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Pre-Workshop Setup Guide

Claude Code Workshop + Best Practices

This guide takes 10-15 minutes. Everything is simple and requires no technical knowledge, so don't stress. Take it step by step and you'll be fine.

Hey everyone! We're really excited about the workshop and the chance to introduce you to the amazing world of Claude Code. If you haven't tried it yet, you're in for a serious "wow" moment. Instead of just chatting with Claude, it will work directly on files on your computer. Creating, editing, building real things. Let's get everything set up so we can dive right into work.

Step 0

Paid Claude Subscription

This is mandatory. Go to claude.ai/upgrade and get Claude Pro for $20/month.

Yes, another subscription. But seriously, this is the most powerful tool on the market today for the price of a fast food meal. What this tool can do for your daily work is worth a thousand times the cost. The free version is simply too limited for real work with Claude Code.

Step 1

Download the Claude Desktop App

You must have Claude Desktop on your computer. Go to claude.ai/download, choose your OS version (Mac or Windows) and install.

On Mac, open the downloaded file and drag to Applications.
On Windows, run the installer.

Open the app and sign in with the account you used for the paid subscription. Once logged in, notice the three tabs at the top: Chat, Cowork, and Code. The Code tab is exactly what we'll use in the workshop. It gives you the full power of Claude Code in a nice graphical interface, without touching the terminal at all.

Step 2

Install Git

For the Code tab to work, your computer needs Git installed. It's a tool Claude uses to safely manage file changes.

🍎 Mac

Probably already installed. To check, open Terminal (Cmd+Space, type Terminal, Enter) and type git --version.

If you see a version number, you're good. If a dialog asks to install Xcode Command Line Tools, click Install and wait a few minutes.

🪟 Windows

Go to git-scm.com/downloads/win, download and run the installer. Click Next on everything with defaults.

After installation, close and reopen the Claude app.

Step 3

Connect Claude Code to a Folder

Here's the fun part. First, create a new folder on your computer for Claude to work in.

Folder name in English only, no spaces. Use hyphens. Something like my-workspace or ai-projects.
Save in Documents only. Not iCloud, not OneDrive, not Google Drive, not Dropbox.
This is the most important thing in the entire setup. When a cloud service syncs files in the background while Claude tries to edit a file, conflicts arise, files lock, and everything freezes. This is the #1 cause of issues.

Open the Claude Desktop app and click the Code tab at the top.

Environment: Choose Local.
Working Directory: Select the folder you created in Documents.

Try writing something like "Create a file called test.md with the words hello world" and watch the file appear in your folder.

That's it, you're in! Claude now works directly on your folder, through a nice graphical interface without touching the terminal. See you at the workshop!
Step 4 (Bonus)

Install Obsidian for Easy File Viewing

This step is completely optional but really nice. Obsidian is a free app that displays your files in a visual, easy-to-browse way. You'll be able to see every file Claude creates or edits in real time.

Download from obsidian.md/download and install.
On first launch, click "Open folder as vault" and select the same folder from Step 3.

Before you go, a few things to know

If you get stuck at any step, don't hesitate. Screenshot what you see and upload it to Claude in regular Chat (the Chat tab in the same app). It's great at identifying and fixing issues.
If you're on a work computer with IT restrictions, corporate antivirus, or installation blocks, you'll likely need to use your personal computer.
Minimum requirements: Windows 10+ or macOS Catalina (10.15)+. To check: on Windows press Win+R and type winver, on Mac click the Apple menu then "About This Mac".

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