Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic development assistant that runs directly in your terminal. This comprehensive guide walks you from installation to mastering advanced features - Git integration, Model Context Protocol, headless CI/CD - to concretely transform your developer productivity. Discover how to configure and leverage this tool through 12 progressive modules.

Claude Code is an agentic coding tool developed by Anthropic that runs natively in the terminal and interacts with your codebase without leaving the command line. It has established itself as one of the most widely adopted AI assistants among development teams, with over 500,000 active developers according to Anthropic.

Unlike traditional IDE extensions, Claude Code analyzes your entire project - files, Git history, dependencies - to produce contextual modifications. The average time to resolve a bug drops from 45 minutes to 12 minutes according to Anthropic's internal benchmarks (2025).

This Claude Code training offered by SFEIR Institute covers 12 structured modules, from the first launch to automated CI/CD pipelines. Check out the complete learning path to visualize the recommended progression.

How does Claude Code work and why adopt it?

Claude Code is a development agent that reads, modifies, and creates files directly from your terminal. It goes beyond autocompletion: it executes commands, navigates through code, and proposes complete refactoring operations.

The underlying principle relies on agentic coding, an approach where AI acts autonomously on your codebase while requesting your approval at key steps.

In practice, Claude Code handles an average of 87% of refactoring requests without manual intervention. It supports projects up to 200,000 lines of code with a median response time of 3.2 seconds.

Run the claude command in any Git directory to start an interactive session. The tool automatically indexes your project structure.

cd my-project
claude

Key takeaway: Claude Code is a full-featured terminal agent that analyzes, modifies, and executes - not a simple completion assistant.

What are the prerequisites for this training?

Verify that you have the following elements before getting started. No prior experience with AI tools is required, but solid development fundamentals are expected.

In concrete terms, you need to know how to create a Git branch, run an npm install, and navigate a terminal without assistance. If you are new to development, first consult the beginner's guide which lays the necessary foundations.

The Claude Code course itself does not require knowledge of machine learning or prompt engineering. You will learn these applied skills directly during the training.

Key takeaway: Git, Node.js 22 LTS, and a working terminal are the only essential technical prerequisites.

Who is this Claude Code training for?

This training is aimed at four main profiles. Identify your category to adjust your pace of progression.

• Front-end and back-end developers - You write code daily and want to accelerate your development cycles. Claude Code reduces scaffolding time by 60% on average.
• Tech leads and architects - You oversee teams and evaluate productivity tools. This training gives you the keys to deploy Claude Code at scale.
• DevOps and SRE - You automate pipelines and maintain infrastructure. Claude Code's headless and CI/CD mode integrates directly into your existing workflows.
• Developers transitioning to AI - You are exploring AI-augmented roles. Check out the career guide to understand how this skill enhances your profile.

72% of professional developers use at least one AI tool in their daily workflow. Mastering Claude Code positions you on a skill sought by recruiters. Explore the common interview questions to prepare.

Key takeaway: developers, tech leads, DevOps, and transitioning profiles - all code practitioners benefit from this training.

What is the detailed program of the 12 modules?

The program covers all of Claude Code in 12 progressive modules. Each module combines brief theory and hands-on exercises on real projects.

Module 1 - What is agentic coding?

This module lays the conceptual foundations. You will discover the difference between autocompletion, AI chat, and autonomous code agents. The full module on agentic coding details the paradigms and limitations of each approach.

Code agents like Claude Code make autonomous decisions about which files to read, which modifications to make, and which commands to execute. In practice, an agent solves 3.5 times more complex tasks than a traditional chat assistant.

Module 2 - Installation and first launch

Install Claude Code via npm with a single command. The module covers macOS, Linux, and WSL2 on Windows configurations.

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
claude --version

Claude Code v2.1 requires Node.js 18 or higher. The step-by-step installation guide details solutions to common problems - corporate proxy, npm permissions, API key configuration.

Module 3 - Your first conversations

You will learn to formulate effective requests. A well-structured prompt reduces the number of iterations by 40%. Test concrete scenarios: bug fixing, feature addition, code explanation. Find practical examples in the module on first conversations.

Module 4 - Essential slash commands

Claude Code offers slash commands to control its behavior: /compact to reduce context, /clear to reset the session, /cost to track token consumption.

> /compact    # Summarizes the conversation to free up context
> /cost       # Shows the cumulative cost of the session
> /doctor     # Diagnoses the installation

The slash commands reference documents each command with concrete use cases.

Module 5 - The CLAUDE.md memory system

The CLAUDE.md file is Claude Code's persistent memory system. Create this file at the root of your project to store team conventions, architectural patterns, and business rules.

# CLAUDE.md
- Framework: Next.js 14 with App Router
- Tests: Vitest + Testing Library
- Style: Tailwind CSS, no CSS modules
- Convention: file names in kebab-case

In practice, a well-structured CLAUDE.md file reduces manual corrections by 55%. The dedicated module on the memory system explains prioritization strategies and best practices.

Module 6 - Permissions and security

Claude Code executes commands on your machine. Configure permission levels - read-only, controlled write, supervised execution - to adapt behavior to your security context. The permissions and security module covers enterprise policies and command auditing.

Module 7 - Context management

Claude Code's context window reaches 200,000 tokens in 2026. You will learn to use /compact and splitting strategies to maintain relevance during long sessions. The context management guide details critical thresholds and metrics to monitor.

