Start Claude Code

You've installed everything. Now let's start Claude Code and get it running.

Step 1: Open the Terminal

If it's not already open, press Cmd + J (Mac) or Ctrl + J (Windows) in your editor.

Step 2: Type claude

That's it. Just type:

claude

and press Enter.

Step 3: Log In (First Time Only)

The first time you run Claude, it will ask you to log in.

1. Choose "Claude.ai account"
2. It will open your browser to authenticate
3. Log in with your Claude account (the same one you use at claude.ai)
4. Come back to your editor - Claude Code is now ready

After the first login, Claude will remember you. You won't need to log in again.

Step 4: You're Talking to Claude

You'll see a prompt where you can type messages to Claude. Try saying:

Hello, what can you do?

Claude will respond in the terminal. This is how you'll interact with your brain - by typing messages and Claude responds.

Key Things to Know

Claude reads your files. When you open a folder in your editor (like your brain folder), Claude can read all the files in that folder. This is how it understands your business context.

Claude runs commands for you. You don't need to know bash or terminal commands. Tell Claude what you want in plain English and it handles the technical details.

To exit Claude: Press Ctrl + C or type /exit.

To start a new conversation: Type /clear to reset the conversation while staying in Claude Code.

Next: Clone Your Brain

Now that Claude Code is running, the next step is to give Claude a prompt that tells it to clone the brain template. Claude will handle the cloning, dependency installation, and setup for you.

Next step: Clone the Brain Template