Your First Session with Claude Code

This guide shows you what to do after you install Claude Code. You start it in a folder, ask for something in plain words, and approve or refuse what it wants to do.

A session is one conversation with Claude Code. It starts when you type claude and ends when you leave.

Go to your project folder

Claude Code works on the files in the folder where you start it. Use a test folder first, not a folder with important files. If you do not know how to move between folders in the terminal, read Folders in the terminal.

Anthropic's own example uses cd (change directory) to go to the folder:

$ cd /path/to/your/project

Replace /path/to/your/project with the path to your folder.

Start Claude Code

$ claude

You see the version, the model and the folder name above a prompt. The prompt is where you type.

Type your first request

Type a question in plain words and press Enter. Anthropic suggests these first questions:

what does this project do?

explain the folder structure

Claude Code reads your files when it needs them. You do not have to paste them in.

Answer a permission question

When Claude Code wants to change a file or run a command, it stops and asks you first. The question shows what it wants to do and gives you choices, for example:

• Yes allows this one action.
• Yes, and don't ask again allows the same kind of action later too. For commands, Claude Code saves this choice for the project.
• No refuses. You can add a comment to tell it what to do instead.

Reading files in your project folder needs no approval. Editing files and running commands do, unless you allowed them before. Read the command before you choose Yes. If you are not sure, choose No and ask Claude Code to explain what the command does.

Press Shift + Tab to switch the permission mode of the session. The mode decides which actions Claude Code may take without asking. Keep the default mode until you know the tool well.

Stop Claude Code while it works

Press Esc to stop the current answer or action. Claude Code keeps the work it did so far, and you can type a new instruction.

Ctrl + C also stops a running action. When nothing is running, the first Ctrl + C clears what you typed, and a second one closes Claude Code.

Leave the session

Type /exit and press Enter, or press Ctrl + D twice on an empty prompt.

To go back to your last conversation in this folder later, start Claude Code with:

$ claude -c

Useful commands inside a session

Commands that start with / are slash commands. You type them at the prompt.

Next, you can give Claude Code a superpower: install a skill or plugin.