Claude Code Goes Native: Install the Official CLI
Claude Code, Anthropic's official CLI for coding assistance, now has native installers for macOS, Linux, Windows, and WSL. If you've been using the npm version, it's time to upgrade to the native build for better performance and reliability.
Why Switch to Native?
Important
The native Claude Code binary is faster, more reliable, and maintained as the official distribution. The npm version was a temporary solution while the native version was being developed.
Uninstall the npm Version
Warning
If you currently have Claude Code installed via npm, remove it first to avoid conflicts.
npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Install the Native Version
Pick the method that matches your operating system.
macOS
Using Homebrew is the simplest option:
brew install --cask claude-code
Linux
Run the installation script:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
Use the same Linux installation method:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows PowerShell
Run the Windows installation script:
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Verify Installation
After installing, confirm Claude Code is working:
claude --version
Tip
To diagnose any issues, run claude /doctor:
claude /doctor
You should see the version number displayed. You're now ready to use the official native CLI.
What's Next?
Claude Code lets you ask questions about your codebase, run commands, and work on coding tasks all from the command line. Check out the documentation to learn what you can do with it.