Stretch guide

Claude Code is Claude living in your terminal instead of a window.

The command-line surface gives developers a fast, scriptable way to work with Claude. It's a stretch move for non-developers — useful, but read the cautions first.

The terminal is power with sharper edges. Reach for it when a window is in your way, not before.

Stretch Guide: Claude Code in PowerShell

Claude Code CLI · Windows terminal

⚠️ This is not where most people should start. Claude Code in the terminal gives Claude direct access to your shell, file system, and command execution — with fewer confirmation steps than Cowork’s desktop interface. If you’re not comfortable with the idea of Claude running shell commands on your machine, or if you haven’t worked through standard Cowork recipes yet, this guide isn’t for you today. Come back when you are.

What This Is

Claude Code is a command-line tool that runs Claude directly in your terminal — PowerShell, CMD, or Bash. Instead of a visual interface, you type prompts and Claude responds in the terminal, with the ability to read files, run commands, edit code, and interact with your file system.

The Cowork desktop app is built on the same underlying architecture. The difference is interface and control: the desktop gives you a GUI with visible progress steps and confirmation prompts. The terminal gives you speed and directness, with fewer guardrails in between.

Who this is actually for: Developers who want to use Claude alongside their coding workflow — running it in the same terminal where they build and test. It’s also useful for power users who want to script or automate Claude interactions at a level the desktop UI doesn’t expose.

If you’re a business owner who found this guide from a standard recipe, the desktop app almost certainly does everything you need. The CLI adds power and complexity in equal measure.

Prerequisites

[ ] You’re comfortable with PowerShell or a terminal and know how to navigate to a folder, run a command, and read an error message
[ ] You have a Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan (free plan does not include Claude Code)
[ ] You’ve run standard Cowork recipes and understand what Claude can do with file access
[ ] Your computer meets the requirements: Windows 10 (build 1809) or later, 4GB+ RAM

Step 1 — Open PowerShell

Press Windows + X and select Windows PowerShell or Terminal.
You’ll know you’re in PowerShell when the prompt starts with PS C:\.
If you see just C:\ without the PS, you’re in CMD. That works too, but the install command is different — see the note at the end of Step 2.

Step 2 — Install Claude Code

Run this command in PowerShell:

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

This downloads and runs the installer. It doesn’t require Administrator. When it finishes:

Close PowerShell completely and reopen it. This refreshes your PATH so the claude command is recognized.
Verify the installation worked:

claude --version

If you see a version number, you’re installed. If you see command not found or a similar error, see the troubleshooting note at the bottom of this guide.

If you’re in CMD instead of PowerShell, use this command instead:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

Step 3 — Authenticate

Run claude in PowerShell. On first launch, Claude Code will prompt you to authenticate.
A browser window will open. Log in with the same Claude account you use for Cowork.
Approve the authentication request. The terminal will confirm you’re logged in.

Step 4 — Verify Everything Works

Run a quick health check:

claude doctor

This checks your installation, authentication, and configuration. If everything shows green, you’re ready. If something is flagged, the output will tell you what to fix.

Step 5 — Start a Session

Navigate to a folder you want to work in, then launch Claude:

cd "C:\Users\YourName\Documents\MyProject"
claude

Claude Code starts an interactive session in that folder. It can read and write files in that location. Type your task as a prompt and Claude will respond, ask clarifying questions, or start working.

For your first session, keep it low-stakes: ask Claude to summarize the files in the folder, or draft a document. Get comfortable with how it operates in the terminal before asking it to modify existing files or run commands.

To exit a session, type /exit or press Ctrl+C.

What Can Go Wrong

Claude runs a shell command you didn’t expect. Unlike the Cowork desktop interface, Claude Code in the terminal can execute PowerShell commands more directly. If you ask Claude to “clean up” a folder, it might run delete commands. Be explicit about what you want — and what you don’t.

PATH issues after install. If claude isn’t recognized after installation, you didn’t reopen PowerShell after installing. Close it entirely and reopen — don’t just open a new tab.

You’re in CMD instead of PowerShell. The install command is different. The tell: PowerShell prompts start with PS C:\, CMD prompts start with C:\. Use the CMD command listed in Step 2 if needed.

Claude modifies files outside your intended scope. Claude Code operates in the folder you launched it from, but it can navigate elsewhere. If you’re working with important files, launch Claude from a specific project folder — not from your Desktop or Documents root.

Permission errors during install. Do not use sudo or run as Administrator. If you get permission errors, see the troubleshooting guide.

When the CLI Is Better Than Cowork

You’re a developer and want Claude in your existing terminal workflow — same window where you compile, test, and commit.

You want to script Claude interactions — the CLI supports non-interactive modes that let you pipe input and output, which the desktop UI doesn’t.

You want faster iteration — no GUI overhead, just a prompt and a response.

You’re comfortable reading and verifying output without visual progress steps.

For everything else — recurring business workflows, scheduled tasks, Projects with folder connections — the Cowork desktop interface is the better tool. Don’t use the CLI just because it feels more advanced.

Keeping Claude Code Updated

Native installations update automatically in the background. To update manually:

claude update

To check your current version and update status:

claude doctor

Disclaimer & Release

This assessment and the DIY recipes inside it are educational and instructive only. They are not legal, compliance, financial, tax, accounting, mortgage, lending, marketing, or business advice. Nothing here creates a client, advisor, broker, agent, fiduciary, or employment relationship between Chad Taylor, Rob Floyd, Eikon Digital Solutions, or any other party.

The reader is solely responsible for independently researching, validating, testing, and adapting every recipe, prompt, statistic, link, third-party tool, and recommendation to their own situation, jurisdiction, employer policies, supervisory framework, and regulatory environment — including but not limited to TILA / Reg Z, RESPA, the SAFE Act, ECOA, the Fair Housing Act, state mortgage licensing rules, and any compliance, supervision, or record-retention requirements imposed by their sponsoring lender. Any borrower-facing or partner-facing communication produced with the help of any recipe in this document must be reviewed and approved through the reader's own compliance process before being sent or published.

Conversion-lift, retention, reactivation, and revenue figures cited throughout are directional industry benchmarks drawn from third-party research and vendor case studies. They are not promises, guarantees, projections, or warranties of any outcome for the reader. Past results, third-party or otherwise, do not predict future performance. AI-generated drafts may contain errors, omissions, hallucinated facts, or non-compliant language and must be human-reviewed before use.

By reading, downloading, sharing, or applying any portion of this document, the reader releases, waives, and holds harmless Rob Floyd, Eikon Digital Solutions, and any affiliates from any and all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, fines, regulatory actions, lost business, lost commissions, lost data, or consequential harm arising from or related to the use, misuse, application, interpretation, or reliance on anything in this document — whether direct, indirect, foreseeable, or otherwise. The document is provided "as is," without any warranty, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness, or non-infringement.

If any provision of this disclaimer is held unenforceable, the remainder remains in force to the fullest extent permitted by law. If the reader does not accept these terms, the reader should not use, share, or rely on this document in any way.

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Guide: Claude Code in PowerShell (Stretch)