4.8 KiB
4.8 KiB
| title | aliases | tags | sources | created | updated | ||||||||
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| Claude Code Overview |
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2026-04-17 | 2026-04-17 |
Claude Code Overview
Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding assistant — reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands, and integrates with dev tools across terminal, IDE, desktop, and browser.
Installation
macOS / Linux / WSL:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows PowerShell:
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Windows CMD:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd
- Native Windows installs require Git for Windows first
- Native installs auto-update in background
- Start in any project:
cd your-project && claude
Core Capabilities
Automate tedious tasks
- Write tests for untested code
- Fix lint errors across a project
- Resolve merge conflicts, update dependencies, write release notes
claude "write tests for the auth module, run them, and fix any failures"
Build features & fix bugs
- Describe in plain language → Claude plans, writes across files, verifies
- Paste an error message → Claude traces root cause, implements fix
Git integration
claude "commit my changes with a descriptive message"
- Stages changes, writes commit messages, creates branches, opens PRs
- CI automation via GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
- Connect Claude to Google Drive, Jira, Slack, custom tools
- Open standard for AI ↔ external data integration
- See wiki/agent-sdk/overview for programmatic MCP use
Customization
CLAUDE.md— project-root file Claude reads every session; set coding standards, preferred libs, review checklists- Auto memory — Claude saves learnings (build commands, debugging insights) across sessions automatically
- Custom commands (skills) — package repeatable workflows:
/review-pr,/deploy-staging - Hooks — shell commands before/after Claude actions (auto-format after edit, lint before commit)
Multi-agent & Agent SDK
- Spawn multiple Claude Code agents working simultaneously on subtasks
- Lead agent coordinates, assigns, and merges results
- For fully custom workflows: wiki/agent-sdk/overview gives full control over orchestration and tool access
CLI scripting & Unix composability
# Pipe logs
tail -200 app.log | claude -p "Slack me if you see any anomalies"
# CI translation
claude -p "translate new strings into French and raise a PR for review"
# Security review on changed files
git diff main --name-only | claude -p "review these changed files for security issues"
Scheduled / recurring tasks
| Option | Where it runs | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Routines | Anthropic-managed infra | Morning PR reviews, overnight CI analysis — runs without your computer |
| Desktop scheduled tasks | Local machine | Direct access to local files/tools |
/loop |
CLI session | Quick polling within a session |
Surfaces
All surfaces share the same CLAUDE.md files, settings, and MCP servers.
| Surface | Best for |
|---|---|
| Terminal CLI | Full-featured; edit files, run commands |
| VS Code / JetBrains | IDE-integrated editing |
| Desktop app | Visual diff review, Dispatch task routing |
| Web app | Start tasks, continue on mobile |
iOS app + --teleport |
Mobile continuation of terminal sessions |
| Remote Control | Continue local session from any device/phone |
Slack (@Claude) |
Route bug reports → pull requests from chat |
| GitHub Actions / GitLab CI | Automated PR review and issue triage |
| Chrome extension | Debug live web applications |
| Agent SDK | Build fully custom agents programmatically |
Key Takeaways
- Claude Code works across your entire codebase, not just open files
CLAUDE.mdis the primary way to give Claude persistent project context- MCP enables connections to any external data source or tool
- Hooks automate pre/post actions (format, lint, notify) around Claude's edits
- Routines run scheduled tasks on Anthropic infrastructure — no local machine needed
- All surfaces (CLI, IDE, desktop, web, mobile) share the same underlying engine
- The Agent SDK is the programmable layer on top of Claude Code for custom automation
Related Articles
- wiki/agent-sdk/overview — build custom agents programmatically
- wiki/agent-sdk/hooks-guide — all 25 hook events, matchers, exit codes
- wiki/agent-sdk/agent-skills-plugins — loading skills and MCP servers
Sources
raw/Claude Code overview.md— clipped from code.claude.com/docs/en/overview