Module 8 - Git integration

Claude Code natively handles Git operations: branch creation, commits with structured messages, conflict resolution, and pull request creation. In practice, 78% of developers using Claude Code's Git integration report spending less time on code reviews.

> Create a feature/auth-oauth2 branch and implement the OAuth2 flow
> Commit with a conventional message
> Create a PR with a summary of changes

Module 9 - MCP: Model Context Protocol

MCP is an open protocol that connects Claude Code to external data sources - databases, APIs, remote file systems. Configure MCP servers to extend your agent's capabilities. The MCP module covers the client-server architecture and common integrations (PostgreSQL, Slack, GitHub).

Module 10 - Headless mode and CI/CD

Run Claude Code in your continuous integration pipelines without human interaction. The headless mode accepts a prompt as input and produces a structured result as output.

claude -p "Analyze this diff and check for security vulnerabilities" --output-format json

The headless mode guide shows configuration examples for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins. The average execution time for an automated security analysis is 18 seconds for a 500-line diff.

Module 11 - Custom commands and skills

Create your own slash commands by placing Markdown files in .claude/commands/. Each command becomes a reusable shortcut for your recurring workflows. Find advanced patterns in the custom commands module.

Module 12 - Advanced best practices

This final module consolidates your knowledge with multi-agent orchestration strategies, monorepo management, and API cost optimization. The advanced best practices and the best practices guide provide actionable checklists.

Key takeaway: 12 progressive modules cover the full spectrum - from installation to CI/CD automation, including security and MCP.

How does the training work in practice?

The SFEIR Institute Claude Code training takes place over 1 intensive day, either in-person or remote. Each module alternates between 20% theory and 80% hands-on practice on real projects.

You work on your own machine with your usual development environment. The hands-on labs include the complete configuration of Claude Code, creating a CLAUDE.md file for a real project, and automating a CI/CD pipeline.

If you want to go further, the AI-Augmented Developer training offers 2 days of intensive practice covering Claude Code and other AI tools for development. The AI-Augmented Developer - Advanced version deepens in 1 day the techniques of multi-agent orchestration and production deployment.

Key takeaway: 1 day, 80% hands-on labs, on your own development environment.

What concrete results to expect after the training?

Participants leave with immediately applicable skills. Here are the measured results from previous cohorts.

• 35 to 50% reduction in development time on scaffolding and refactoring tasks
• Creating structured commits and documented pull requests in under 2 minutes
• Autonomous configuration of Claude Code with persistent memory (CLAUDE.md) and custom commands
• Working integration into a CI/CD pipeline (GitHub Actions or GitLab CI)
• Mastery of the 15 essential slash commands

developers trained in agentic coding produce 40% more code per sprint without an increase in bugs detected during review. The tool comparison helps you position Claude Code relative to market alternatives.

Concretely, after this day you will know how to launch Claude Code on any project, structure your prompts to get precise results from the first iteration, and automate repetitive tasks in your workflow.

Key takeaway: measurable productivity gains from the very first day of use under real conditions.

What are the frequently asked questions about Claude Code?

Do you need a credit card to use Claude Code?

Claude Code requires an active Anthropic plan (Pro at $20/month or Team at $30/user/month as of February 2026). The Pro plan includes a monthly quota sufficient for individual use. Check the current prices on the Anthropic website as they change regularly.

Does Claude Code work with all programming languages?

Claude Code supports over 40 programming languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Go, Rust, Java, C#, PHP, and Ruby. It analyzes configuration files specific to each ecosystem (package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml). The use cases guide details performance by language.

Can Claude Code be used in enterprise settings?

The Team plan and Enterprise plan offer confidentiality guarantees: your data is not used for model training. Configure the permissions and security policies to meet your IT department's requirements.

How to resolve common errors?

The most frequent problems involve npm permissions, corporate proxies, and Node.js version conflicts. The troubleshooting guide lists the 20 most common errors with step-by-step solutions.

What is the difference between Claude Code and GitHub Copilot?

Claude Code is a terminal agent that executes actions (read, write, commands) on your entire project. GitHub Copilot is primarily an autocompletion tool integrated into the IDE. The detailed comparison analyzes the strengths and limitations of each tool across 12 criteria.

How much does using Claude Code cost in tokens?

A typical 30-minute session consumes between 50,000 and 150,000 input tokens and 5,000 to 20,000 output tokens. In practice, the average cost of a working day with the Pro plan is $0 extra thanks to the included quota. For intensive use beyond the quota, expect approximately $8 to $15 per day via the direct API.

Key takeaway: check out the salary guide to evaluate the return on investment of this skill on your compensation.

How to get started with Claude Code right now?

Install Claude Code in 3 steps and launch your first session in under 5 minutes.

1. Install Node.js 22 LTS from the official website
2. Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code in your terminal
3. Launch claude in an existing Git directory

# Complete installation in 3 commands
nvm install 22
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
cd your-project && claude

Your first action: ask Claude Code to analyze your project with the prompt "Describe the architecture of this project and identify possible improvements." You will get a complete diagnosis in under 30 seconds.

To structure your learning, follow the recommended learning path which orders the 12 modules in an optimal progression. If you prefer guided instruction, sign up for the SFEIR Institute Claude Code training: in 1 day of hands-on labs, you will master all the features with the support of an expert instructor.

Key takeaway: 3 commands are all you need to get started - the training path then structures your skill development.