Claude Code is an agentic coding assistant designed for terminal and IDE use, enabling faster development through natural language commands for tasks like code explanation, routine execution, and Git workflow management. It targets developers seeking to streamline their coding process by interacting with their codebase via conversational prompts.

How It Works

Claude Code operates as an agent within the terminal, parsing natural language commands to understand user intent and interact with the local codebase. It leverages underlying language models to interpret requests, generate code, explain existing code, and execute Git commands, aiming for seamless integration into developer workflows.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Primary install / run command: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code then run claude in your project directory.
• Prerequisites: Node.js and npm.
• Documentation: https://docs.anthropic.com/claude/docs/claude-code

Highlighted Details

• Integrates directly into the terminal and IDEs.
• Handles code explanation, routine task execution, and Git workflows.
• Supports GitHub integration via tagging.

Maintenance & Community

• Developed by Anthropic.
• Feedback can be submitted via the /bug command or GitHub issues.

Licensing & Compatibility

• The README does not explicitly state a license. Commercial use and closed-source linking compatibility are not specified.

Limitations & Caveats

Data collection includes usage data, conversation data, and bug reports, with transcripts stored for 30 days. While feedback is used for product improvement, it is explicitly stated that it will not be used for training generative models.