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← LevelsBuilder · B1

Pick a plan & install

Build-along · ~10 min at your own keyboard

Claude Code is Claude with hands — it works in your files, not in a chat tab. Ten minutes gets it installed and talking. You need a paid plan (Pro is the floor at the time of writing); the install is one command. Before you pay, pick one job you already do every week. That job is how you will judge whether the plan is worth it to you.

The long version: Claude Code: install and first run ↗

Mac: Mac: open Terminal (Cmd-space, type Terminal). If npm install -g gives a permissions error, use the native installer from the docs rather than sudo.

Windows: Windows: use PowerShell. Install Node from nodejs.org first, then run the npm command. Open a NEW PowerShell window after install so PATH refreshes.

Do this

0/5

Checkpoints

  • ▸You should now see a version number when you run claude --version.
  • ▸You should now see the Claude Code header with a model name and your folder path after you type claude.
  • ▸You should now see an answer to your first question, and a context percentage in the UI.
The three ways this goes wrong
  • 'claude' is not recognized or 'command not found' right after install. — Your terminal has not picked up the new PATH. Close the window, open a fresh one, and try again; on Windows, open a new PowerShell.
  • The browser login loops or says you are not on a plan that includes Claude Code. — Check you are signed in to the same claude.ai account that holds the paid plan. Run /logout, then /login, and approve in a browser where that account is active.
  • npm install fails with a permissions error (EACCES) or 'npm not found'. — Install Node from nodejs.org first, then retry. On Mac do not use sudo; use the native installer from the Claude Code docs instead.

Dated facts in this lesson: Claude Pro is $20/month and is the floor plan that includes Claude Code (researched Oct 1, 2026, not yet confirmed by a person: check the source before you rely on it); Claude Code installs with the native installer command shown on the official setup page; the npm package @anthropic-ai/claude-code is the older route (researched Oct 2, 2026, not yet confirmed by a person: check the source before you rely on it).

Share what happened

Paste what your terminal shows: the Claude Code header (model, folder) plus its answer to your first question.

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