Home

What Is Anthropic and Claude?

Before you install anything, it helps to know what you’re actually installing. Claude is an AI assistant made by a company called Anthropic — think of it like a very capable helper you chat with in plain English, and it can read, write, answer questions, and even write computer code for you. This guide gets you talking to Claude for the first time, with no downloads or setup required.

Key Concepts

• Anthropic - The company that builds Claude. It’s based in San Francisco and focuses on making AI that’s helpful and safe to use
• Claude - Anthropic’s AI assistant. You chat with it by typing messages, similar to texting a very knowledgeable friend
• Prompt - The message you type to Claude. The clearer your prompt, the better Claude’s answer
• Model - A specific version of Claude (for example, one built for quick answers and one built for harder problems). You don’t need to pick one yet

What You’ll Need

• A computer or phone with a web browser
• An email address
• 10 - 15 minutes

Step 1: Create a Free Claude Account

• Go to claude.ai
• If you see a Sign up or Try Claude button, click it (otherwise you’ll go straight to the sign-in options)
• Type your email address and click Continue with email (or click Continue with Google)
• Open the email from Anthropic and click the link inside it (if you open it on a different device, such as your phone, it shows a code — type that code on your computer)
• Follow the on-screen prompts to finish creating your account (you may be asked for a phone number to receive a text-message code)

Step 2: Send Your First Message

• Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a text box that says something like “How can I help you today?”
• Click inside the box and type:

   Explain what a computer program is, like I'm 10 years old.
  

• Click the send arrow (or press Enter)
• Read Claude’s response — it should appear within a few seconds

Step 3: Ask a Follow-Up Question

Claude remembers what you’ve already talked about in the same conversation.

• In the same chat, type a follow-up such as:

   Can you give me a real-world example of that?
  

• Notice that Claude’s answer builds on your first question, without you repeating any context

Step 4: Find the Model Picker

• Look at the bottom right of the message box, next to the send arrow, for a button showing a model name (for example, “Sonnet”)
• Click it to see a short list of available models (click More models to see the rest)
• You don’t need to change anything here — just know this menu exists, since some later tutorials will ask you to pick a specific model

Next Steps

• Install Claude Code: Bring this same AI assistant into your coding projects with Install Claude Code on Windows or Install Claude Code on macOS. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan (such as Pro or Max) or an Anthropic Console account — the free plan doesn’t include it.
• Keep chatting: Ask Claude to help plan something you’re already working on — an email, a recipe, or a study guide
• Try a harder prompt: Ask Claude to compare two options for a decision you’re facing, and see how it explains its reasoning

Troubleshooting

• Didn’t receive the sign-up email - Check your spam or junk folder; wait a minute, then go back to claude.ai and enter your email again
• Page won’t load or looks broken - Refresh the page, or try a different browser like Chrome or Firefox
• Not sure what to type - Start simple: ask Claude to explain a topic you’re curious about, or ask for help with something you’re already doing today

Created by Steven Ge on September 12, 2026.