This is pretty common to have different options to install binaries and I assume part of the reason why they do have the second option is to gear towards to non-developers or those unfamiliar with nodejs. Most developers familiar with nodejs would use option 1, `npm install` is as easy as it gets. Usually with nodejs, developers work in many different projects with many nodejs versions. So it's common to manage multiple nodejs environments (with something like nvm or asdf). This is how we avoid installing packages in system folders (which requires sudo). I encourage you to ask Claude honestly, you'll get some pretty good answers. Everything is done in good intentions. Answer from sirneb on reddit.com
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/claudeai › new to claude code - why are there 3 different ways to install this thing?
r/ClaudeAI on Reddit: New to Claude Code - why are there 3 different ways to install this thing?
August 27, 2025 -

Hey everyone, I'm new to Claude Code and just spent an hour in installation hell. I'm on a Mac

So apparently, there are THREE ways to install this:

  1. npm install: npm install -g u/anthropic-ai/claude-code

    • Docs say this is "standard installation"

    • Gets a permission denied error

    • Docs then warn "DO NOT use sudo"

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

    • Called "beta" but actually works

    • Buried in a random troubleshooting article

    • Installs to ~/.local/bin (need to fix PATH)

  3. sudo npm: sudo npm install -g u/anthropic-ai/claude-code

    • What actually makes npm work

    • But docs specifically say DON'T do this

    • "Security risks" apparently

How did you all install this?
Also, why do they recommend npm when they literally have a note saying "Claude Code has a native installation that doesn't depend on npm" - THEN MAKE THAT THE DEFAULT??

I'm not even mad, this is hilarious. Just want to know if I'm missing something obvious here

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Claude
code.claude.com › docs › en › setup
Set up Claude Code - Claude Code Docs
Uninstall Claude Code · Native installation · Homebrew installation · NPM installation · Clean up configuration files (optional) Administration · Copy page · Install, authenticate, and start using Claude Code on your development machine. Copy page · Operating Systems: macOS 10.15+, Ubuntu 20.04+/Debian 10+, or Windows 10+ (with WSL 1, WSL 2, or Git for Windows) Hardware: 4 GB+ RAM ·
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Anthropic
docs.anthropic.com › en › docs › claude-code › overview
Claude Code overview - Claude Code Docs
A Claude.ai (recommended) or Claude Console account Install Claude Code: To install Claude Code, use one of the following methods: Native Install (Recommended) Homebrew · NPM · macOS, Linux, WSL: Copy · Ask AI · curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ·
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ClaudeLog
claudelog.com › home › install
Install Claude Code | ClaudeLog
Claude Code supports the following operating systems: ... Note: The native installer does not require Node.js. Only the legacy npm installation method requires Node.js 18.0+.
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Substack
designwithai.substack.com › p › how-to-install-claude-code
How to install Claude Code - Design with AI
October 2, 2025 - Guide to installing Claude Code: Simple steps, troubleshooting tips, and solutions if you run into errors.
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Latenode
community.latenode.com › other questions › npm
NPM installation vs Binary setup for Claude Code - which do you prefer? - NPM - Latenode Official Community
August 1, 2025 - I’m wondering about different ways to install Claude Code and what works best for everyone. There are two main options available right now. You can either use the regular npm package manager installation or try out the newer binary setup that’s still in beta testing.
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iTechs Online
itecsonline.com › post › how-to-install-claude-code-on-ubuntu-linux-complete-guide-2025
How to Install Claude Code on Ubuntu Linux: Complete Guide 2025 | Blog // ITECS
July 30, 2025 - This comprehensive guide walks you through installing Anthropic's Claude Code AI assistant on Ubuntu Linux. You'll learn how to properly configure Node.js and npm, authenticate with the Anthropic API, and start using this powerful AI coding tool in your development workflow.
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GitHub
github.com › anthropics › claude-code › issues › 80
Installation mechanism besides npm? · Issue #80 · anthropics/claude-code
February 25, 2025 - For those of us who aren't JS users, and thus don't already have npm on our systems, it'd be great to have an alternative installation mechanism. For me personally, providing a brew tap (or even be...
Published   Feb 25, 2025
Find elsewhere
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Micro
novistopheles.micro.blog › 2025 › 10 › 21 › installing-claude-codeedited.html
Installing Claude Code | Novistopheles
If you need to install Node.js on your Mac, you might use Homebrew or download from nodejs.org. For example, type the following in your Terminal: ... You want Node ≥ 20. ... On first run, you’ll be prompted to login/authenticate with your ...
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phpFashion
phpfashion.com › en › how-to-install-claude-code-beginners-guide
How to Install Claude Code: A Beginner's Guide » phpFashion
Since Claude Code is written in Node.js (which is an environment for running JavaScript applications on your computer), we first need to install this tool.
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Bind AI IDE
blog.getbind.co › 2025 › 08 › 26 › how-to-install-claude-code-cli
How to Install Claude Code CLI – Bind AI IDE
August 27, 2025 - Alternatively, for a fast and dependency-free installation: Open Terminal. Enter: bash curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash · This script auto-downloads and installs the latest stable release of Claude Code CLI.
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Medium
medium.com › ai-software-engineer › i-tried-claude-code-first-impression-install-and-start-using-it-1c96067a3163
I tried Claude Code (3X Faster Coding) - How to Install and Use Claude Code | AI Software Engineer
June 9, 2025 - Recently, I was excited to discover Claude Code ,I’ll share my experience on this quick Claude Code tutorial. I share how to install and use on Windows and VS Code
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Medium
medium.com › @eriktuck › install-claude-code-on-windows-d684ad9f3ef0
Definitive Guide to Installing Claude Code on Windows | by Erik Anderson | Medium
April 11, 2025 - To use Claude Code with Windows, you’ll need to enable WSL on your machine, install Node.js, install Python (if you haven’t already), install Claude Code, and set up a billing account.
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Eesel AI
eesel.ai › blog › npm-install-claude-code
A guide to `npm install claude-code`: Features, limitations, and alternatives - eesel AI
Learn how `npm install claude-code` works and explore its powerful features. We'll also cover the hidden costs and limitations of agentic coding tools and suggest a more integrated approach.
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Vibecodingwithfred
vibecodingwithfred.com › home › blog › claude code installation guide: using irm script, npm setup, and https://claude.ai/install.ps1 script
Claude Code Installation Guide: Using irm Script, npm Setup, and https://claude.ai/install.ps1 Script | Vibe Coding With Fred
1 month ago - # Remove Bun installation bun uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code rm -f ~/.bun/bin/claude # Remove npm/Node.js installation npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code # Remove any nvm-specific installations # Check each nvm Node version you have nvm list # For each version, switch to it and uninstall nvm use <version> npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
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GitHub
github.com › anthropics › claude-code › issues › 5209
[BUG] Native binary installation hangs in linux (server without npm installed) · Issue #5209 · anthropics/claude-code
August 6, 2025 - azureuser@web4:~$ curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash Setting up Claude Code... Cleaning up old npm installations...
Published   Aug 06, 2025