1.2 →
1040 words Slides

1.1 Introduction to Claude Code

Course: Claude Code - Essentials Section: Getting Started Video Length: 2-5 minutes Presenter: Daniel Treasure

Opening Hook

By the end of this series, you'll be able to use Claude Code to automate tedious work, build features, fix bugs, and commit code—all from your terminal or favorite IDE. This video introduces what Claude Code is and why developers are adopting it at scale.

Key Talking Points

1. What is Claude Code? (The Definition)

  • Claude Code is an agentic coding tool built by Anthropic that reads your codebase, edits files, and runs commands
  • It works in your terminal, IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains), desktop app, and browser
  • Think of it as an AI pair programmer with full access to your project files and the ability to execute commands

What to say: "Imagine you're working on a feature. Instead of asking Claude questions, Claude can actually explore your entire codebase, understand your architecture, propose changes, and even run tests. That's Claude Code."

What to show on screen: Show the Claude Code logo or a split screen with a terminal on one side showing claude running, and the VS Code extension on the other. Even a simple "hello world" type conversation would work.

2. Why Use Claude Code? (The Value Prop)

Focus on concrete, relatable problems it solves: - Speeds up development: Generates boilerplate, functions, and scripts quickly - Improves understanding: Explains complex logic, legacy code, and unfamiliar frameworks - Assists with debugging: Takes error messages and traces the root cause - Enhances quality: Suggests refactoring and best practices - Reduces repetitive work: Writes tests, fixes lint errors, updates dependencies

What to say: "The biggest wins aren't fancy features. They're the tedious stuff: writing tests for untested code, fixing a hundred lint errors, updating dependencies, writing release notes. Claude Code handles all of that conversationally."

What to show on screen: List the five use cases on screen. Or show a split screen with an error message on one side and Claude's explanation on the other.

3. Key Capabilities (The Toolkit)

Mention that Claude Code can: - Read and edit files across multiple files at once - Run bash commands, execute tests, and check build output - Create commits and pull requests with meaningful messages - Work with git workflows (branches, merges, conflict resolution) - Integrate with external tools via MCP (Model Context Protocol)

What to say: "Claude Code isn't just a chatbot. It's a full development agent. It can plan a change, implement it across multiple files, run your test suite, and commit the result—all in one session."

What to show on screen: Show the CLI running a simple claude command, or a terminal demonstrating file edits. Keep it simple and uncluttered.

4. Where Claude Code Works (The Surfaces)

Briefly mention the available environments: - Terminal CLI (recommended for most developers): Full-featured, composable - VS Code Extension: Inline diffs, @-mentions, conversation history - Desktop App: Visual workflow, multiple sessions side-by-side - JetBrains IDEs: Diff viewing, selection context, file references - Web (claude.ai/code): No local setup needed, works on mobile - Slack & GitHub Actions: CI/CD integration

What to say: "You'll see Claude Code everywhere soon. But today we're focusing on the terminal, because it's the most powerful and the foundation for everything else."

What to show on screen: Quick text list of environments, or a collage of screenshots showing each (if available). Don't linger on this—it's context-setting only.

5. What You'll Learn in This Series (The Promise)

Set expectations for what's coming: - Installation and setup (video 1.2) - Your first session and basic commands (video 1.3) - The interface and keyboard shortcuts (video 1.4) - How to explore codebases, make changes, work with git, debug, and test - Advanced workflows, customization, and team best practices

What to say: "By video 1.4, you'll know how to start Claude Code and interact with it. By the end of Section 2, you'll be using it to fix real bugs and write features. And by the end of this course, you'll know how to set up your team for production use."

What to show on screen: Just the video titles from the course structure, or a simple roadmap showing the progression from basics to advanced.

Demo Plan

Keep this minimal for an intro video. The goal is to intrigue, not overwhelm.

  1. Start a terminal (desktop or on screen)
  2. Show a project directory with some simple files
  3. Run claude and show the welcome screen
  4. Ask Claude a simple question like "what does this project do?"
  5. Show Claude's response (doesn't need to be perfect—just show that it works)
  6. Exit with exit

This should take 30-60 seconds and demonstrate that Claude Code is real, conversational, and accessible.

Code Examples & Commands

Basic startup:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

One-off query:

claude "explain this function"

Continue a previous conversation:

claude -c

Gotchas & Tips

  • Not a replacement for your IDE: Claude Code works alongside your IDE, not instead of it
  • Permissions matter: Claude will ask for permission before modifying files or running commands (this is a feature, not a bug)
  • Context is key: Claude works best when you give it clear, specific instructions
  • Don't expect perfection on first try: You'll iterate, just like with a human pair programmer

Lead-out

"Now that you understand what Claude Code is and what it can do, let's install it. In the next video, we'll cover three installation methods—Homebrew, npm, and shell script—so you can choose what works best for your setup."

Reference URLs

Prep Reading

  • Anthropic's official Claude Code overview documentation
  • Recent articles on "vibe coding" and Claude Code (Axios, TechCrunch coverage from January 2026)
  • Best Practices from official docs to understand production-use philosophy
  • Joe Njenga's "17 Best Claude Code Workflows" for real-world context

Notes for Daniel: This is a high-concept video. You're painting a picture of what's possible, not diving into mechanics. Energy should be enthusiastic but not over-the-top. The demo should feel natural and unscripted.