Mac Setup Guide for Claude Code

Before You Begin

Please complete these two items before the workshop:

• Update macOS to the latest version. Open System Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates.
• Free up storage. You'll need at least 40 GB of free space. Check under System Settings > General > Storage.

Once those are handled, download the setup script and follow the steps below.

Setup Steps

Step 1: Open Terminal

Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight Search, type terminal, then press Enter.

A window with a command line prompt will appear. This is where you'll type all the commands below.

Step 2: Go to Downloads

Type these two commands, pressing Enter after each one:

cd
cd Downloads/

This takes you to your Downloads folder where the setup script was saved.

Step 3: Make the Text Larger

Press Cmd + + (Command and the plus key) a few times to increase the font size. This makes Terminal much easier to read as you follow along.

Step 4: Run the Setup Script

Copy and paste this command into Terminal, then press Enter:

bash ~/Downloads/mac-claude-code-setup.sh

The script will start installing the tools you need. Follow any prompts that appear.

Step 5: Install Xcode Developer Tools

If your Mac doesn't already have developer tools installed, a popup window will appear asking you to install them. Click Install and wait for the download to finish.

This can take several minutes on new computers. This is completely normal.

Once the installation completes, close Terminal completely (Cmd + Q) and reopen it.

Step 6: Run the Script Again

After reopening Terminal, run the setup script one more time:

bash ~/Downloads/mac-claude-code-setup.sh

This time it will skip the developer tools (already installed) and continue with the remaining setup.

Step 7: Add Claude to Your Path

Copy and paste this command into Terminal and press Enter:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

Then copy and paste this second command and press Enter:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

These commands tell your computer where to find Claude. You only need to do this once.

Step 8: Enter Your Name and Email

The script will ask for a couple of things:

• Full name - choose any name you'd like
• Email address - enter an email you use

Type each answer and press Enter when asked.

Step 9: Restart Terminal

Once the script finishes, close Terminal completely (Cmd + Q) and reopen it. This ensures all the new tools are available.

Step 10: Launch Claude

In your fresh Terminal window, type:

claude

That's lowercase "claude" with no capital letters.

Step 11: Sign In

Claude will present you with three login options. Choose to sign in with your Claude account (not an API key). Follow the prompts to complete authentication.

You'll need a Claude Pro, Max, or Team subscription to use Claude Code.

Troubleshooting

"claude" Command Not Found?

If Terminal says it can't find the claude command, copy and paste this line into Terminal and press Enter:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

You don't need to understand what this does. It just tells your computer where to find Claude. Now try again:

claude

That should do it.

You're Ready

That's it. You now have the world's most powerful AI agents at your control. See you at the workshop.

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