What is Claude Code? A Kenyan Developer's Guide

If you've been hearing about Claude Code but aren't sure what it is or how to get started, this guide is for you.

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's official command-line tool that lets you build software with Claude AI directly in your terminal. Think of it as having a senior developer pair-programming with you — one who can read your entire codebase, understand your architecture, and help you build features, fix bugs, and refactor code.

Unlike chat-based AI tools where you copy-paste code snippets, Claude Code works directly in your project. It reads your files, understands your conventions, and makes changes right where they need to happen.

Why Kenyan Developers Should Care

Here's the thing: Claude Code isn't just a productivity tool. It's a force multiplier. For solo developers and small teams — which describes most of Kenya's tech ecosystem — it means you can build at the speed and quality of a much larger team.

We've seen this firsthand. The Mulinga farm management system, which manages 26,000+ coffee plants, was built by a single developer using Claude Code. That's the kind of leverage we're talking about.

Getting Started

Step 1: Get Claude Access Visit [claude.ai](https://claude.ai) and create an account. You'll need a Pro or Team plan to use Claude Code.

Step 2: Install Claude Code Open your terminal and run:

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

Step 3: Authenticate Run `claude` in your terminal and follow the authentication prompts.

Step 4: Start Building Navigate to your project directory and run `claude`. That's it — you're pair-programming with Claude.

Essential Commands

Here are the commands every developer should know:

• >claude — Start an interactive session
• >claude "build a login page" — Give Claude a direct task
• >claude --plan — Use plan mode for complex tasks
• >/help — See all available commands inside a session

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Claude Code

1. 1.Set up a CLAUDE.md file — This tells Claude about your project conventions, tech stack, and preferences. It's like onboarding a new team member.

1. 1.Use plan mode for big features — For anything that touches multiple files, start with --plan to let Claude think through the approach first.

1. 1.Be specific with your prompts — Instead of "make it better," try "refactor the authentication middleware to use JWT tokens with refresh token rotation."

1. 1.Trust but verify — Claude is incredibly capable, but always review the changes it makes. You're the architect; Claude is the builder.

Join the Community

The best way to level up your Claude Code skills is to learn alongside other developers. Join Claude Community Kenya on Discord — we have channels dedicated to Claude Code tips, project showcases, and help desk support.

See you in the terminal.