Claude Code isn't just a chatbot—it's an AI that can see your files, run commands, and make changes. Let's learn how to have a productive conversation with it.
🚀 Starting a Session
Navigate to a project folder (or create one) and start Claude Code:
You'll see Claude Code start up. The interface is simple: a prompt where you type, and responses that appear below.
👀 Claude Can See Your Folder
Here's the key difference from chatting with Claude in a browser: Claude Code can see the files in your current folder. Try asking:
Claude will actually look at your folder and tell you what's there. If the folder is empty, it'll say so. If there are files, it'll list them.
✨ This Is the Magic
Claude Code doesn't just talk—it can look at your actual files and folders. This means you can ask questions about real code, real documents, real projects. Not hypotheticals.
🔄 The Conversation Flow
A typical Claude Code conversation has a rhythm:
- You ask for something — "Create a file called hello.txt"
- Claude explains what it will do — "I'll create hello.txt with..."
- Claude asks for permission — "Should I proceed?"
- You approve (or modify) — "Yes" or "Actually, name it greeting.txt instead"
- Claude does it — Creates the file, shows you what it did
This permission step is important. Claude Code won't change your files without asking first. You're always in control.
Starter Prompts Template
10 ready-to-use prompts for your first Claude Code sessions
📄 Preview PDF
🧪 Guided Practice: Your First Conversation
Let's walk through a complete conversation together. Follow along in your terminal:
🎯 Activity: Create Your First File
Make sure you're in
~/Documents/Projects/terminal-practice and run claude
Type:
What files are in this directory?Expected response: Claude will list any files you created in Module 0, or say the folder is empty
Type:
Create a file called notes.txt with the text "My first Claude Code file"Expected: Claude will show you what it's about to create and ask for confirmation
Type:
yes or just press EnterExpected: Claude creates the file and confirms it's done
Type:
Show me the contents of notes.txtExpected: Claude will read and display the file contents
Type:
Add another line to notes.txt that says "Added by Claude Code"Expected: Claude proposes the change, you approve, and it updates the file
Type:
/exit or press Ctrl+C twiceYou'll return to your normal terminal prompt
Open Finder, navigate to your practice folder, and double-click notes.txt
You should see both lines of text you created with Claude
✅ Success Check
You'll know you've got this when: you can start a Claude Code session, create or modify a file through conversation, and see the changes persist in your actual file system.
💬 Example Conversation
Here's what a real first conversation might look like:
Create an HTML file called hello.html with a simple "Hello World" page
I'll create a basic HTML5 page with "Hello World" content. Here's what I'll create:
[Shows the HTML code]
Should I proceed?
Yes
✓ Created hello.html
The file is ready! You can open it in a browser to see the result.
Can you add some CSS to center the text and make it blue?
I'll add an internal CSS style block to center the text and color it blue...
[Shows the modified code]
Should I update hello.html with these changes?
Notice how the conversation builds: you make a request, Claude shows you what it will do, you approve, then you can iterate with follow-up requests.
⌨️ Useful Commands
Inside Claude Code, you can use special slash commands:
Essential Slash Commands
/help — See all available commands/clear — Clear the conversation history (fresh start)/exit — Quit Claude Code and return to terminal⚡ Pro Tip
Press Ctrl+C once to cancel a running operation. Press it twice quickly to exit Claude Code entirely. This is faster than typing /exit.
💡 Tips for Good Conversations
Be Specific
"Create a file" is vague. "Create a file called index.html with a basic HTML5 template including a title and heading" is better. The more specific you are, the better Claude can help.
Ask Questions
If you're not sure what to do next, ask Claude. "What would you suggest?" or "What are my options here?" Claude can help you think through problems.
Review Before Approving
When Claude shows you what it's about to do, actually read it. Make sure it matches what you want. It's easier to correct course before changes happen than after.
Iterate and Refine
Don't expect perfection on the first try. Ask Claude to modify or improve its work. "Can you add error handling?" or "Make the code more readable" are perfectly valid requests.
🏁 End Your Session
When you're done, type:
Or press Ctrl+C twice. You'll return to your normal terminal prompt.
Any files Claude created are real files in your folder. Open Finder and navigate there—you'll see them.
📚 Resources & Further Reading
- Introduction to Prompting Learn how to write effective prompts for better results
- Claude Code Features Complete guide to what Claude Code can do
- How to Use Claude Code (Every.to) Real-world examples from non-developers
💭 Pause & Reflect
Before moving on, take a moment to consider:
- What surprised you about conversing with Claude Code?
- How does this feel different from using ChatGPT or Claude.ai?
- What's the first real thing you want to build?
🎯 First Conversation Complete!
You know how to talk to Claude Code. Now let's build something real.
Topic 1.2 Complete • Up Next: 1.3 – Building Something Small