# What Is Claude Code? (Start Here)

First: What Is a Terminal?

Before we talk about Claude Code, let us explain the one thing you need to know: the terminal.

Your computer has a text-based interface hidden behind the scenes. Instead of clicking icons and buttons, you type commands. It looks like a black screen with text — like what you see in hacker movies, except it is completely normal and every developer uses it daily.

How to open it: - Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", hit Enter - Windows: Search for "Command Prompt" or "PowerShell" - Linux: Press Ctrl + Alt + T

That is it. You now have a terminal open.

What Claude Code Actually Does