Claude Code Setup Guide
Most people get stuck before they even start. This is the guide I wish existed. Every step from terminal open to first deployed project, in one sitting.
Ryan FrizelleUpdated May 2, 2026What you'll walk away with
- Claude Code installed and talking to your terminal
- GitHub, Supabase and Vercel wired together once
- The prompt that takes you from zero to a deployed project
You see a video about Claude Code, get excited, open the terminal for the first time, hit a weird error, and close it. I have been there, and it is frustrating when you have no idea what you are looking at. This guide walks you through every step from nothing to a deployed project, in one sitting.
Claude Code is Anthropic's AI that lives in your terminal. You open it inside your actual project folder and it reads everything. Writes files, runs commands, builds features. You talk to it, it does the work. You do not need to know how to code. That is literally the whole thing.
Install Claude Code
Here is how to install Claude Code:
- 1Go to claude.ai/download and sign into your Anthropic account. If you do not have one yet, create a free account. You will need a subscription to use Claude Code. The Pro plan at $20/month works.
- 2Install Node.js if you do not have it. Go to nodejs.org, download the LTS version, and run the installer. Takes 2 minutes. Claude Code requires Node to run.
- 3Open your terminal. On Mac, search "Terminal" in Spotlight. On Windows, open WSL. On Linux, you already know where it is.
- 4Run: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Let it finish. When you see a success message, Claude Code is installed.
- 5Type claude and hit enter. It pops open a browser to connect your Anthropic account. Authorize it. You are in.
What version of Claude Code am I running? And what is my current working directory? If anything looks wrong or I am missing any dependencies, tell me exactly how to fix it.If you got a response back, Claude Code is installed and connected. That is the hardest part. Everything from here is just following steps.
Connect GitHub
Next is GitHub. Claude Code manages your code through git, and GitHub is where it lives remotely. It also connects to Vercel so every push automatically deploys your site. You do not need to understand git deeply to use it. Let Claude handle it.
Here is how to set up GitHub:
- 1Go to github.com and create a free account. Pick a username you are fine with publicly.
- 2Check if Git is installed. On Mac, run git --version in your terminal. If it says "command not found," run brew install git. Ask Claude Code how to install Homebrew if you need to.
- 3Set your git identity. Run: git config --global user.name "Your Name" and git config --global user.email "you@email.com"
- 4Set up SSH keys. This lets you push code without typing your password every time. Paste the prompt below and Claude walks you through the whole thing.
Help me connect my GitHub account with SSH so I can push code without typing my password every time. Walk me through generating an SSH key pair, adding the public key to my GitHub account at github.com/settings/keys, and testing the connection. Explain each step before you run it so I know what is happening.Set up Supabase
Now Supabase. This is your database and your auth, all in one place and free to start. Claude Code knows it well enough that you will not have to figure most of it out yourself. But you need to create the project first.
Here is how to set up Supabase:
- 1Go to supabase.com and create a free account. Verify your email.
- 2Click "New project." Name it after what you are building. Pick a region close to where your users are. Set a strong database password and save it somewhere. You will need it later.
- 3Wait about 2 minutes while it spins up. Then go to Settings, then API. You will see your Project URL and your anon/public API key. Keep that tab open. Claude Code needs both when it sets up your project.
Put it live with Vercel
Last piece. Vercel hosts your project on the internet. Connect it to GitHub once and every push auto-deploys your site. Probably the fastest setup of everything on this list.
Here is how to set up Vercel:
- 1Go to vercel.com and create a free account. Sign up with GitHub so they connect from the start.
- 2Click "Add New Project." Import your GitHub repo. If you do not have a project yet, do this after you run the first-project prompt below.
- 3Vercel detects Next.js automatically. Leave the defaults. Add your environment variables (Supabase URL and anon key) under Environment Variables. Click Deploy.
- 4About 60 seconds later you have a live URL. Share it with anyone.
Build your first project
I just set up Claude Code, GitHub with SSH access, a Supabase project, and a Vercel account. I am ready to build my first project. Here is what I want to build: [describe your project in 2-3 sentences].
Before writing any code, help me set up the project structure. Create a new Next.js project with TypeScript and Tailwind CSS. Connect it to my GitHub account by creating a new private repo. Create a CLAUDE.md file that tells you how I want this project built. Then walk me through connecting it to Supabase and deploying it to Vercel. Go step by step and wait for me to confirm each step before moving on.That prompt is the one. Zero to deployed in about 30 minutes. Do not skip the CLAUDE.md step. That file makes every future Claude Code session on this project 10x better. It tells Claude exactly how you want things built so you stop getting generic output.
What you have now
That is the whole setup. Claude Code installed. GitHub connected. Supabase ready. Vercel live. You are set up the same way I am. From here, you build.
The Claude Code Course
Liked this? There's 50x more in the course.
- Getting Started setup guide + prompts
- Quick Wins library (growing monthly)
- Step-by-step website and dashboard builds
- All future sections + updates forever
$47 once. Keep forever. Full refund within 14 days.