Frequently Asked Questions
What is Claude Code?
Claude Code is Anthropic's command-line tool for building software with AI. You describe what you want in plain English and it writes the code, creates files, and can even run your project. It runs in your terminal, not in a browser.
How is this different from Lovable, Bolt, or v0?
Browser-based tools run in a sandbox and control the hosting. Claude Code runs on your computer, creates real project files you own, and works with professional tools like GitHub and Vercel. Your projects can grow without hitting platform limits.
Do I need coding experience?
No. Claude Code writes code based on plain English descriptions. Understanding what you want to build matters more than knowing programming syntax. This guide is written for people with zero coding background.
How do I install Claude Code?
Install Node.js from nodejs.org (pick the LTS version), then run 'npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code' in your terminal. You also need an Anthropic account from console.anthropic.com with some API credits added.
What code editor should I use?
VS Code (free, from code.visualstudio.com) or Cursor (AI-enhanced, from cursor.sh). Both work well with Claude Code. If you're not sure, start with VS Code.
Why do I need GitHub?
GitHub stores your project online, tracks every change, and enables automatic deployments. When you push code to GitHub, services like Vercel can automatically update your live website. It also serves as a backup — you can always go back to a previous version.
How do I deploy my project?
Sign up at vercel.com with your GitHub account, import your repository, and click Deploy. Vercel gives you a live URL. After that, every push to GitHub triggers an automatic redeploy.
What are environment variables?
Secret values like API keys and database passwords that your app needs but that should never be written in your code files. You add them in your hosting platform (like Vercel) and they're stored securely, separate from your code.
How much does Claude Code cost?
Claude Code itself is free to install. You pay for API usage through your Anthropic account based on how much you use it. There is no separate license fee.
What are skills?
Skills are pre-written instruction files that teach Claude Code best practices for specific tools and frameworks. You install them into your project and Claude reads them automatically. Browse available skills at cucinalabs.com/skills.