A Ten-Minute Guide to Getting Started with Claude Code

A Ten-Minute Guide to Getting Started with Claude Code

You don't need to know how to code, understand the command line, or even know what a Terminal is. You only need 10 minutes to start using one of the most powerful AI tools on Earth.

First, a True Story

My wife isn't very technical and doesn't really know how to use the command line. In 2023, I recommended she use ChatGPT; she was shocked and even used it to help her with a recommendation letter.

I tried teaching her CLI for years, but she just couldn't get it—not because she couldn't learn, but because she didn't have the habit of using it. Earlier this year, I helped her install Claude Code and taught her the basic operations for 10 minutes. She was shocked once again.

There are so many users like my wife, so I feel it's very necessary to teach you how to use such a great tool.

AI is no longer a toy exclusive to programmers. It is becoming a productivity tool like Word or Excel—the difference is that its capability ceiling is several orders of magnitude higher.

What is CLAUDE CODE? An Explanation in One Sentence

Claude Code is an AI workstation launched by Anthropic (the makers of Claude AI).

You can think of it as a super assistant living inside your computer:

• It can read and write files on your computer—helping you organize documents, batch rename files, and analyze data.
• It can search the web—helping you do research, find information, and track trending topics.
• It can install various skill packs—making PPTs, generating images, writing tweets, creating videos, and analyzing Excel files.
• It has million-level memory—it can process information equivalent to a whole book in a single conversation.

Compared to ChatGPT's web chat box, the biggest difference with Claude Code is: It doesn't just chat with you; it can directly do the work for you.

ChatGPT is like a consultant sitting inside the screen—you ask, it answers, but you still do the work. Claude Code is like an all-around assistant sitting next to you—you say a word, and it directly completes the task, with the resulting files right there on your computer.

What Do You Need Before Starting?

Hardware: A computer with internet access (Mac, Windows, or Linux).

Software: No need to pre-install anything; I'll teach you step-by-step below.

Cost: Claude Code requires a subscription to Claude Pro ($20/month) or Claude Max ($100/month). The Pro plan is sufficient for daily use. If you don't have a Claude account yet, register at claude.ai.

Technical Foundation: Zero. Truly zero. You just need to know how to type.

Step 1: Install CLAUDE CODE (3 Minutes)

Method 1: Desktop App (Easiest, recommended for beginners)

Claude Code now has a desktop app, and installation is as simple as installing WeChat:

1. Open claude.ai/code
2. Download the installer for your system (Mac or Windows)
3. Double-click to install and open the app
4. Log in with your Claude account

Done. No command line, no configuration, works out of the box.

Method 2: Command Line Installation (For those who want to know a bit more)

If you want to use the command line version (identical functionality, just a different interface), you need to install something called Node.js first. Don't worry, just follow along:

First: Install Node.js

Go to nodejs.org and download the "LTS" version (the green button on the left), double-click to install, and just keep clicking "Next."

Second: Install Claude Code

• Mac Users: Open "Terminal" (search for "Terminal" in Spotlight)
• Windows Users: Open "Command Prompt" or "PowerShell" (search via the Win key)

Type this command and press Enter:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Wait for it to finish (usually less than a minute), then type:

claude

The first time you run it, it will ask you to log in to your Claude account; just follow the prompts.

See the welcome screen? Congratulations, you've installed it.

Method 3: Web Version (Zero Installation)

If you don't want to install anything at all, you can use it directly in your browser:

1. Open claude.ai/code
2. Select the "Web" version
3. Start using it immediately

The web version has fewer features (e.g., it cannot directly operate files on your computer), but it's perfectly sufficient for experiencing and learning.

Step 2: Your First Conversation (2 Minutes)

After opening Claude Code, you will see an input box. Just type directly, like messaging a friend.

Try this:

1Help me write a 500-word self-introduction. My name is Zhang San, I've been in cross-border e-commerce for 5 years, and I'm good at product selection and supply chain management. The style should be professional but not too formal.

Press Enter and wait a few seconds.

You will see Claude Code help you write a self-introduction—and it's not the kind of boilerplate text that's obviously AI-written; it customizes the content based on the information you provided.

Congratulations, you are already using Claude Code.

Try another one:

1Help me create a table comparing Amazon, Shopify, and TikTok Shop across four dimensions: entry threshold, fee structure, suitable categories, and traffic characteristics. Save the result as a Markdown file.

This time, Claude Code not only performed the analysis but also saved the result as a file. You can open it directly on your computer.

This is the core difference between Claude Code and ordinary AI chat tools—it can directly operate on files and help you land your results.

Step 3: Unlocking More Ways to Play (5 Minutes)

Now that you've learned basic conversation, let's look at where Claude Code is truly powerful.

Play 1: Let it help you process files

Put the files you need to process in a folder and tell Claude Code:

Read all the files in the "Customer Feedback" folder on the desktop, extract the negative feedback, classify them by problem type, count the frequency of each type, and generate an analysis report.

It will automatically read the files, analyze the content, and generate the report. What used to take you an afternoon now takes 5 minutes.

Play 2: Use Skill Packs to expand capabilities

Claude Code has a "Skills" system, which you can think of as giving your assistant new abilities.

