Contents

Getting Started with Claude CLI on Windows

An approachable, step-by-step guide for non-developers using WSL By Catalyst & Code Consulting Digital + technical enablement for real humans

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What this guide is:

A beginner-friendly walkthrough to install and run Claude CLI on Windows using WSL — no prior command-line experience required.

Who this is for:

• Analysts, consultants, operators • Curious builders who don’t identify as “technical” • Anyone who wants to use Claude outside the browser

What You’ll Need

  • A Windows computer with administrator access
  • Windows 10 version 2004 or higher, or Windows 11
  • An internet connection
  • About 20-30 minutes

Installing Claude

Step 1: Install WSL with Ubuntu

WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) lets you run a Linux environment directly on Windows.

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard
  2. Type powershell
  3. Right-click on Windows PowerShell
  4. Select Run as administrator
  5. Click “Yes” if asked for permission
  6. Copy this command, paste it into PowerShell, and press Enter:

wsl –install -d Ubuntu

  1. Wait for the installation to complete (this may take 5-10 minutes)
  2. Restart your computer when prompted

Step 2: Set Up Ubuntu

After restarting, Ubuntu will automatically open and finish setting up.

  1. Wait for the setup to complete (you’ll see “Installing, this may take a few minutes…”)
  2. When prompted, create a username (use lowercase letters, no spaces)
  3. Create a password (you won’t see it as you type - this is normal)
  4. Re-enter your password to confirm

Important: Remember this username and password - you’ll need them later.

Step 3: Open Ubuntu Terminal

Now you can access Ubuntu anytime:

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard
  2. Type ubuntu
  3. Click on Ubuntu (the orange icon)

A terminal window will open with green and white text.

Step 4: Install Claude

In the Ubuntu terminal, copy this command, paste it (right-click to paste), and press Enter:

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

This will download and install Claude. It may take 1-2 minutes. You’ll see progress messages scrolling by.

Note: Git is typically pre-installed in Ubuntu. If needed, the installation script will handle it automatically.

Step 5: Restart Your Terminal

After installation completes:

  1. Close the Ubuntu terminal window
  2. Open Ubuntu again (Windows key, type ubuntu, click Ubuntu)

This ensures Claude is ready to use.

Step 6: Start Claude

In the Ubuntu terminal, type this command and press Enter:

claude

Step 7: Log In with Your Claude Pro Account

When Claude starts for the first time:

  1. You’ll see a message asking how you want to authenticate
  2. Choose to log in with your Claude account
  3. Your web browser will open automatically
  4. Log in with your Claude Pro credentials (the same login you use for claude.ai)
  5. Click Authorize to give Claude permission
  6. Return to the Ubuntu terminal - you’re now logged in!

Start Using Claude

You’re ready! Claude is now running and you can start chatting.

Practice Track 1: Your First Steps with Claude

Now that Claude is running, let’s get you comfortable with the Linux terminal. This hands-on tutorial will take about 5-10 minutes.

Create Your Practice Space

In the Ubuntu terminal, type these commands one at a time:

mkdir getting-started
cd getting-started

What you just did: Created a folder called “getting-started” and moved into it.

Start Claude in Your New Folder

claude

Now Claude is running and knows about this directory. Here’s what to try:

Your First Conversation with Claude

Try this: Type this question to Claude:

“I just created a directory called getting-started. Can you explain what mkdir and cd do?”

Claude will explain the commands you used. This is how you’ll learn - by doing something, then asking Claude to explain it.

Practice Essential Commands

Ask Claude to help you try these commands (ask Claude about each one before running it):

  1. pwd - See where you are in the file system
  2. ls - List files in your current directory
  3. mkdir practice - Create another folder
  4. cd practice - Move into that folder
  5. cd .. - Move back up one level (the .. means “parent directory”)
  6. cd ~/getting-started - Jump back to your getting-started folder (the ~ means “home”)

Create and Read a File

Try this with Claude’s help:

echo "Hello from Ubuntu!" > welcome.txt
cat welcome.txt

Ask Claude: “What did echo and cat just do?”

You can also try nano welcome.txt to edit the file (press Ctrl+X to exit nano).

