Claude Code

Claude Code is an agentic coding tool that runs in the terminal and works inside an existing project directory. It reads the codebase and turns natural-language requests into actions: executing routine tasks, explaining unfamiliar or complex code, and handling git workflows. The same tool is also available in the IDE and by tagging @claude on GitHub. It targets developers who want to delegate small-to-medium code and git operations without leaving the shell.

Getting started

Install with the method for your platform, then start the tool from the project you want it to work on.

macOS/Linux (recommended):

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Homebrew on macOS/Linux:

brew install --cask claude-code

Windows (recommended), in PowerShell:

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

WinGet on Windows:

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Then change into the project directory and launch it:

cd <your-project>
claude

npm installation (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code) is deprecated; the README points users to the installer scripts, Homebrew and WinGet above. For additional install options, uninstall steps and troubleshooting, see the setup documentation.

Data collection and privacy

Using Claude Code submits usage data (for example, whether code suggestions are accepted or rejected), associated conversation data, and any feedback sent through /bug. The data usage policy describes how that data is used; the README states there are limited retention periods for sensitive information, restricted access to session data, and a policy against using feedback for model training. Commercial use is governed by the Commercial Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Constraints and operational notes

• Node.js 18+ is listed for the package; the recommended paths are the platform installers, Homebrew and WinGet rather than npm.
• The repository declares no license, so redistribution and reuse terms must be checked separately before embedding it in a product or workflow.
• The tool operates on your local project directory and reads code; it is not a sandboxed service and the scope of file access follows the directory you launch it in.
• Plugins are maintained in a separate claude-plugins-official repository, with usage details in the plugins directory.
• Bugs are reported with /bug or via GitHub issues; community support is on the Claude Developers Discord.

HotRepo's take

HotRepo has no all-language daily rank recorded for this repository, but it did reach 8th place on the TypeScript daily list on 2026-11-01, the same snapshot where it passed 154k stars. Daily star gains in the recorded snapshots were mostly in the 100–500 range through August–November 2026, with the strongest consecutive stretch in mid-September (538, 442, 482, 415, 419). The more informative signal is in the discussion threads: a 2026-04-06 thread titled "Claude Code is unusable for complex engineering tasks with Feb updates" drew 1,364 points and 753 comments, with a team member responding that a redact-thinking-2026-02-12 header only hides thinking in the UI and does not change reasoning behavior, and offering showThinkingSummaries: true in settings as an opt-out (thread, team reply, settings docs). A separate 2026-04-29 billing thread (1,251 points) ended with a Claude Code team member confirming full refunds and extra usage credits for affected users after a support-flow failure (discussion, response). Both cases show that behavior around thinking visibility and billing routing has been a recurring source of friction; users evaluating the tool should treat settings such as effort level and thinking summaries as configuration that affects output quality, not incidental defaults.