Claude Code in VS Code - Installation & Usage Guide
Set up Claude Code in VS Code. This AI coding assistant understands your codebase, writes code, debugs issues, and integrates with your development workflow.
Prompts used in this tutorial: https://gist.github.com/NDCSwift/8a25...
In this tutorial:
Install Claude Code extension for VS Code
Create Claude.md for codebase understanding
Generate code with AI assistance
Debug features with Claude
Terminal workflow for advanced users
MCP server setup (optional power user feature)
⚠️ Requirements:
Claude Pro subscription ($20/month for API access)
VS Code installed
Mac or Windows (instructions for both)
⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:16 - Claude Pricing & Requirments
00:35 - Installing extension
01:10 - Accessing Claude & Login
01:45 - Create Claude.md (Codebase Context)
04:00 - Demo: Debug a Feature
05:44 - Demo: Generate Code
07:50 - Usage
08:20 - Terminal Workflow (Advanced)
09:27 - MCP Servers (Power Users)
11:02 - Wrap-up
🛠️ Installation Commands:
Mac/Linux:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Mac (Homebrew alternative):
brew install --cask claude-code
Windows (PowerShell):
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
🔗 Resources:
Claude Pro: https://claude.com/pricing
Claude Code Extension: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/...
Visual Studio Code: https://code.visualstudio.com
MCP Server Docs: https://modelcontextprotocol.io
Claude Terminal Install: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup...
Claude Usage: https://claude.ai/settings/usage
💡 Common Use Cases:
Understanding unfamiliar codebases
Generating boilerplate code
Debugging cryptic errors
Refactoring legacy code
Writing unit tests
Documentation generation
🎯 Why Claude Code Over Other AI Assistants:
Deep codebase understanding via Claude.md
Context-aware suggestions (not just autocomplete)
Works with any language (Swift, Python, JavaScript, etc.)
MCP servers for tool integration
No lock-in (uses standard VS Code)
⚡ Pro Tips:
Keep Claude.md updated as your project evolves
Use specific prompts ("Add error handling to this function")
Review AI-generated code before committing
MCP servers unlock file system, Git, and custom tools