You are a designer. Or an artist. Or a photographer. Or someone who makes things with their hands and their eyes.

You have heard about Claude Code. You have heard it can build websites, automate workflows, write entire applications. You have also heard it requires a terminal, and you stopped listening.

This guide is for you. No programming knowledge. No git. No jargon. One hour, and you will have built something real.

What Claude Code actually is

Claude Code is not a code editor. It is not an app you download and click around in. It is a conversation — but unlike chatting with Claude on the web, this conversation happens inside your actual files.

Think of it this way:

  • Claude.ai (the website) is like asking someone to describe how to bake bread. They’ll give you the recipe, but you do the work.
  • Claude Code is like having that person standing in your kitchen, mixing ingredients, adjusting the oven, and handing you warm bread.

Claude Code reads your files. It writes new ones. It modifies existing ones. It runs commands. It works inside your project, not beside it.

What you need

A laptop. That is genuinely it.

Claude Code runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. You need at least 4 GB of RAM (any laptop made after 2018 qualifies) and an internet connection.

You also need a paid Claude account. Claude Code requires at minimum the Pro plan at $20/month. There is no free tier for Claude Code — the free Claude.ai plan does not include it.

If you are already paying for Claude Pro or Max, you already have access. Claude Code shares your existing usage allowance.

Step 1: Open the terminal

The terminal is a text-based way to talk to your computer. Instead of clicking icons, you type commands. It looks intimidating. It is not.

On Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type “Terminal”, press Enter. A window opens with a blinking cursor.

On Windows: Press Win + X, select “Terminal” or “PowerShell”. Same idea.

That is the only hard part. Everything from here is typing plain English.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

Copy and paste this into your terminal and press Enter:

Mac or Linux:

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

Windows PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Wait about thirty seconds. When it finishes, type claude --version to confirm it worked. You should see a version number.

One thing to know: you do not need Node.js. Older tutorials may tell you to install it first — that method is now deprecated. The install script above handles everything.

Step 3: Log in

Type claude and press Enter. On first run, it asks you to log in. Type /login and it opens your browser. Sign in with your Claude account. Done.

You will not need to do this again.

Step 4: Create a workspace

You need a folder for your project. In the terminal, type:

mkdir my-first-project
cd my-first-project

The first line creates a folder. The second line moves you into it. Now Claude Code knows where to put things.

Step 5: Build something

This is where it gets interesting. Type claude to start a session, then describe what you want. In plain English. Be specific about what you want it to look like.

Try this:

Create a single HTML file called index.html. Make it a full-screen interactive particle animation — hundreds of small dots drifting slowly across a dark background, responding gently to mouse movement. Use soft, warm colours. Make it beautiful and meditative. It should open directly in a browser with no server needed.

Press Enter. Watch.

Claude will think for a moment, then start writing a file. You will see exactly what it is creating — every line, every decision. When it finishes, it will tell you what it made and how to open it.

Open the file in your browser. You should see something beautiful.

Not quite right? Say so. “Make the particles smaller.” “Use a cream background instead.” “Add a subtle fade trail.” Claude modifies the file based on your feedback. This is a conversation, not a vending machine.

Step 6: Set up your project’s memory

Here is the most underused feature in Claude Code: the CLAUDE.md file.

Every time you start a new Claude Code session, Claude starts fresh — no memory of what you discussed yesterday. The CLAUDE.md file fixes that. It is a plain text file that Claude reads at the start of every session, like a brief from a colleague.

Create one now. In your Claude Code session, say:

Create a CLAUDE.md file for this project. I’m a designer, not a developer. I prefer clean, minimal aesthetics with lots of whitespace. I like warm colour palettes — creams, soft grays, muted earth tones. When you write HTML, make it a single self-contained file that opens in a browser. Always use smooth, subtle animations. Explain every decision you make.

Claude will create the file. From now on, every session in this folder starts with Claude reading those preferences. You never repeat yourself.

You can also run /init and Claude will generate a CLAUDE.md automatically by analysing your project. But writing your own — describing your creative sensibilities — is more powerful.

Keep it under 200 lines. The official documentation is clear on this: longer files consume context and reduce adherence. Short, specific, well-structured instructions work best.

What you just did

In roughly thirty minutes, you:

  1. Opened a terminal for possibly the first time
  2. Installed a tool that can build software
  3. Created something visual through conversation
  4. Set up a persistent creative brief that carries across sessions

You did not learn to code. You learned to direct. There is a difference, and it matters.

Common mistakes to avoid

Starting vague. “Make something cool” gives Claude nothing to work with. “Make a single-page portfolio with my name centered in large serif type on a cream background with a subtle particle animation behind it” gives Claude everything.

Correcting endlessly instead of starting fresh. If Claude is going in the wrong direction after two attempts, start a new session with a better initial description. A fresh start with a clear prompt almost always outperforms a long, confused conversation.

Not using CLAUDE.md. Every session without it is a cold start. You will repeat yourself constantly.

Treating the output as final. The first result is a draft. Iterate. “Move the text up.” “Make the animation slower.” “Change the background to this specific hex colour.” Each refinement takes seconds.

Where to go from here

You have the foundation. From here, you can:

  • Build a portfolio site. Describe your layout, your type choices, your colour palette. Claude builds it.
  • Create interactive presentations. Single HTML files with scroll-triggered reveals and animations.
  • Generate design tools. Colour palette generators, type scale calculators, spacing visualisers — tools that serve your creative process.
  • Prototype ideas. Before opening Figma, describe the concept to Claude Code. See it working in a browser in minutes.

The terminal is not a developer’s tool. It is a creative tool you have not used yet.

Art & Algorithms publishes guides, tutorials, and prompt packs at the intersection of art and code. Subscribe for the full archive.