Claude Code CLI Guide

• Time to Complete: 15 minutes
• Prerequisites: Claude Pro or Max subscription

Overview

This is the terminal path for the course. It’s completely optional - most students should use the Claude Desktop app instead. Both paths run the exact same course; this one is for people who prefer working in a terminal (or are on Linux).

Key takeaway: Install the Claude Code CLI, then either paste the course prompt into Claude or run the FSPM CLI yourself. Setup takes about 15 minutes.

How to Open Your Terminal

All the commands in this guide need to be typed into your terminal (also called command line). Here’s how to open it:

Mac:

1. Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight
2. Type “Terminal”
3. Press Enter

Windows:

1. Press the Windows key
2. Type “PowerShell”
3. Press Enter

You’ll see a window with a blinking cursor - this is where you’ll type commands.

Install Claude Code

In your terminal, copy and paste one of these commands, then press Enter:

Mac/Linux:

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

Windows (PowerShell):

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

Verify Installation

Type this command in your terminal and press Enter:

claude --version

If you see a version number, installation succeeded. If you see command not found, completely close your terminal window and open a new one, then try again.

Authentication

Type this in your terminal and press Enter:

claude

When prompted:

1. Choose “Claude account with subscription” (NOT Anthropic Console)
2. Complete browser authentication
3. Select your preferred terminal text style

After authentication, you’ll see the Claude Code welcome screen.

Health Check

Inside Claude Code, type this command:

/doctor

This verifies:

• Installation integrity
• Active subscription
• System configuration
• Common issues

Healthy output shows green checkmarks for all items.

Get the Course

There are two ways to get the course from the terminal. The first is the easiest: let Claude do the setup.

Option A: Ask Claude (Recommended)

Open your terminal, launch Claude Code in a fresh folder for the course, and paste the same prompt the desktop path uses:

Claude installs the FSPM CLI, downloads the course into the folder, and tells you how to begin.

Option B: Run the FSPM CLI Yourself

The course is delivered by fspm, the free course manager from The Full Stack PM. Install it with npm:

npm i -g fullstackpm

Or without npm - Mac/Linux:

curl -fsSL https://fullstackpm.com/cli/install.sh | sh

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://fullstackpm.com/cli/install.ps1 | iex

Then, from your course folder:

fspm courses     # list available courses (shows each course id)
fspm get <id>    # install this course into the current folder

When the install finishes, run claude in the same folder and type /start-1-1.

Full command reference: fullstackpm.com/cli

Important: Claude only sees files in the folder where you launch it. Always start Claude Code from the course folder.

Troubleshooting

Command not found: claude

Fix:

1. Completely close your terminal window and open a new one
2. If still failing, check PATH configuration:

Mac: Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:

export PATH=$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH

Windows: Restart your computer (installer updates PATH automatically)

Subscription required

• Verify active Claude Pro/Max subscription at claude.ai
• Log out and log back in to refresh authentication

Permission denied

Mac:

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

Windows: Run PowerShell as Administrator (right-click PowerShell → Run as Administrator)

The course install fails

Ask Claude to try again. If it still fails, check fullstackpm.com/cli for install help.

CLI Command Reference

What’s Next?

Type /start-1-1 inside Claude Code to begin Module 1!

Or continue with the reference guides: 0.2: Get the Course & Start →

Resources

• Official Documentation
• GitHub Issues
• Claude Code community forums

About This Course

Created by Carl Vellotti. If you have any feedback about this module or the course overall, message me! I’m building a newsletter and community for PM builders, check out The Full Stack PM.

Source Repository: github.com/carlvellotti/free-ai-courses