Start Here

This guide walks you through setting up Claude Code, VS Code, and Git on your computer. By the end, you'll have a working development environment with AI assistance.

What You're Building

By the end of this track, you'll have:

• VS Code installed and configured
• Claude Code extension working
• Git configured with your identity
• GitHub account connected via SSH
• Your first repo cloned with Claude templates

Your Setup Journey

Here's what each piece does:

Choose Your Platform

What Makes Claude Code Different?

Most AI coding tools work like a chatbot—you copy code in, get an answer, paste it back. That's tedious and error-prone.

Claude Code works differently:

Claude Code vs Traditional AI

With Claude Code, you can:

• Ask questions about code you don't understand
• Get changes applied directly to your files
• Run terminal commands without memorizing syntax
• Debug errors by just pasting them
• Generate entire features with context of your whole project

After Setup: Where to Go Next

Once you've finished setup, pick the track that matches your goals:

New to the terminology? Check the Glossary for quick definitions of key terms.

Getting Help

Stuck? Here's where to look:

1. Troubleshooting sections — Each setup guide has fixes for common issues
2. Claude Code itself — Ask "why isn't this working?" with your error message
3. Official docs — Claude Code Documentation
4. Community — Claude Discord has active help channels

Pick your platform above to begin.