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Claude Code: Your First Task

You've installed Claude Code. You've connected your API key. Now comes the fun part — actually using it.

This is where most people pause. The terminal stares back at you. What do you type?

The answer: exactly what you'd tell a coworker.

The Interface​

When you start Claude Code, you see your terminal with a prompt that looks like this:

You: _

That's it. That's the whole interface.

The prompt line (You:) is where you type what you want. Think of it as a conversation — you're talking to Claude Code, and it talks back in your terminal.

Claude Code's response appears below your message. It shows you what it's thinking, what it's found, and what it's about to do.

Approval prompts are key. Before Claude Code changes any file, it asks:

Can I make this change? [y/n]

Type y to approve, n to refuse. Claude Code never touches your files without asking first.

Giving Instructions in Plain English​

Here's the secret most people don't realize: you don't need to learn a special language.

Tell Claude Code what you want in plain English:

Instead of thisDo this
"Execute file creation protocol""Create a new file"
"Invoke documentation generator""Write a document"
"Query project structure""What files are in this folder?"

The more directly you say what you want, the better Claude Code understands.

Good prompts include:

  • What you want ("create a meeting agenda template")
  • Where to put it ("save it to my documents folder")
  • Any specifics ("include sections for updates, discussion topics, and action items")

Your First Task: Create a Document​

Let's try it right now. In your terminal, type:

Create a weekly meeting agenda template and save it as meeting-agenda.md

Watch what Claude Code does:

  1. It asks clarifying questions — "Where should I save this?" or "What sections do you want?"
  2. It proposes the content — shows you what it will write
  3. It asks for approval — "Can I create this file?"
  4. It creates the file — saves it to your current folder

You didn't write a single line of code. You just asked.

What Just Happened​

You gave Claude Code a task in plain English. It:

  • Understood what you wanted (a meeting agenda template)
  • Created appropriate content (sections for updates, discussion, action items)
  • Saved it as a file you can actually use

This pattern — ask, approve, done — works for almost anything:

  • "Write a to-do list for my project"
  • "Create a summary of this folder's contents"
  • "Draft an email to my team"

🧪 Try This Now​

Open Claude Code and type:

Create a weekly meeting agenda template and save it as meeting-agenda.md

Notice how it asks questions, shows you what it'll create, and waits for your approval. That's Claude Code working with you, not just for you.

Good Read​

Next up: how Claude Code actually reads and edits the files on your computer.