Install

Typing prompts into a browser tab hits a wall fast when you're building something real. We built the platform for liveinthemovent.com with this setup, and it has handled more than 8,000 ticket sales: iOS and Android apps, ticket scanners for the door, marketing in the background. The AI doesn't get everything right first time. With guardrails it still saves you an enormous amount of time. Over six episodes you go from an empty folder to a system that knows your rules and does tasks on its own. Episode 3 (server) is optional.

Honest up front: you can build the first app in an evening. Keeping it running is the actual job.

• A paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise) or a Console account. The free plan does not include Claude Code. Source: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup#authenticate
• A computer that meets the system requirements (macOS 13+, Windows 10 1809+, Ubuntu 20.04+, 4 GB RAM): https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup
• A terminal. Never used one? https://code.claude.com/docs/en/terminal-guide
• Git, needed by episode 4 at the latest: https://git-scm.com/downloads
• jq, so the safety hooks from episode 4 can run: https://jqlang.org/download/
• The setup pack (free): https://www.ailoopwise.com/en/starter

1. Open the official install page: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup Copy the command for your system from there, not from a video or from here. The method changes from time to time.
2. Check the install:
   Copy

   claude --version
   

   You see a version number. For a more detailed check:
   Copy

   claude doctor
   

3. Create an empty practice folder and start Claude Code in it:
   Copy

   mkdir first-session
   cd first-session
   claude
   

4. On first start your browser opens. Sign in with your Claude account and confirm.
5. Enter your first prompt:
   Copy

   Explain in three short sentences what you can and cannot do in this folder. Do not create any files yet.
   

6. End the session with /exit.
7. Download the setup pack, unzip it and put the folder in your home folder with exactly this name: ~/ailoopwise-blueprint. The scripts expect it there.

This is the project file you'll have at the end of episode 2: examples/CLAUDE-example.md. The key part is the hard rules:

## Hard rules (the AI must never)
- Send to real subscribers. Every send command you run uses --test.
- Write the mail API key into code, tests or git. It lives only in .env.

Type claude --version in a fresh terminal window. If a version number appears, you're ready.

• command not found: claude (or "not recognized" on Windows): the install directory is not on your shell's search path. Fix per system: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/troubleshoot-install#verify-your-path
• Windows says 'irm' is not recognized or The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator: you copied the command for the other shell (PowerShell vs CMD). Use the command on the setup page for the shell you're in.
• 403 Forbidden after login: check at https://claude.ai/settings that your subscription is active. Claude Code isn't part of the free tier.
• The browser doesn't open, or the code is rejected as invalid: press c at the login prompt to copy the sign-in URL, open it yourself, and finish the login quickly.