1.3 First Session

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

Opening Hook

You've installed Claude Code. Now let's start it for the first time and have your first real conversation. We'll explore a sample project together and show you how natural and conversational this feels.

Key Talking Points

1. Before You Start (The Setup)

Have a project directory ready (can be any project—Node, Python, etc.)
You'll need your Claude account credentials ready for first login
The first run takes a few extra seconds for authentication

What to say: "I'm using a simple Node.js project as an example, but Claude Code works with any codebase. You can use your own project—it doesn't have to be special or complete."

What to show on screen: Show a file browser or ls output with a typical project structure (src/, package.json, README, etc.). Keep it realistic but simple.

2. Starting Claude Code (The Command)

Navigate to your project directory
Type claude and press Enter
The first time, you'll see a login prompt

What to say: "Starting Claude Code is simple: navigate to your project and type claude. That's it. The first time, you'll authenticate with your Claude account."

What to show on screen: Terminal showing:

$ cd /path/to/my/project
$ claude

And then the login flow (browser or terminal prompt, depending on the implementation).

3. The Welcome Screen (The Interface)

After login, Claude shows: - Session information (session ID, start time) - Recent conversations (if any) - Latest updates or tips - A prompt ready for input

What to say: "Once you're logged in, you'll see the welcome screen. It shows you recent conversations so you can continue where you left off, and a prompt where you can start typing."

What to show on screen: Full screenshot of the welcome screen with all elements clearly visible.

4. Your First Questions (The Conversation)

Ask simple, exploratory questions: - "What does this project do?" - "What's the main entry point?" - "What technologies are being used?" - "Explain the folder structure"

What to say: "Claude Code doesn't need you to point it at files—it reads your project automatically. Ask simple questions first to orient yourself and Claude."

What to show on screen: Type the first question, show Claude's response. Keep the response onscreen long enough to read it. The response doesn't need to be long—just show that it works.

5. Basic Interaction Flow (The Pattern)

You type a question or request
Claude processes your codebase
Claude provides an answer or proposes changes
If changes are needed, Claude asks for permission
The session continues until you exit

What to say: "The pattern is simple: you ask, Claude explores, Claude responds. If it's a change, Claude shows you what it plans to do and asks permission. You're always in control."

What to show on screen: Live or recorded interaction showing: user input → Claude processing → Claude response. Show permission dialog if applicable.

6. Essential Commands (The Shortcuts)

Introduce the / command family: - /help - Show available commands - /clear - Clear conversation history - /exit or exit - End session - /resume - Continue a previous conversation - Type ? to see keyboard shortcuts

What to say: "Commands are prefixed with /. If you ever feel lost, type /help to see what you can do. These are the handful of commands you need to know right now."

What to show on screen: Type /help and show the output. Highlight the most important ones (help, exit, clear, resume).

Demo Plan

Timeline: 3-4 minutes total

Start terminal with a project directory open
Type claude and show the startup process
Authenticate (show login if possible, or skip to logged-in state if time is tight)
Show welcome screen and explain what you're seeing (30 seconds)
Ask first question: "What does this project do?"
Type the question
Wait for Claude's response (show live or pre-recorded)
Read the response aloud or highlight key parts
Ask a second question: "What's the main entry point?" or "What technologies does it use?"
Show Claude's response again
Show the /help command and briefly explain what's available
Type exit to end the session gracefully

Keep this feeling natural and unscripted. You're showing what a normal developer would do—explore the codebase conversationally.

Code Examples & Commands

Navigate and start:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

After authentication, typical first questions:

what does this project do?

what's the main entry point?

what technologies are being used?

explain the folder structure

Explore available commands:

/help

See keyboard shortcuts:

Exit gracefully:

exit

Or: Ctrl+C

Gotchas & Tips

Network required for auth: First login requires internet connectivity. Subsequent sessions can work offline (mostly).
Claude reads automatically: You don't need to paste code or tell Claude where files are—it finds them.
Sessions are saved: Your conversation is saved, so you can resume later with claude -c or /resume.
Permissions prompt on first write: If Claude wants to edit a file, you'll see a permission request. This is normal and expected.
Case matters for commands: /help works, but help won't. Commands are always slash-prefixed.

Lead-out

"Now you've had your first conversation with Claude Code. You've asked it questions and seen it understand your codebase. In the next video, we'll dive deeper into the interface, keyboard shortcuts, and how to navigate efficiently. We'll also show you how to reference specific files and use some power-user features."

Reference URLs

Prep Reading

Run Claude Code yourself beforehand to understand the flow
Choose a simple project (Node.js or Python starter) for demo purposes
Test first questions to ensure they're clear and Claude responds well
Note any surprises or unexpected behaviors (good material for "gotchas")

Notes for Daniel: This video should feel like you're showing a friend a cool new tool. Enthusiasm is good here. Show some of Claude's actual responses so viewers get a sense of what real output looks like. If the live demo is slow or fails, have a pre-recorded version ready. The goal is to demystify the first interaction.

Quick Reference