Setting Up Claude Code on a Mac

A practical guide for getting an AI engineering partner in your terminal.

Last updated April 4, 2026

What Is Claude Code?

Claude Code is an AI assistant that lives in your terminal. It can read and write files, run commands, search the web, analyze images, and help with just about any project on your computer. Think of it as a very capable partner who never sleeps and knows a lot about engineering.

It's made by Anthropic (the company behind Claude AI). Tim uses it as the foundation for his company's work at Awkronos — all the mathematical proof work, the website, the business operations. Same tool, different configuration.

What You Need

A Mac (any recent model — M1/M2/M3/M4 all great, Intel works too)
macOS Sequoia or later (15.0+) — probably already installed
An internet connection
A credit card for the Claude subscription ($20/month for Pro)
About 15 minutes

Which Plan?

Plan	Price	Best For
Pro	$20/mo	Personal projects, learning, moderate use. Start here.
Max 5x	$100/mo	Heavy daily use, longer conversations, more context.
Max 20x	$200/mo	Professional all-day use. Practically unlimited. Tim uses this one.

Start with Pro. You can upgrade anytime if you hit limits. If you find yourself using it every day, Max 5x is the sweet spot.

Setup

Create a Claude Account

Go to claude.ai and sign up. You can use your Google account or create one with email. Subscribe to the Pro plan ($20/mo) to get access to Claude Code.

Open Terminal

Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight, type Terminal, hit Enter. This opens the command line — where Claude Code lives.

First time? Terminal might feel unfamiliar. That's okay — Claude Code itself will help you learn it. You type, it types. You'll pick it up fast.

Install Node.js

Claude Code needs Node.js (a programming runtime) to run. Copy and paste this into Terminal and hit Enter:

# Install Homebrew (Mac's package manager) if you don't have it
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Then install Node.js
brew install node

It'll ask for your Mac login password. Takes a few minutes. When done, verify:

node --version

Should print something like v24.x.x. Any version 18+ works.

Install Claude Code

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

Installs globally on your Mac. About 30 seconds.

Launch It

claude

First time: a browser window opens to log in with your Claude account. Once authenticated, you're in.

That's it. You now have an AI engineering partner in your terminal. Type a question, describe what you want to build, or paste an error — it'll figure out the rest.

First Things to Try

"Help me organize my Documents folder"

Claude can look at your files, suggest a structure, and move things around. It'll ask before doing anything destructive.

"Read this PDF and summarize it"

Tell Claude the filename. It reads PDFs, images, spreadsheets — most file types.

"Build me a simple website for [project]"

Describe what you want. Claude creates the files, writes the code, and tells you how to open it. No coding knowledge needed.

"What's using all the space on my Mac?"

Claude runs system commands, analyzes disk usage, finds large files, and helps clean up. A tech-savvy friend on call.

Making It Your Own

Out of the box, Claude Code is general-purpose. But you can teach it about your projects, preferences, and workflows. This is what Tim does to turn Claude Code into the system that runs Awkronos.

The CLAUDE.md File

Create a file called CLAUDE.md in any project folder. Claude reads this every time you start a conversation there. Like a briefing document:

# My Workshop Projects

I'm Robert. I work on woodworking, electronics, and home improvement.

## Preferences
- Explain things in practical terms, not academic ones
- I'm comfortable with basic terminal commands
- Include specific product names when recommending tools
- Step-by-step instructions with verification at each step

## Current Projects
- Building a CNC router from a kit
- Home automation with Home Assistant
- Workshop dust collection system redesign

Update it as your projects change. Claude adapts immediately.

Memory

Claude has a built-in memory system. When you tell it something important ("I use metric, not imperial" or "my router is a Shapeoko 4"), it remembers across sessions. Just say "remember that."

Hooks and Rules

For deeper customization: rules (behavioral guidelines) and hooks (automated actions on events). Tim's setup has 18 rules files and 9 hooks. You won't need these to start, but they're there when you want them.

How Tim Uses It

Tim's setup is Claude Code with heavy custom configuration layered on top. Same base tool, configured to:

Write and verify mathematical proofs in Lean 4
Manage the Awkronos website and business operations
Check email and draft responses
Run a background process that continuously works on proofs
Coordinate multiple AI agents working in parallel
Track patents, consulting, and corporate compliance

You don't need any of that. The base tool is powerful on its own. Start simple, add configuration as you discover what you need.

Alternative: Desktop App

Prefer a regular app window over the terminal? Claude Code has a desktop app too. Same capabilities, friendlier interface.

# Install the desktop app
brew install --cask claude-code

Or download from claude.ai/download. Both versions share the same account and configuration.

Tips from The Builder's Son

Be specific. "Help me design a dust collection system for a 20x24 shop with a table saw, planer, and bandsaw" beats "help with dust collection."
Show it things. Take a photo and ask "what's wrong with this joint?" or "identify this connector." It can see images.
Let it run commands. It asks permission first. Not sure? Say no — it'll explain what it was trying to do.
Give context. "I'm working on my CNC project" orients it immediately. CLAUDE.md makes this automatic.
Trust but verify. Very good but not perfect. Double-check measurements and safety-critical specs independently.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
`command not found: brew`	Close Terminal, reopen, try the install command again.
`command not found: node`	Close Terminal, reopen. Still broken? `brew install node`
`command not found: claude`	Close Terminal, reopen. Still broken? `npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`
Login page won't open	Check internet. Try `claude --login`
"Usage limit reached"	Wait a few hours, or upgrade your plan.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	What It Does
`Cmd + Space`	Open Spotlight (to find Terminal)
`Cmd + T`	New Terminal tab
`Cmd + K`	Clear the terminal screen
`Ctrl + C`	Cancel whatever's running
`Escape`	In Claude Code: cancel current action
`/help`	In Claude Code: show help menu