Some of the most practical skills:

• Make PPTs: "Help me make a 10-page product introduction PPT"
• Make PDF reports: "Export this analysis report as a PDF"
• Generate images: "Help me draw a tech-style cover image"
• Write tweets: "Rewrite this article into 3 tweets"
• Analyze table data: "Analyze the sales data in this Excel"
• Make Word documents: "Help me create a contract template"

Usage is simple: type a slash command in the chat or just describe what you want to do. For example, if you say "Help me make a PPT," Claude Code will automatically call the relevant skill.

Play 3: Web Search and Research

Search for the latest policy changes in cross-border e-commerce for 2026, focusing on tariff adjustments and platform rule changes, and organize them into a briefing document.

Claude Code can help you search the web, organize information, and generate documents all in one go.

Play 4: Do multiple things at once

One of the best ways to use Claude Code is "multiple tasks in one sentence":

Help me do three things:

1. Translate the product plan I wrote last week into English.
2. Generate a 10-page investor PPT based on this plan.
3. Write a product tweet under 200 words.

One command, three outputs. Previously, you might have had to do these three things in three different tools.

Five Tips to Double Your Efficiency

1. Give it enough context

Bad command: "Help me write an article"

Good command: "Help me write a 2000-word WeChat official account article on how small and medium sellers can create differentiation on Amazon. The readers are people who have done cross-border e-commerce for 1-3 years. The tone should be practical and down-to-earth, using many specific cases."

The more information you give it, the more accurate the output.

1. Let it reference your style

If you have written articles or documents before, you can let Claude Code read them first:

Read a few articles in the "My Articles" folder first to learn my writing style, then help me write a new article in the same style.

It will mimic your word choices, sentence structures, and argumentation. What it writes will make others feel like you wrote it.

1. Use /clear to stay sharp

After finishing a task, type /clear to clear the conversation history. This is like refreshing your assistant's brain, allowing it to focus on the next task.

If you don't clear it, previous content will occupy its "memory space" and might interfere with subsequent tasks.

1. Speak up if you're unsatisfied

Claude Code is not a one-time tool. If the output is unsatisfactory, tell it exactly what's wrong:

• The beginning of this article is too flat; change it to a counter-intuitive viewpoint.
• Change the case in the third paragraph to one closer to the Chinese market.
• The ending is too much like "chicken soup"; change it to an action checklist.

It will iterate and modify based on your feedback, getting closer to what you want.

1. Use Esc Esc to roll back

If Claude Code makes a change you don't want, pressing the Esc key twice can undo it. Just like Ctrl+Z in Word, you can change your mind at any time.

FAQ

Q: I don't understand technology at all; can I really use it?

Yes, you really can. Claude Code's interaction method is "speaking human." Just as you assign tasks to a colleague, you talk to it. It understands Chinese, vague descriptions, and even when you say "it's just that kind of feeling."

Q: What is the difference between Claude Code and ChatGPT?

The biggest difference: ChatGPT can only give you text replies in a chat box, and you have to copy and paste them yourself. Claude Code can directly create files, modify files, and execute operations on your computer. Its work results appear directly on your computer, ready to use.

Additionally, Claude Code uses Anthropic's strongest Opus model; its depth of thought and accuracy are in the top tier of all current AI products.

Q: Is $20 a month worth it?

Do the math: if Claude Code saves you 1 hour of repetitive labor every day, that's 30 hours a month. How much is your time worth? $20 is about 145 RMB, which is less than the labor cost of a single hour.

Q: Will it mess up the files on my computer?

Claude Code will ask for your permission before performing file operations. You can choose to confirm every time or set a trusted range of operations. And every step can be undone. Even if you accidentally change something wrong, two Esc Esc and it's back.

Q: Is my data safe?

Anthropic does not use your conversation data to train models. Your local file content will be sent to Claude's servers for processing during the conversation, but it will not be stored or used for other purposes. If you are handling highly sensitive data, it is recommended to read Anthropic's privacy policy for details.

Why Should You Start Using AI Now?

Many people think AI tools are toys for programmers and geeks and that they can't use them because they don't understand technology.

That's a 2024 mindset.

The reality in 2026 is: The barrier to using AI has dropped to nearly zero. You don't need to learn programming, you don't need to understand algorithms, and you don't need to know what "Large Language Model" means. You only need to be able to describe your needs—and you do that every day.

Every time you tell a colleague "help me make a table," every time you tell a designer "make this color a bit brighter," every time you message an assistant "help me check last year's sales data"—you are doing the same thing: describing needs in natural language.

The revolutionary thing about Claude Code is that it allows you to get an all-around digital assistant in the same way. This assistant doesn't take leave, doesn't miss messages, doesn't complain about overtime, and its capabilities are constantly evolving.

The best way to learn is to just start using it. Don't wait until you "have time to learn," and don't wait until you "figure out the principles." Install it first, try a few simple tasks, and let it help you do something that would have taken you half an hour today.

When you first experience the feeling of "I said one sentence, and the result came out 5 seconds later," you'll never go back.

Next Steps

If you found this article useful, here is my recommended path for advancement:

1. Today: Install Claude Code and complete your first conversation.
2. This Week: Try letting it help you with a real work task—writing an article, analyzing data, or making a PPT.
3. Next Week: Explore Skill packs and find 2-3 skills that best fit your work scenarios.
4. One Month Later: Establish your own workflow—fixed Prompt templates, commonly used command sets.

The difference between "knowing how to use it" and "using it well" is just a few weeks of practice.

And the first step you need to take is to start now.

This article was completed in Claude Code, from conception to final draft, in 35 minutes.