4.4 Opening Projects

Course: Claude Code - Essentials Section: Claude Desktop App Video Length: 2-5 minutes Presenter: Daniel Treasure

Opening Hook

The Desktop App works with local projects on your computer. Whether you have an existing repository, a new project, or a cloned codebase, opening it in Claude Code is one click. This video shows you how to load a project, what Claude indexes, and how to navigate a codebase visually.

Key Talking Points

1. Opening a Local Project (The Gateway)

Explain how to open a project in the Desktop App: - File menu or "Open Project" button: Usually at the top or in the app's main menu - File picker dialog: Navigate your computer to the project folder - Select the project root: Choose the top-level folder of your project (where .git is, or where package.json is) - Claude indexes the project: The app reads your project structure and prepares it for use

What to say: "Opening a project is simple: click 'Open Project' or use File → Open, navigate to your folder, and select it. Claude automatically indexes the structure, so all files appear in the browser on the left."

What to show on screen: Show clicking the "Open Project" button or menu option. Show the file picker opening. Navigate to a sample project folder (or use a pre-opened project). Show the file browser populating with files. Total: 60-90 seconds.

2. What Claude Indexes (The Analysis)

Explain what happens after opening a project: - Directory structure: All files and folders are scanned and organized in the file browser - gitignore support: Files listed in .gitignore are excluded by default (matches CLI behavior) - Language detection: Claude detects the programming language and project type - No copying: Claude doesn't copy or modify your files; it just reads and indexes them

What to say: "When you open a project, Claude doesn't install anything or modify your code. It reads your file structure, respects your .gitignore, and gets ready to help. Everything stays on your machine."

What to show on screen: Show the populated file browser. Highlight that node_modules, .git, and other ignored folders don't appear. If visible, show Claude detecting the language (e.g., "Node.js project" or "Python project"). Total: 30-45 seconds.

3. Navigating the File Browser (The Map)

Demonstrate how to explore your project visually: - Expand/collapse folders: Click arrows next to folder names - Click files to preview: Select a file to view it in the context panel on the right - Search (if available): Use a search box (if the app has one) to find files quickly - Breadcrumb navigation: Some apps show your location at the top; click to jump up levels

What to say: "The file browser is your map. Expand folders, click files to preview them, and understand your project structure without touching the terminal. It's much faster for exploring unfamiliar codebases."

What to show on screen: Demonstrate expanding a folder (show the folder icon changing). Click a file and show its preview on the right. Expand a few levels to show nested structure. Keep it moving. Total: 45-60 seconds.

4. Project Switching (Multi-Project Workflow)

Explain how to work with multiple projects: - Open a new project: Use File → Open to load another project - Projects don't interfere: Each project maintains its own context and file browser - Quick switching: Most apps have a project switcher or tab to jump between open projects - Close projects: Use File → Close or a close button to unload a project

What to say: "One of the Desktop App's superpowers is managing multiple projects at once. Open a second project, and it stays separate. You can flip between them without losing context. Much better than the CLI for juggling multiple codebases."

What to show on screen: If you have time, open a second project or show the project switcher/tabs. Demonstrate switching back and forth. Or explain how it would work. Total: 30-45 seconds.

5. Understanding Your Codebase with Claude (The Conversation)

Show how the visual interface makes exploration intuitive: - Click a file, ask Claude about it: "Explain this file" or "What does this function do?" - Claude provides context-aware responses: Answers are grounded in the actual code - Reference multiple files: Use @file syntax or click-to-select to reference multiple files - Visual debugging: See code, error messages, and suggested fixes all in one view

What to say: "Now that you have the project open, you're ready to use Claude Code. Click a file, ask a question, and Claude responds with context from your actual codebase. It's exploration at light speed."

What to show on screen: Click a file in the browser. Type a simple prompt like "What does this file do?" Show Claude's response. Optionally reference another file or image. Total: 45-60 seconds.

Demo Plan

Use a real project or a sample project (ideally the same one you'll use in Section 2 for continuity):

1. Open the Claude Code Desktop App (or show it already open)
2. Click "Open Project" or File → Open
3. Navigate to a sample project (~/Desktop/sample-project or similar)
4. Select the project root (the folder containing .git or package.json)
5. Show the file browser populating with the project structure
6. Expand a few folders to show nesting
7. Click a file (e.g., main.js, app.py) and show its preview
8. Type a prompt in the conversation area (e.g., "Explain what this project does")
9. Show Claude's response grounded in the actual files

Total screen time: 3-4 minutes. This combines UI exploration with a real example.

Code Examples & Commands

N/A for this video. No CLI commands.

Gotchas & Tips

• Always open the project root: Opening a subdirectory (like src/) instead of the project root can cause issues. Always start from the folder containing .git or package.json.
• Large projects may take a moment to index: If your project has thousands of files, Claude may take 5-10 seconds to index them. This is normal. Don't close the app.
• .gitignore is respected by default: If a file doesn't appear in the file browser, check .gitignore. You can override this in settings if needed.
• File browser shows your repo structure: If you have symlinks or unusual structures, they may behave differently than in the terminal. Keep your project structure clean.
• Permissions matter: If Claude can't read a file due to OS permissions, it will tell you. You may need to adjust folder permissions (macOS/Linux) or run as admin (Windows).

Lead-out

"Now you have a project open and you're ready to explore. But before we start making changes, let's understand how Claude Code decides what runs locally and what runs in the cloud. That's the topic of our next video."

Reference URLs

• Claude Code Overview (Desktop App section)
• Common Workflows - Exploring Codebases
• Desktop App Guide (Anthropic support)

Prep Reading

• Official Claude Code documentation on the Desktop App workflow
• Community posts on using Claude Code to explore unfamiliar projects
• Best practices for project organization (to ensure Claude indexes correctly)

Notes for Daniel: This is the first "hands-on" video where you're actually working with a real project. Keep energy upbeat—this is where viewers start to see the tool in action. Move at a steady pace; let the file browser load naturally without rushing. Viewers will appreciate realistic timing.