module 05 how it works

The 4 foundations

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Full Lesson Reference

Claude Code is 4 things working together: an AI agent, a database, version control, and connectors. Understanding the 4 makes every other lesson in this course fit into place.

  1. Claude Code - the AI agent

The software that runs on your machine. Reads your files, writes new ones, runs commands, pushes to GitHub. Not a website you visit - an agent that lives in your terminal.

This is what you interact with when you type claude.

  1. Database - your memory layer

Supabase (Module 04). Stores your project context, session history, and global rules. Persists across every session - it's what makes Claude remember what you did last week.

  1. GitHub - backup, version, publish

Cloud storage that tracks every change, saves versions, and publishes to live URLs. Every file you create can be backed up and published in 60 seconds (Module 07 covers the how).

  1. Connectors - MCPs and CLIs

How Claude Code talks to everything else - Google Ads, Meta, Klaviyo, GA4, Shopify, Slack, Notion, 50+ platforms. MCPs give structured platform access. CLIs run commands in your terminal. Both let Claude pull data and take actions outside your local machine.

How they fit together

A typical workflow touches all 4

  1. Claude Code reads your CLAUDE.md + memory (foundations 1 + 2)
  2. Pulls live data via an MCP - e.g. "last 30 days of Google Ads performance" (foundation 4)
  3. Builds a report HTML in your project folder (foundation 1)
  4. Commits + pushes to GitHub, deploys to a live URL (foundation 3)
  5. Runs /wrapup - summary saved to Supabase (foundation 2)

You don't think about the 4 separately in practice. You give Claude an instruction. Claude routes through whichever foundations it needs. But knowing the model makes every future lesson click faster.

Where future modules fit

  • M06 Sessions, Files, /wrapup - deep dive on foundation 1 (the agent)
  • M07 GitHub and Publishing - foundation 3
  • M08 MCPs - foundation 4 (the connector layer)
  • M09 Skills - not a foundation, a layer on top that packages workflows

Action items

☐ Memorise the 4 foundations: Agent + Database + GitHub + Connectors

☐ Understand they work together - you don't interact with them individually

☐ Remember that every workflow touches all 4 in some order

Next lesson: How a session starts (what loads behind the scenes).

Exercises

  1. Review the concepts covered in this lesson: The 4 foundations.
  2. Write down your key takeaway from this lesson.
  3. Practice running any commands or prompts mentioned above inside your terminal.