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Install Node & Git
Two quick installs give Claude Code the power to actually build: Node (the engine that runs your website) and Git (your undo button and backup). These let Claude run commands and save your work safely.
Install Node.js
- Go to
nodejs.org. - Click the big “LTS” button (it detects Mac or Windows).
- Open the downloaded file and click Next/Continue through the defaults. When it finishes, you’re done — you’ll never open Node yourself; Claude uses it for you.
Install Git
- Windows: go to
git-scm.com/download/win, run the installer, and click Next through every screen (accept all defaults). - Mac: open Terminal, type
git --version; if it offers to install “command line developer tools,” click Install.
Windows: reopen Claude Code after installing Git
On Windows, once Git is installed, fully close and reopen the Claude Code app. It needs this one-time restart to be able to use Git and run commands. (On Mac you can skip this.)
Why these matter
Node lets Claude run your website on your computer to preview it. Git lets Claude save snapshots of your work — so you can experiment fearlessly, because anything can be undone. Both run quietly in the background; there’s nothing to “open.”
If you get stuck
On Windows, if a security pop-up appears during install, click Yes / Allow — that’s expected for official installers.