Claude Code can help even if you are not good at the terminal.
Still, a few commands make the experience much smoother.
Start with these commands
Here are the first commands I would learn.
- pwd
- ls
- cd
- mkdir
- touch
- cat
- rg
- git status
- git diff
- npm run
You do not need to memorize everything at once. Use them while working.
The most useful command is pwd
When you are lost, run pwd. It tells you where you are.
Many mistakes happen because the command is run in the wrong folder.
Use rg instead of searching by hand
rg is useful when you want to find text inside a project.
For example, use it to find a title, a function name, or an old URL.
Learn git status early
Before asking AI to edit files, check git status.
It tells you what changed. This helps you avoid mixing unrelated work.
The goal
The goal is not to become a terminal expert.
The goal is to know enough to stay oriented while Claude Code works.
Original Japanese Article
This article is based on the Japanese post: ターミナル初心者のあなたに教える、Claude初心者が最初に覚えたいコマンド10選.
