chmodshubham / claude-code

Setup Claude Code with VS Code

Claude Code Setup Guide

This guide explains how to install and use @anthropic-ai/claude-code.

1. Node.js Requirement

The package requires Node.js ≥ 18.0.0 (as of Aug 20, 2025).
If your current version is older, update it using the steps below.

# Check versions
node -v
npm -v

# Remove old Node.js and npm (if installed via apt)
sudo apt remove -y nodejs npm

# Install NodeSource Node.js 18 (or newer)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify installation
node -v
npm -v

2. Install the Package

You can install the package in two ways.

Option A: Global Install

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

Option B: Local Install (Recommended)

Run directly with npx:

npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Or install locally in your project:

npm install @anthropic-ai/claude-code --save-dev

Then run:

npx claude-code

3. VS Code Extension

To use Claude Code in VS Code, install the extension:

• Extension Name: Claude Code for VSCode
• Marketplace Link: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=anthropic.claude-code