Getting startedIntermediate · about 30 minFree · no signup

Set up reusable project context for a coding assistant

Account, IDE, extension, log in — every link is in the scoop. Then the file that stops it acting like a stranger.

By Alan Brown · Works with Claude Code

Video cover: The Claude Code setup, and the step everyone skips

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Here's the full Claude Code setup — all 4 steps, with the links.

1️⃣ Create your account — claude.ai. You'll need the Pro plan at $20/month. Claude Code isn't on the free tier.
2️⃣ Download an IDE — VS Code code.visualstudio.com/download or Antigravity antigravity.google/download. Either works, Mac or Windows.
3️⃣ Install the official extension — marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=anthropic.claude-code. Check the publisher says Anthropic; there are copycats.
4️⃣ Log in — click the Claude icon in the sidebar and sign in with your account from Step 1. That's it, you're live ✅
📄 Official docs if you get stuck: code.claude.com/docs/en/vs-code

Context & limitations

The install isn't where the power is. Add a CLAUDE.md file that explains your business and how you work — Claude Code reads it every single session, so it stops acting like a stranger who's never met you.

Quick start: type /init inside Claude Code and it writes you a starter file to edit. Most people set up the tool. Almost nobody sets up the context 🧠

Do this yourself

Help me improve this project's CLAUDE.md. Read the existing instructions and relevant project files first if you have access; otherwise ask me to paste them. Ask only for information the files don't establish: the project goal, audience, working preferences, conventions and recurring mistakes. Ask one question at a time. Draft a concise file, aiming for under 50 lines without dropping essential instructions. Include verified build/test commands, conventions that change how you work, and important boundaries. Distinguish observed facts from my preferences; don't invent commands or claim these instructions guarantee compliance. Preserve useful existing guidance, flag conflicts, and show the proposed changes before replacing the file.

Project instructions are more useful when their commands are verified and their conventions are specific to the repository.

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