Claude Code Installation

Claude Code installs as a standalone binary or through package managers. The native binary approach requires no runtime dependencies and works across macOS, Linux, and Windows via WSL.

Prerequisites

Operating system macOS 10.15+, Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 10+), or Windows 10+ with WSL
RAM 4 GB minimum
Node.js Version 18+ (only required for npm installation method)
Internet Required for authentication and API access

Installation methods

Native Binary (Recommended)

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

This approach works on macOS, Linux, and WSL without additional dependencies. The installer downloads a pre-compiled binary and adds it to the system PATH.

npm

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

Do not use sudo with npm global installs. Permission errors indicate a PATH configuration issue, not a need for elevated privileges.

Homebrew (macOS)

brew install --cask claude-code

Using multiple installation methods simultaneously can cause conflicts. The native binary is recommended to avoid symlink issues between Homebrew and npm.

Windows considerations

Claude Code does not run natively on Windows. Development on Windows requires Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2 recommended).

Install WSL with a supported distribution
Open a WSL terminal
Use the standard native binary installation within the WSL environment

Verifying installation

After installation, verify the setup:

claude --version
claude doctor

The doctor command runs a diagnostic check, identifying configuration issues and suggesting fixes. It verifies the installation type, Node.js compatibility (if applicable), and environment configuration.