Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding tool that lives in your terminal. Unlike chat-based coding assistants where you copy-paste code back and forth, Claude Code directly understands your codebase, edits files, runs commands, and completes multi-step development tasks autonomously.

Think of it as a senior developer sitting at your terminal who can:

• Read and understand your entire project
• Write and edit code across multiple files
• Run tests and fix failures
• Commit changes with meaningful messages
• Explain architectural decisions

You describe what you want in natural language. Claude Code figures out the implementation.

Claude Code operates as an agentic loop with full access to your development environment:

1. Codebase understanding When you start Claude Code in a project, it builds context about your codebase:

• File structure and architecture
• Dependencies and frameworks
• Existing patterns and conventions
• Git history and recent changes

2. Task planning Given a request like "add user authentication," Claude Code breaks it down:

• What files need to be created or modified?
• What dependencies are required?
• What's the sequence of changes?
• What tests should verify it works?

3. Execution Claude Code takes action directly:

• Creates new files with proper structure
• Edits existing files precisely
• Runs terminal commands (npm install, tests, builds)
• Reads command output and adapts

4. Iteration If tests fail or errors occur, Claude Code:

• Reads error messages
• Diagnoses the problem
• Attempts fixes
• Re-runs verification

This continues until the task succeeds or Claude Code asks for help.

Multi-file editing Real features span multiple files. Claude Code handles coordinated changes across your codebase—updating the API, frontend, tests, and types together.

Terminal integration Claude Code runs in your terminal with direct shell access. It can:

• Install packages
• Run builds and tests
• Start development servers
• Execute git commands
• Run any CLI tool in your environment

Git workflow Claude Code understands version control:

• Commits logical chunks with descriptive messages
• Creates branches for features
• Shows diffs before committing
• Handles merge operations

Context awareness Claude Code maintains context through extended thinking, tracking:

• What it's already tried
• What files it's examined
• The overall goal and progress
• Relationships between components

Implementing features "Add a dark mode toggle that persists user preference" Claude Code creates the UI component, adds state management, implements localStorage persistence, and updates styles.

Debugging "This test is failing, figure out why" Claude Code reads the test, traces through the code, identifies the bug, and fixes it.

Refactoring "Convert this class component to a functional component with hooks" Claude Code rewrites the component, updates imports, adjusts tests, and verifies it still works.

Documentation "Document all the public functions in this module" Claude Code reads the code, understands intent, and writes accurate JSDoc/docstrings.

Code review prep "Clean up this branch before I submit for review" Claude Code lints, formats, adds missing tests, and improves variable names.

Exploration "How does the authentication flow work in this codebase?" Claude Code traces through the code and explains the architecture.

Be specific about outcomes "Add authentication" is vague. "Add email/password login using NextAuth with a PostgreSQL user table" gives Claude Code clear direction.

Start with context Share relevant background: "We're using the repository pattern, all database calls go through /lib/repositories."

Verify incrementally For big features, break into steps. Let Claude Code complete and verify each piece before moving on.

Review the diffs Claude Code shows what it's changing. Review diffs before accepting, especially for critical code.

Use project conventions Point Claude Code at existing patterns: "Follow the same structure as the User module when creating this."

Leverage extended thinking For complex tasks, Claude Code's extended thinking tracks its reasoning. This transparency helps you understand its approach.

vs GitHub Copilot Copilot suggests code as you type—reactive, line-by-line completion. Claude Code takes initiative, planning and executing multi-file changes autonomously.

vs ChatGPT/Claude chat Chat interfaces require you to copy context in and code out. Claude Code has direct file and terminal access—no copy-paste loop.

vs Cursor/Windsurf These are IDE-based with visual interfaces. Claude Code is terminal-native, fitting into command-line workflows. Some developers prefer the focus of terminal; others want IDE integration.

vs custom agents Building your own coding agent requires significant infrastructure. Claude Code provides this out of the box with Anthropic's latest models.

Context windows Even large context windows have limits. Very large codebases may require pointing Claude Code at specific areas.

Novel architectures Claude Code learned from existing patterns. Highly unusual architectures may need more guidance.

External dependencies Claude Code can't debug your production server or external APIs directly—only what's accessible locally.

Review still matters Claude Code is capable but not infallible. Review changes, especially for security-critical code.

Claude Code runs from your terminal:

# Install
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Start in your project
cd your-project
claude-code

# Or with a specific task
claude-code "add input validation to the signup form"

The first run builds context about your project. Subsequent sessions remember your codebase structure.

Claude Code represents a shift from AI-assisted to AI-agentic development. Instead of writing every line yourself with AI suggestions, you collaborate at a higher level—describing intent while AI handles implementation details.

This doesn't replace developers. It amplifies them:

• Junior developers work at senior speed
• Senior developers focus on architecture, not boilerplate
• Teams move from planning to working software faster

The developers who thrive will be those who learn to collaborate effectively with agentic tools—providing clear intent, reviewing intelligently, and knowing when to take manual control.

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Want to see agentic AI in action? Join our Claude Code workshop to go from zero to building with AI-powered development workflows.