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Claude Code: installing and configuring

By Ivo Donker · — created with AI assistance (writer: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash; critic: Gemini 3.8 Flash + gpt-oss-120b via Groq)

Claude Code: ReviewInstall & set upNewsTechnical tutorial

As of September 2026, compiled from our own notes and news archive; text machine-generated and editorially reviewed. Check versions and commands in the official documentation.

In this guide you install Claude Code on macOS, Linux or Windows, log in, choose an update channel and check that everything works. All commands come from Anthropic's official documentation (as of September 2026).

What you need

Node.js is no longer needed: the recommended installation is a standalone program.

Installing on macOS, Linux or WSL

Open a terminal and run:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Then open a new terminal window and check:

claude --version

If you see a version number, it works. If your shell reports that claude cannot be found, the installation directory (~/.local/bin) is not yet in your PATH.

Prefer Homebrew? You can do that too:

brew install --cask claude-code          # stabiel kanaal
brew install --cask claude-code@latest   # nieuwste versies direct

Note: Homebrew installations do not update automatically. You then run brew upgrade claude-code yourself.

Installing on Windows

In PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

In the classic Command Prompt (CMD):

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

You can also do it via WinGet: winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode.

You do not need administrator rights. Preferably also install Git for Windows: then Claude Code can run Bash commands. Without Git for Windows, it uses PowerShell.

If you work with Linux tools or want to use the sandbox (see the tutorial), choose WSL 2: open your WSL distribution and use the Linux command from above there. The sandbox does not work in native Windows.

Logging in

Go to your project folder and start:

cd ~/mijn-project
claude

On first start, a browser window opens to log in with your Claude account. If you work with an API key from the Console, put it in the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable before starting; Claude Code will then ask you once whether you want to use that key. Never put a key in a file that ends up in git.

The first settings that matter

1. Let Claude Code get to know your project. Type in the session:

/init

Claude Code examines your code and creates a CLAUDE.md with build commands, test instructions and conventions. It reads that file in every session. Keep it short (under 200 lines) and concrete, for example: "Run npm test before every commit" instead of "test your changes".

Does your project already have an AGENTS.md for other coding agents? From version 2.1.277, Claude Code reads it automatically if there is no CLAUDE.md.

2. Choose your update channel. The standard installation updates itself in the background via the latest channel: new features immediately. If you want fewer surprises, choose stable. That channel lags about a week behind and skips versions with major bugs. You can set it via /config → Auto-update channel, or in ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "autoUpdatesChannel": "stable"
}

3. Review your settings. With /config you open the settings panel; with /status you see which settings files are loaded.

Checking that it works

Run the diagnostics outside a session:

claude doctor

This shows the state of your installation, errors in settings files and the result of the last update. Then give a harmless command:

claude -p "Leg in drie zinnen uit wat dit project doet."

With -p, Claude Code runs once without an interactive session and prints the answer.

Updating

After an update, claude doctor indicates whether everything still checks out.