wrd

Claude Code Setup Guide

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for setting up Claude Code on Linux systems, including Fedora. Claude Code is a powerful AI coding assistant that can be accessed via the command line.

Note: Claude Code is currently available only in supported countries. Please check the Anthropic website for availability in your region.

Prerequisites

• A Linux distribution (tested on Fedora, Ubuntu, and Debian)
• Node.js (v16 or later recommended)
• npm (Node Package Manager)
• Python 3.8+ (for alternative Python client)
• Git
• An Anthropic API key

Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or later
• npm (comes with Node.js)
• Git (recommended for version control)
• An Anthropic account with active billing (for API access)
• Supported shell: Bash, Zsh, or Fish

Method 1: Using the Installation Script (Recommended)

We provide a convenient installation script that handles all the setup for you:

1. Download the installation script:

   curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wronai/wrd/main/install_claude_code.sh
   chmod +x install_claude_code.sh
   

2. Run the installation script:

   ./install_claude_code.sh
   

3. The script will:
   • Install system dependencies
   • Set up Node.js using NVM (Node Version Manager)
   • Configure npm to use a local directory to avoid permission issues
   • Install the Claude Code CLI globally
   • Provide instructions for authentication

Method 2: Manual Installation

If you prefer to install manually, follow these steps:

1. Install Node.js and npm:

   # For Fedora
   sudo dnf install -y nodejs npm
      
   # For Debian/Ubuntu
   # sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y nodejs npm
   

2. Set up npm to use a local directory (avoids permission issues):

   mkdir -p ~/.npm-global
   npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
   echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc
   

3. Install Claude Code CLI globally:

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

Configuration

Authentication

Claude Code offers multiple authentication options:

1. Anthropic Console (Default)

1. Run claude in your terminal
2. Select the option to authenticate via Anthropic Console
3. Complete the OAuth process in your browser
4. Requires active billing at console.anthropic.com

2. Claude App (Pro or Max Plan)

1. Subscribe to Claude’s Pro or Max plan at claude.ai
2. Run claude in your terminal
3. Select the Claude App authentication option
4. Log in with your Claude.ai credentials

3. Enterprise Platforms

For enterprise deployments, you can configure Claude Code to use:

• Amazon Bedrock
• Google Vertex AI

Contact your enterprise administrator for specific configuration details.

4. API Key (Legacy)

If you prefer to use an API key directly:

1. Get your Anthropic API key from the Anthropic Console
2. Set the API key as an environment variable:

   # For Bash
   echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc
      
   # For Zsh
   echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.zshrc
   source ~/.zshrc
      
   # For Fish
   set -Ux ANTHROPIC_API_KEY "your-api-key-here"
   

WRD Integration

If you’re using WRD, you can configure Claude Code by updating your ~/.wrd/config.yaml:

ai_tools:
  claude_code:
    enabled: true
    api_key: ${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}  # Read from environment variable
    default_model: claude-3-opus-20240229
    max_tokens: 4000
    temperature: 0.7

Project Initialization

For first-time users, we recommend initializing your project:

1. Navigate to your project directory:

   cd your-project-directory
   

2. Start Claude Code:

   claude
   

3. Run a simple command to test the setup:

   > summarize this project
   

4. Generate a CLAUDE.md project guide:

   /init
   

5. Commit the generated CLAUDE.md file to your repository.

Usage

Basic Usage

# Start an interactive chat session
claude-code chat

# Get a response to a single prompt
claude-code prompt "Explain how to use Claude Code"

# Specify a different model
claude-code --model claude-3-sonnet-20240229 prompt "Write a Python function to reverse a string"

Common Options

• --model: Specify the model to use (default: claude-3-opus-20240229)
• --max-tokens: Maximum number of tokens to generate (default: 4000)
• --temperature: Controls randomness (0.0 to 1.0, default: 0.7)
• --top-p: Nucleus sampling parameter (0.0 to 1.0)
• --stream: Stream the response

Interactive Mode

claude-code interactive

In interactive mode, you can:

• Type your messages and press Enter to send
• Use Ctrl+D to exit
• Type /help to see available commands

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied Errors

If you encounter permission errors when installing npm packages globally:

1. Make sure you’ve set up npm to use a local directory as shown in the installation steps
2. Ensure the npm global bin directory is in your PATH:

   echo 'export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc
   

WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) Issues

If you’re using WSL and encounter issues:

1. OS/Platform Detection Issues:

   # Set the correct OS before installation
   npm config set os linux
      
   # Install with OS check disabled
   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code --force --no-os-check
   

   Important: Do NOT use sudo with npm install as it can lead to permission issues.

2. Node Not Found Errors: If you see exec: node: not found when running claude:
   • Check your Node.js installation paths:

     which npm
     which node
     

   • These should point to Linux paths (starting with /usr/) not Windows paths (starting with /mnt/c/)
   • If needed, reinstall Node.js using your Linux distribution’s package manager or nvm

Node.js Version Issues

If you need to manage multiple Node.js versions, we recommend using NVM (Node Version Manager):

# Install NVM
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

# Install and use Node.js LTS
nvm install --lts
nvm use --lts

API Key Not Found

If you get an error about the API key not being found:

1. Verify the API key is set in your environment:

   echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
   

2. Make sure you’ve sourced your shell configuration file after adding the API key
3. Try setting the API key directly in your command:

   ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-key-here claude-code prompt "Hello"
   

Advanced Usage

Using with WRD Workflows

You can integrate Claude Code with WRD workflows by adding it to your project’s workflow configuration:

# .wrd/workflows/code_review.yaml
name: Code Review Workflow
description: Automated code review using Claude Code
triggers:
  - pull_request
  - push

jobs:
  claude-code-review:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v3
        
      - name: Set up Node.js
        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: '18'
          
      - name: Install Claude Code
        run: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
        
      - name: Run code review
        env:
          ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: $
        run: |
          # Example: Run code review on changed files
          git diff --name-only HEAD^ HEAD | xargs -I{} sh -c '
            echo "\nReviewing $1..."
            claude-code prompt "Review this code for potential issues, security vulnerabilities, and improvements:\n\n$(cat "$1")"
          ' _ {}'

Customizing the Model Behavior

You can customize how Claude Code responds by providing a system prompt:

claude-code --system "You are a senior software engineer with 10+ years of experience in Python and cloud technologies. Provide concise, professional code reviews." prompt "Review this code..."

Terminal Optimization

For the best Claude Code experience, optimize your terminal setup:

Supported Shells

• Bash
• Zsh
• Fish

Recommended Configuration

1. Enable syntax highlighting in your shell
2. Use a modern terminal emulator that supports:
   • 24-bit color
   • Unicode characters
   • Smooth scrolling
3. Consider using a terminal multiplexer like tmux or screen for long-running sessions

Best Practices

1. Environment Variables: Always use environment variables for API keys instead of hardcoding them in scripts.
2. Model Selection: Choose the appropriate model based on your needs:
   • claude-3-opus-20240229: Most capable, highest cost
   • claude-3-sonnet-20240229: Balanced performance and cost
   • claude-3-haiku-20240307: Fastest, most cost-effective
3. Rate Limiting: Be aware of API rate limits and implement appropriate backoff strategies in automated workflows.
4. Error Handling: Always implement proper error handling when using Claude Code in scripts.
5. Security:
   • Never commit API keys to version control
   • Use environment variables or secret management solutions
   • Regularly rotate your API keys
   • Use the principle of least privilege for API key permissions

Support

For additional help, please refer to:

• Anthropic Documentation
• WRD Documentation
• GitHub Issues

License

This documentation is part of the WRD project and is licensed under the MIT License.

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