Your first session

Now that installation and folders are set up, run a complete end-to-end Claude Code session.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Step 1: Create a Project Subfolder

In Finder or File Explorer, navigate to your main Claude Code directory and create a new subfolder called my-first-project.

Step 2: Open Terminal inside the Folder

Right-click your new my-first-project folder and open the terminal inside it using your OS shortcut (services or Open in Terminal).

Step 3: Start Claude Code

Type the startup command and press Enter:

terminal
claude

Claude Code will start up, read your current working directory, and wait for your input.

Step 4: Select the Opus Model

Instruct Claude to switch to the most advanced model:

terminal
Switch to the latest Opus model

Claude will switch models and confirm it's ready. Anthropic frequently updates its models, and this prompt guarantees you are using the most capable reasoning version.

Step 5: Assign a Task

Type a simple command to create a file:

terminal
Create a file called hello.md that says "Hello, Claude Code" and explains that this is my first project.

Claude will ask for your permission to write a file. Approve the edit. Claude creates the file on your disk and reports completion.

Step 6: Close the Session

When your task is complete, exit the session:

terminal
/exit

Alternatively, you can simply close the terminal window.

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Important: Session Context Persistence

Every Claude Code session starts completely fresh. When you close a session and open a new one:

• Files on your disk (like hello.md) remain.
• Claude's conversation memory—what you worked on, what decisions you made, and what needs to be done next—is cleared.

In Module 04: Memory Layer, we will solve this by installing two custom scripts (/startup and /wrapup) to save session states, log decisions, and automatically commit work to GitHub. For now, focus on the basic terminal loop.

Exercises

1. Create a my-first-project subfolder.
2. Open a terminal inside the subfolder, start Claude, and switch to the latest Opus model.
3. Instruct Claude: Create a file called hello.md that says "Hello, Claude Code".
4. Inspect your local directory to confirm hello.md was created.
5. Exit the session by typing /exit.