Why You Want to Use Claude Code
As of July 2025, Claude Code is one of the most powerful AI coding assistants.
Actually, it’s my Head of Requirements and Software Engineering.
I give it a rough idea and it creates the requirements (prompt for a PRD, a product requirements document). After I review those, it builds the complete solution, including testing, deployment and documentation, on its own.
Does it get any better than that?
I usually develop in Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code, VSCode for short.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, follow this free course. You’ll be amazed at what Claude can do, especially when used with GitHub.
Setting Up Claude Code on Windows
As of August 2025, the Subsystem for Linux (WSL) described below is no longer necessary on Windows.
Instead, in VSCode install the Claude Code for VSCode extension.
Install Node.js. Download it from their page nodejs.org.
Then install and use Claude Code directly from a PowerShell.
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
This installs Claude Code globally via npm, making the claude command available in your terminal.
Open a new PowerShell terminal and Claude should be available.
Claude Code on Windows in WSL
To set up Claude Code on Windows, you will need to configure the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), install Node.js and npm, and link your Anthropic account.
Below is a step-by-step guide to get started on Microsoft Windows (on iOS and Linux Claude Code runs natively, you don’t need the WSL step).
Step 1. Installing WSL
To begin, enable WSL by opening your Windows PowerShell (cmd) as administrator and running the command
wsl --install
This will install Ubuntu by default and may require a system restart.
After restarting, a terminal window will prompt you to set a username and password for your Linux distribution. You can then access the Linux subsystem by typing wsl in PowerShell or launching the Ubuntu app.
Step 2. Installing Node.js and npm
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y (upgrades outdated libraries)
sudo apt install nodejs npm
The default version of Node.js installed via apt may be outdated. To install the latest version, use Node Version Manager (nvm):
(by the time you read this, these versions are most probably outdated)
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
nvm install 18
nvm use 18
node --version
npm --version
v18.20.8
10.8.2
Step 3. Setting up an Anthropic account
To use Claude Code, you will need an Anthropic API account:
- Create an account on the Anthropic Console.
- Add at least $30 in credits to your account using a credit or debit card. Keep in mind that Claude Opus 4 is a premium model, and costs may vary depending on the complexity of your project.
Step 4. Installing Claude Code
Once Node.js and npm are set up, you can install Claude Code globally, i.e. for usage in all folders.
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
After installation, launch Claude Code by simply typing:
claude
The tool will prompt you to configure the interface:
Step 5. Setting up Claude Code
After launching Claude Code for the first time, you will need to authenticate it with your Anthropic account:
- Select the option to connect to the Anthropic Console.
- A browser window will open, prompting you to log in to your Anthropic account.
- Copy the authentication code generated by the console and paste it into the Claude Code terminal.
Once authenticated, Claude Code will be ready to use.
For a more comprehensive walkthrough of Claude Code’s features and practical usage, check out our Claude Code guide with examples.
Usage
Open a repository in VS Code, launch a terminal and configure it to use Ubuntu (WSL).
From the shell, launch Claude from within the repository directory.
Software Project Result
Here’s the final screen of a software project I am working on.
In the product requirements document PRD, Claude Code estimated a 6 week development time.
Interestingly, after launching 5 coordinated specialist agents in Claude Flow mode, they finished the code in 3 minutes…
Tool Pricing
I’m currently on a Pro plan. That’s good for everyday use and lots of coding.
But if you use a framework like Code Flow, a «medium sized» software project like developing a custom Adobe Lightroom plugin will burn through your token capacity for the day.
If you’re a software developer, you will need the Max plan to access enough token power. Even at $100 per month it’s great value for money compared to actual software programmers.
Happy vibe coding!
Ein Kommentar
Great guide! The comparison between estimated vs. actual development time using Claude Code is particularly insightful and encouraging for potential users. Highly useful for developers exploring AI coding tools.