Your First Session

Let's walk through your first Claude Code session from start to finish.

Starting a Session

Navigate to any project directory and start Claude:

cd my-project
claude

Claude will analyze your project and display an interactive prompt.

Asking Questions

Start simple — ask Claude about your project:

> What does this project do?
> Explain the file structure
> What dependencies are used?

Making Changes

Ask Claude to make modifications:

> Add a new utility function that formats dates
> Fix the bug in the login handler
> Add error handling to the API routes

Claude will:

  1. Read relevant files to understand context
  2. Propose changes with a clear explanation
  3. Apply the changes after your approval
  4. Verify the changes work correctly

Using Commands

During a session, you can use slash commands:

  • /help — Show available commands
  • /clear — Clear the conversation context
  • /compact — Summarize the conversation to save context
  • /status — Show current session information

Ending a Session

Press Ctrl+C or type /exit to end your session. Your conversation history is preserved for future reference.

Tips for Beginners

  • Be specific — The more detail you provide, the better the results
  • Start small — Begin with simple tasks and work up to complex ones
  • Review changes — Always review Claude's proposed changes before accepting
  • Use context — Mention specific files or functions when asking questions