Guides · Generative AI

Claude Code for Beginners: Install and First Project (India)

By Ravindra Bagale, trainer · LinkedIn · Published: 23 October 2026 · Last updated: 23 October 2026 · 7 min read

Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent that runs in your terminal (and also has a desktop app). You install it once, open a project folder, and ask it to explain, fix or test code. Installation itself is free, but Claude Code is not included on the free Claude chat plan — you need Claude Pro (about $20/month, or about $17/month with annual billing), Max, Team/Enterprise, or a Console / API account. This guide shows a Windows install, a Python traceback fix, and a small pytest for a bill calculator, with India-friendly habits (UPI/card billing notes, no secrets in prompts).

1. Suppose Neha's bill script crashes before the demo

Suppose Neha in Indore wrote bill.py for a shop tip calculator. The night before her demo it prints a traceback. She installs Claude Code on Windows, opens the project folder, pastes only the error text (not her database password), and asks for a fix plus a pytest. She reviews every diff before she says yes.

2. What is Claude Code?

3. Plans and India notes (checked 23 October 2026)

Prices are shown in USD and can change; tax may appear on your statement. For a fuller Free vs Pro walkthrough see Claude price in India. Official install docs: code.claude.com/docs/en/setup.

4. Worked example 1: install on Windows

1. On Windows 10/11, open Windows PowerShell (prompt often looks like PS C:\Users\...).
2. Paste the official installer (from Anthropic docs):

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

3. Close PowerShell and open a new window. Check:

claude --version

4. You should see a version number. If Windows says the command is not found, fix PATH using the troubleshooting section on the same docs page.
5. Optional but useful: install Git for Windows so Claude Code can use its Bash tool more smoothly.
6. Alternative installs documented by Anthropic include WinGet (winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode) and a desktop app download — pick one path, do not mix half-finished installs.

Expected output (yours will be similar, not the same): claude --version prints a version. Then run claude inside a project folder and complete browser login with a Pro/Max (or Console) account.

5. Worked example 2: fix a Python traceback in a folder

Create a practice folder D:\learn\billdemo with this broken file bill.py:

def total_with_gst(amount, rate_percent):
    # Bug: rate used as fraction without dividing by 100
    return amount + amount * rate_percent

if __name__ == "__main__":
    print(total_with_gst(1000, 18))

Run it yourself first:

Expected wrong idea: people think GST 18% on 1000 should be 1180,
but this function treats 18 as 1800% and prints a huge number.

Then:

1. cd into the folder and run claude.
2. Prompt:

Read bill.py. Explain the bug in one short paragraph.
Fix total_with_gst so rate_percent is a percent (18 means 18%).
Do not add network calls. Show me the diff before writing.

3. Approve the edit only after you understand it.
4. Run python bill.py again. Sensible output for 1000 at 18% is 1180.0 (or 1180).

Expected output: corrected function using rate_percent / 100, and a clear explanation you could repeat in a viva.

6. Worked example 3: write pytest for the bill calculator

1. Keep the fixed bill.py. Ask Claude Code:

Add a pytest file test_bill.py with three tests:
- 1000 at 18% -> 1180
- 0 at 18% -> 0
- 100 at 0% -> 100
Do not delete bill.py. Show the diff first.

2. Install pytest in your venv if needed: pip install pytest.
3. Run:

pytest -q

4. All three tests should pass. If one fails, paste only the failure block back into Claude Code.

Expected output:

...
3 passed in 0.XXs

(Exact timing varies.)

7. Safety rules for India students and office laptops

• Do not paste .env, AWS keys, database passwords or customer CSVs into the prompt.
• Prefer placeholders like [API_KEY].
• Review every file change; say no to broad "rewrite the whole repo" requests on day one.
• On shared college PCs, log out when you finish.
• Claude Code needs network access; offline labs need a different plan (see the Ollama guide for local models).

8. Beginner mistakes and quick fixes

9. Try at home

Recap

Install once, open the folder, fix with a diff you understand, then test. That is Claude Code for beginners.

Compare tools: AI Coding Tools Compared · Claude price: Claude Free vs Pro India · Local models: Run an LLM with Ollama

Ravindra Bagale, trainer: linkedin.com/in/ravindra-bagale. Neha and the bill demo are made up for learning. Install commands and Pro pricing were checked against Anthropic's Claude Code docs and claude.com/pricing on 23 October 2026 and can change.

Related: Claude Code in the Terminal (CLI)