Claude Code for Everyone
Welcome! This site is a complete, self-paced course that takes you from "I've never used a terminal" to "I automate my own document workflows with Claude Code."
You don't need to be a programmer. You need to be able to read, copy-paste, and not panic when something looks unfamiliar. That's it. Claude Code does the hard parts.
What you need before starting:
- A Mac — a company-managed laptop is fine (this course is written for macOS).
- An internet connection and ~20–30 minutes per module.
- Permission from IT to install developer tools — Module 01 walks you through getting it.
- A Claude account (you'll set it up in Module 07).
- Patience — especially while you wait on IT.
What you'll be able to do at the end
- Open a terminal and feel comfortable in it
- Install software yourself with Homebrew
- Have Claude Code build small Python programs for you, in plain English
- Automate boring document work: renaming hundreds of files, pulling data out of PDFs, turning messy spreadsheets into clean reports, merging documents, and more
- Do all of this safely, without breaking your laptop or leaking company data
How this course is structured
Work through the modules in order. Each one builds on the last. Don't skip ahead — the terminal module makes the Homebrew module make sense, and so on.
| # | Module | What it's for | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Welcome & Mindset | The big picture, no jargon | 20 min |
| 01 | Corporate Laptop Check | Do this first — what to ask IT | 30 min |
| 02 | The Terminal (Ghostty) | Your new command center | 1–2 hrs |
| 03 | Homebrew | How you install everything | 1 hr |
| 04 | VS Code | Where you'll see your files & code | 1 hr |
| 05 | Git Basics (light) | Save points for your work | 1 hr |
| 06 | Python & uv | The language your automations run in | 1 hr |
| 07 | Claude Code Setup | The main event | 1 hr |
| 08 | Your First Automation | Build something real | 1–2 hrs |
| 09 | Real Document Workflows | Automate PDF, Excel & SaaS exports | 2–4 hrs |
| 10 | Security & Good Habits | Stay safe at a company | 45 min |
Level up once the basics feel comfortable:
| # | Module | What it's for | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Using Claude Code Well | The habits that make you fluent | 1 hr |
| 12 | Making It a Habit | Actually adopting it into your work | 45 min |
| — | What is MCP? | A buzzword explained — for later | 15 min |
Under the hood — optional, for the curious. What's actually happening when you run Claude Code:
| # | Module | What it's for | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | What an LLM Actually Is | Demystifying AI — and its limits | 25 min |
| 14 | Tools, Prompts, Context & Skills | The ideas that make AI useful | 30 min |
| 15 | How Claude Code Works | It all clicks together | 20 min |
Reference material you'll keep coming back to:
- Recipe Cookbook — copy-paste prompts for common tasks
- Cheat Sheet — the commands you'll actually use (print this)
- Glossary — plain-English definitions of every scary word
- Troubleshooting — what to do when something breaks
Suggested schedule
This is designed to fit around a full-time job. One module every day or two. Don't binge it. The goal is comfort, not speed.
- Week 1: Modules 00–04 (setup + getting comfortable)
- Week 2: Modules 05–07 (the toolchain + Claude Code)
- Week 3: Modules 08–10 (building real things, safely)
- Week 4 & beyond: Modules 11–12 (level up) + automate one real task from your job
The golden rules
- Typing commands is safe to explore. The worst that usually happens is an error message — and those are normal and useful. The rare commands that can delete or overwrite things are clearly flagged in this course (see rule 4).
- When stuck, ask Claude Code. Literally type your problem in plain English, including the error message. That's what it's for.
- Never paste company secrets, passwords, or client data into a chat box. Module 10 covers this properly. For now: when in doubt, don't.
- Read before you run. When Claude Code or this guide gives you a command, read the one-line explanation of what it does before pressing Enter.
Let's go. Start with Module 00.