How to Install Claude Code on Ubuntu

Claude Code is Anthropic’s agentic coding assistant that runs directly in your terminal. It understands your codebase, edits files, runs git commands, debugs, writes docs — all through natural language.

This guide covers every installation method on Ubuntu, from beginner-friendly to advanced.

1. Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure your system meets these requirements:

Also ensure you’re in an Anthropic-supported country.

2. Installation Methods

Method 1: Native Installer (Recommended)

This is the official one-liner. It auto-updates in the background so you’re always on the latest version.

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

After the script finishes, you’re done. Start Claude Code:

claude

Tip: Want to check what the script does before running? Pipe it to less:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | less

Method 2: npm (Universal)

If you already have Node.js set up, npm is the most portable option. This method also works on macOS and WSL.

# Install Node.js 18+ first if needed
# curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
# sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Install Claude Code globally
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Verify installation
claude --version

To upgrade later:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest

⚠️ Don’t use npm update -g — it respects the semver range from the original install and may not pull the latest release.

Method 3: APT (Debian/Ubuntu Package Manager)

If you prefer system-level package management, add Anthropic’s official APT repository:

# Add Anthropic's GPG key and repository
curl -fsSL https://apt.anthropic.com/apt.anthropic.com.gpg.key | \
  sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/anthropic.gpg

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/anthropic.gpg] https://apt.anthropic.com stable main" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/anthropic.list

# Install
sudo apt update
sudo apt install claude-code

Method 4: Homebrew

If you use Homebrew on Linux:

brew install --cask claude-code

Homebrew offers two tracks:

• claude-code — stable channel (~1 week behind, skips major regressions)
• claude-code@latest — latest releases as soon as they ship

3. Authentication

On first run, Claude Code will ask you to authenticate. You have two options:

OAuth Login (Recommended)

claude

The CLI will print a one-time code and open a browser. Follow the prompt to link your Anthropic account. After that, subsequent launches are instant.

API Key

If you prefer an API key, set the environment variable:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."

# Or persist it in your shell config
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."' >> ~/.bashrc

Then launch:

claude --dangerously-skip-permissions

4. First Run

Navigate to your project directory and start:

cd ~/my-project
claude

Claude Code will scan your codebase and you can start chatting. Try something like:

5. Upgrade & Update

6. Uninstall

7. Troubleshooting

“claude: command not found”

• Native install: Check if ~/.local/bin is in your PATH: echo $PATH. If not, add export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH" to ~/.bashrc.
• npm: Run npm list -g --depth=0 to verify the package is installed globally.

Authentication fails

• Make sure you’re in a supported country.
• Try claude logout then claude to re-authenticate.

Search not working

• Claude Code bundles ripgrep, but if search fails, install it: sudo apt install ripgrep.

General debugging

claude doctor

This runs a diagnostic suite covering installation, authentication, networking, and tool availability.

Summary

For most Ubuntu users, the native installer is the way to go — one command, no dependencies to manage, and always up to date. Pick the method that fits your workflow and start coding.