Claude Code Tutorial: From Zero to Productive in 30 Minutes

This tutorial takes you from zero to a productive Claude Code setup in under 30 minutes. By the end, you will have Claude Code installed, configured, and working on real tasks in your projects — plus an understanding of how plugins extend it into a domain specialist.

Step 1: Install Claude Code

Open your terminal and run a single command:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

This installs Claude Code globally on your machine. It requires Node.js (version 18 or later) and works on macOS 13+, Windows 10+, and most Linux distributions.

Authentication

Claude Code needs access to Claude's models. You have two options:

• Anthropic API key — Set your key and Claude Code uses it automatically
• Claude Pro or Max subscription — Authenticate through your existing Anthropic account

Step 2: Open a Project

Navigate to any project directory in your terminal and type claude to start a session. Claude Code immediately reads your project structure — source files, configuration, dependencies, git history — and builds a context map.

You do not need to describe your project. Claude Code figures it out by reading it.

Step 3: Your First Real Task

Start with something concrete:

Explain the codebase — Ask Claude to explain your project architecture. It will read through your files and give you a structured overview.

Fix a bug — Point Claude at a bug or error message. It will read the relevant files, trace the issue, propose a fix, and implement it.

Refactor a module — Ask Claude to refactor a messy file or function. It reads the code, identifies improvements, and makes the changes.

Add a feature — Describe a feature in plain language. Claude will plan the implementation and produce working code.

Step 4: Context Management

Project instructions — Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root with key information. Claude Code reads this file automatically at the start of every session.

Focused context — When working on a specific area, tell Claude which files or directories matter.

Session continuity — Within a session, Claude remembers everything you have discussed.

Step 5: Git Integration

Claude Code has native git support. It can stage changes, write commit messages, create branches, and manage your workflow. The git integration is especially powerful because Claude understands the semantic meaning of your changes, not just the text diff.

Step 6: Add Plugins for Specialized Workflows

At this point, you have a working Claude Code setup that handles general development tasks. The next step is making it a domain specialist.

Leopoldo (leopoldo.ai) provides managed plugins that add deep expertise to Claude Code. Each plugin is a complete kit — agents, orchestrators, and hooks — purpose-built for a specific professional domain.

How Plugin Installation Works

1. Purchase a plugin from leopoldo.ai
2. Download the plugin archive
3. Extract it to your project root
4. Run /setup with your license key to activate

Choosing Your First Plugin

• Finance professionals — Investment Core ($149)
• Software engineers — Full Stack ($149)
• Consultants — Senior Consultant ($99)
• Strategy teams — Competitive Intelligence ($99)
• Marketing — Marketing ($99)

Every Leopoldo plugin includes 12 months of autonomous updates. The complete plugin catalog is available at leopoldo.ai.

Want to see these plugins in action? Browse the catalog.