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Set Up VS Code

VS Code is a free code editor by Microsoft. You do not need to write code -- it is just the container that makes Claude Code easier to use.

Instead of a blank terminal, you get a visual file explorer, a text editor with syntax highlighting, and a built-in terminal where Claude Code runs. You can see your files on the left, edit them in the center, and talk to Claude on the right -- all in one window.

Why VS Code

VS Code is what we recommend. It is free, has an official Claude Code extension, and works on every platform. We chose it because it is well-documented and Claude Code's official extension is designed for it.

Prerequisite

Claude Code must be installed first. The VS Code extension is a wrapper around the CLI -- it will not work without it. Complete Install -- Mac or Install -- Windows before continuing.

Step 1: Download and Install VS Code

  1. Go to code.visualstudio.com
  2. Click the big download button (it detects your operating system automatically)
  3. Mac: Open the downloaded .zip file, then drag Visual Studio Code into your Applications folder
  4. Windows: Run the downloaded installer and follow the prompts
  5. Open VS Code -- you will see the Welcome screen

You will see recent projects on the left and some Walkthroughs on the right. Do not worry about any of that yet.

Step 2: Install the Claude Code Extension

  1. Open the Extensions panel: press Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows)
  2. Type Claude Code in the search box
  3. Find the one published by Anthropic (look for the verified checkmark)
  4. Click Install
  5. Wait a few seconds -- a new icon (a sparkle/star) will appear in your left sidebar

After installing, you may see a "Get started with Claude Code" walkthrough on the Welcome page. You can ignore it -- the terminal approach below is more powerful.

Step 3: Open a Project Folder

Claude Code works best when it has a folder to work in. This gives it context about your files.

  1. Go to File -> Open Folder (or press Cmd+O on Mac)
  2. Pick a folder you want to work in -- a course folder, an article draft, a committee project, anything with files you want Claude to help with
  3. If VS Code asks "Do you trust the authors of the files in this folder?" -- click Yes, I trust the authors (it is your own folder)

Three things will appear: the Explorer (your folder structure) on the left, a Welcome tab in the center, and possibly a Chat panel on the right. Let us clean this up.

Step 4: Set Up Your Layout

The default layout is not ideal. Here is how to arrange things so you can actually work:

Close what you do not need

  1. Close the Chat panel -- click the X on the Chat tab on the right side. We will use the terminal instead, which is more powerful.
  2. Close the Welcome tab -- click the X on that tab too. You can always revisit it later from Help -> Welcome.

Make sure the Explorer is visible

If the file explorer on the left is not showing, click the Explorer icon in the top-left corner of the sidebar -- it looks like a small stack of papers.

Open the Terminal

This is where Claude Code will actually run.

  • Go to View -> Terminal, or press Control + ` (the backtick key, above Tab)

A terminal panel will appear at the bottom of the window.

We find it easier to read documents on the left and talk to Claude on the right:

  1. Right-click on the word "TERMINAL" at the top of the terminal panel
  2. Select Panel Position -> Right

Now your layout is: Explorer on the far left, editor in the center, terminal on the right.

Step 5: Open a File and Start Working

Click any file in the Explorer to open it in the editor. For example, if your project has a syllabus, an article draft, or a memo, click it to see the contents.

This is the layout you will use daily: files on the left, document in the center, Claude on the right. As you develop syllabi, articles, memos, or any other documents, you can read and edit them directly in the center panel while Claude works alongside you in the terminal.

Step 6: Launch Claude Code

In the terminal panel on the right, type:

claude

Claude Code will start up and show a welcome message. You are now ready to go. Some things to try:

  • Start a conversation -- just type what you want to do in plain English
  • Ask about your files -- "What files are in this folder?" or "Summarize this document"
  • Use /resume -- to pick up where you left off in a previous session

Not sure what's happening?

In the Claude Code terminal, try typing: What mode am I in right now? Press Enter. Claude will explain what mode you are in and how to switch between them. See How Claude Code Thinks for a full explanation of the three modes.

Layout Summary

Panel Position What It Shows
Explorer Left sidebar Your folder structure -- always keep this visible
Editor Center Whatever file you click on -- articles, syllabi, memos, markdown
Terminal Right side Where Claude Code runs -- your main conversation interface

Tips:

  • Drag panel borders to resize. Give more room to whichever panel you are actively using.
  • Toggle the Explorer with Cmd+B (Mac) or Ctrl+B (Windows) to give the editor more room.
  • When Claude edits a file, VS Code highlights changes in green (added) and red (removed) -- one of the biggest advantages over plain Terminal.
  • You can open multiple terminals (click the + icon) to run Claude in one and regular commands in another.

Troubleshooting

"Claude Code" extension doesn't appear in search results

  • Make sure you are searching in the Extensions panel (Cmd+Shift+X), not the regular search
  • Try searching for just "Claude" or "Anthropic"
  • Restart VS Code and try again

"Claude Code not found" or "CLI not installed" error

  • The extension requires the Claude Code CLI to be installed separately
  • Go back to Install -- Mac or Install -- Windows and complete the installation
  • After installing the CLI, restart VS Code

Extension installed but no sparkle icon appears

  • Try restarting VS Code completely (Cmd+Q, then reopen)
  • Check the bottom-left corner of VS Code for any error notifications

Claude can't see my files

  • Make sure you have opened a folder (File -> Open Folder), not just a single file
  • Claude Code works within the folder you opened -- it cannot see files outside that folder

Next Steps

With VS Code set up, continue with the rest of the setup:

  1. Your CLAUDE.md -- Create the instruction file that makes Claude work for you
  2. How Claude Code Thinks -- Understand the three modes that control Claude's behavior
  3. MCP Setup -- Connect Claude to Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar, and more