Understanding Directory Symbols

Ask Claude to explain:

  • ./ = current directory (e.g., ./welcome.txt means the file right here)
  • ../ = parent directory (one level up)
  • ~ = your home directory
  • / = root directory (the very top of the file system)

Key Takeaway: Claude is your learning companion. When you’re unsure about a command, ask Claude to explain it before and after you run it!

Practice Track 2: Unlocking Claude’s Power Features

Once you’re comfortable with basic commands, Claude has advanced features that make it incredibly powerful.

Understanding Agents

Claude can launch specialized “agents” to help with complex tasks. Try asking:

“Can you explore the files in this directory and explain what each one does?”

Claude might use an Explore agent to search through your files systematically.

Research with Confidence

Claude can research topics for you. Try this advanced request:

“Research the best practices for SSH key management. Give me your sources and confidence level on each recommendation.”

This teaches Claude to:

  • Cite sources
  • Admit uncertainty
  • Show you where information comes from

Critical Thinking Prompts

Use these phrases to get better answers:

  • “Give me your sources and confidence level on each statement”
  • “What are you uncertain about in your answer?”
  • “Show me 2-3 alternative approaches to this problem”
  • “Explain the tradeoffs between these options”

Working with Project Directories

Important concept: Claude sees files in your current directory.

  • If you’re working on a Python project: cd ~/my-python-project && claude
  • If you’re working on a different project: Use cd to change to that directory first

Try asking Claude:

  • “What files are in this directory?”
  • “What does this config file do?” (if you have one)
  • “Help me organize these files”

Directory Navigation Tip

Your Windows files are at: /mnt/c/Users/YourName/ Your Linux home is at: ~ (which is /home/yourname)

Example: To work on a project from your Windows Desktop:

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Desktop/my-project
claude

Key Takeaway: Claude isn’t just a chatbot - it’s a power tool for learning, researching, and working with code. Experiment with asking it to use agents, cite sources, and explain tradeoffs!

Additional Information

Common Commands

Once Claude is running:

  • Type your questions or requests and press Enter
  • Type /help to see available commands
  • Type /clear to clear the conversation
  • Type /exit or press Ctrl+C to quit

To start Claude again later:

  1. Open Ubuntu terminal
  2. Type claude and press Enter

Troubleshooting tool: If Claude isn’t working properly, exit the session and run claude doctor in your terminal to diagnose issues.

Understanding Usage with Claude Pro

Claude uses your Claude Pro subscription. Here’s what to know:

  • Usage limits: Claude Pro has usage limits that reset periodically
  • Rate limiting: If you use Claude heavily, you might see a “rate limit” message
  • What to do: If you hit a limit, wait a few minutes or an hour and try again
  • Monitoring: You can see a rough usage indicator in your Claude Pro account settings

Claude counts against the same usage limits as using Claude on the web, so if you’re doing a lot of coding work, you may reach limits faster than normal chatting.

Troubleshooting

WSL installation fails: Make sure you’re running Windows 10 version 1809 or higher. Check your version by pressing Windows key + R, typing winver, and pressing Enter.

“curl: command not found”: Curl is pre-installed in Ubuntu. If you see this error, try sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl, or Ubuntu may not have finished installing properly.

“Access denied” during WSL installation: Make sure you opened PowerShell as administrator (Step 1)

Claude command not found: Close and reopen the Ubuntu terminal. The installation may need a fresh terminal session.

Login not working: Make sure you have an active Claude Pro subscription at claude.ai. The free Claude account won’t work with Claude.

Browser doesn’t open for login: Copy the URL shown in the terminal and paste it into your browser manually

Installation script fails: Make sure you’re connected to the internet and try running the installation command again

Why Choose WSL?

  • Process isolation: WSL 2 provides a separate Linux environment, isolating development work from your Windows system
  • More powerful: Full Linux environment with access to Linux tools and commands
  • Better compatibility: Many development tools work better in Linux environments
  • Learn Linux: Get familiar with Linux/Unix systems used by most servers and development tools

Next Steps

After completing Project 1 and Project 2 above, you’ll be ready to:

  • Use Claude for real projects and technical questions
  • Explore the Claude documentation for advanced features
  • Start building your own scripts and automation tools

Need help? Visit the Claude GitHub issues page: https://github.com/anthropics/claude/issues