting: Focus on one file/component at a time to manage token usage

Next Steps

Essential Learning Path

• Learn communication best practices
• Set up your development workflow
• Explore configuration options

Power User Features

• Personal commands for consistent workflows
• Intelligent automation with hooks
• Multi-agent collaboration with subagents

Complete Project Workflows

• From idea to production deployment
• Real-world examples and case studies

For Business Leaders

• Business case for AI-assisted development - ROI analysis and executive summary
• Enterprise deployment strategies - Vendor comparison and risk management