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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.

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

Power User Features

Complete Project Workflows

For Business Leaders