Get Started with Claude Code: A Developer's First Look at AI-Powered Coding

Introduction There are a lot of AI tools out there. Claude.ai, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, ChatGPT — the list keeps growing. So when I sat down to explore Claude Code, I had one question in mind: what actually makes this different? By the end of this project, I had a working portfolio website — built almost entirely by AI — and a clearer picture of where Claude Code shines. Here's exactly what I learned. What Is Claude Code? Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding tool that runs directly in your terminal. Unlike Claude.ai (which is a chat interface), Claude Code has real capabilities that go much further: ✅ Reads your entire project folder and understands file structure ✅ Creates, edits, and deletes files on your behalf ✅ Runs shell commands and terminal operations ✅ Remembers project context across sessions via CLAUDE.md ✅ Asks for permission before making changes (in Default mode) The key insight: Claude.ai only knows what you tell it. Claude Code knows what'