How to Use Claude Code: The Complete 2026 Guide
Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal AI assistant that reads your project, writes and edits code. Here's installation, tier limits and practical workflows.
What Claude Code Is
Claude Code is an agent from Anthropic that runs directly in your terminal and works with your project: it reads files, runs commands, and writes and edits code. It arrived as an answer to editors like Cursor, but lives in the command line rather than an IDE — which lets it slot into any workflow.
The key difference from a regular chat: Claude Code sees the whole codebase context and applies changes to files itself, instead of handing you snippets to copy.
How to Install
Claude Code installs with a single command via the Node package manager:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
After installing, run it in your project root:
claude
On first launch it asks you to sign in — with a Claude subscription or an API key. For regular work a subscription is almost always cheaper.
Limits: Pro, Max 5x, Max 20x
Claude Code draws on the same limits as your Claude subscription. The tiers differ in how much work you get:
| Plan | Usage vs Pro | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Pro | baseline | occasional tasks, trying it out |
| Claude Max 5x | 5x Pro | daily development |
| Claude Max 20x | 20x Pro | all-day continuous work |
On Pro you hit the limit fast during active Claude Code use — enough to try it and for infrequent tasks. Max 5x is the workhorse for daily coders. Max 20x is for keeping the agent running for hours.
Practical Workflows
- Run it in the project root so Claude Code sees the whole structure and you don’t have to explain where things are.
- Describe the task, not the steps — “add pagination to the orders list” works better than dictating line-by-line edits.
- Ask for a plan before big changes — the agent shows what it intends to touch before it starts.
- Keep git handy — Claude Code edits files directly, and a commit before a large task gives you a rollback point.
Is Max Worth It for Claude Code
If Claude Code is your main development tool, Pro will almost certainly feel tight within the first week. Max 5x removes the limit question for most people, and Max 20x is for those who keep the agent running all day.
Frequently asked questions
What is Claude Code?
Claude Code is an agent from Anthropic that runs in your terminal. It sees your project files, runs commands, and writes and edits code from natural-language requests. Unlike a chat, it acts directly in your codebase.
Do I need a subscription for Claude Code?
Yes. Claude Code works with a Claude Pro or Claude Max subscription, or with an API key billed per token. For regular use a subscription is more cost-effective than the API.
How does Claude Max differ from Pro for Claude Code?
Max gives 5x or 20x more usage than Pro. On Pro you hit the limit quickly during active Claude Code work; Max 5x is comfortable for daily development, and Max 20x is for all-day continuous use.
Which operating systems does Claude Code support?
Claude Code runs on macOS, Linux and Windows. On Windows it is convenient to run through a terminal or WSL.