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

I'd really like to get Claude Code working in VS Code on Mac. I'm not very familiar with this kind of stuff.

I've now tried installing it on 3 different Macs, and haven't gotten it working until this afternoon -

I was finally able to get it to install properly (I think) using

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

Claude Code launched ONCE from Terminal, so then I tried following Anthropic's steps to get it going in VS Code,

(Run claude - the extension will auto-install)|
but ... "bash: claude: command not found".

I just wanted to try launching it again from Terminal, and now I get:

"The default interactive shell is now zsh.
To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`.
For more details, please visit https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208050."

huh?

If I try running Code from Terminal again...

"-bash: claude: command not found"

???

So - absolutely no clue what's going on. Thought the third time might be a charm, and at least I was able to launch it once... :)

Any help appreciated.

It's simpler, more stable, and no longer requires Node.js. This is the new recommended way to install it on macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Reported by NearExplains

Hey everyone,

Since Claude Code has been around for a while now and many of us are already familiar with Claude Sonnet 3.7, I wanted to share a quick step-by-step guide for those who haven’t had time to explore it yet.

This guide sums up everything you need to know about Claude Code, including:

• How to install and set it up

• The benefits and when to use it

• A demo of its capabilities in action

• Some Claude Code essential commands

I think Claude Code is a better alternative to coding assistants like Cursor and Bolt, especially for developers who want an AI that really understands the entire codebase instead of just suggesting lines.

https://medium.com/p/how-to-install-and-use-claude-code-the-new-agentic-coding-tool-d03fd7f677bc?source=social.tw