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Getting Started

Your First Claude Code Session

You have it installed. Now open a folder, talk to Claude like a teammate, and let it build, edit, and explain. Here is the loop that makes it click.
⏱ About 10 minutes

What this covers. You have Claude Code installed (Mac or Windows). This lesson is the part everyone wonders about next: what do I actually say, and how do I work with it day to day. The short answer is treat it like a capable teammate who can read and write the files in your folder.

1
Open a folder to work in

Claude works best pointed at a folder. It reads what is there and writes new files into it. An empty folder is fine for a first try.

In VS Code, use File → Open Folder and pick any folder (or make a new one). Then start a Claude Code session from the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows) and type Claude Code.

Prefer the terminal? cd into a folder and run:

claude
Why a folder matters

Without a folder, Claude has no project to read from. Even an empty one gives it a place to create files. This is the single most common beginner snag.

2
Talk to it like a teammate

You do not need special syntax. Describe what you want in plain language, the way you would brief a colleague. Try one of these:

Make a simple one-page website for a coffee shop called Ember Roasters, then open it in my browser.
Explain what the files in this folder do, in plain English.
Create a packing list for a 5-day trip to Oaxaca as both a Markdown file and an HTML file, then open the HTML file.

Claude will think, then do the work: create files, run commands, or answer. Watch what it does. You are always in the loop.

Markdown vs HTML

That last prompt asks for two file types, and it is worth knowing the difference. Markdown (a .md file) is for quick, readable notes: you write plain text with a few simple symbols, like # for a heading or - for a list item, and the raw file is still easy to read on its own. HTML (an .html file) is what a web browser displays: it can have colors, layout, and clickable boxes, but the raw file is busier and meant to be viewed in a browser, not read as-is. Rule of thumb: ask for Markdown when you just want clean notes, and HTML when you want something that looks good in the browser. Claude is happy to make either, or both.

3
Read and accept changes

When Claude edits files, it shows you a diff: green for added lines, red for removed. Nothing is final until you accept it.

In VS Code

Changes appear inline. Review them and click to accept or reject. If something is off, just say so in the chat and Claude revises.

In the terminal

Claude shows the change and asks for confirmation before writing. Read it, then approve or decline.

The rhythm

Ask, watch, read the diff, accept or course-correct. That loop is the whole job. You do not need to know the code to steer it. Tell Claude what looks wrong in plain words and let it fix it.

4
Keep going in plain language

After the first result, just keep talking. Claude remembers the conversation, so build on it:

Nice. Now make the header dark, add a menu section with three drinks, and make it look good on a phone.

If you want to undo a direction, say "revert that" or "go back to the previous version." If you are not sure what to do next, ask "what would you suggest improving here?"

5
A few moves worth knowing

Small things that make day-to-day work smoother.

  • Be specific about done. "Add a contact form that emails me" beats "improve the page."
  • Point at files. Mention a filename and Claude focuses there. In VS Code you can also select code and @-mention it into the chat.
  • Let it run commands. Claude can install packages, run your app, and test things. Approve when it asks.
  • Start fresh when you switch tasks. A new conversation keeps context clean for an unrelated job.

Questions?

Made by AI Service Engine. Next up: give Claude a memory with a CLAUDE.md file so it remembers your project every session.