Hi, I'm Boot. I teach day one. If you have never typed a single command, start with me.
Boot gets you from never coded to talking to your first robot, in one sitting. Totally free.
A terminal is just a text window where you type and the computer answers, and it is safe to try.
Search your computer for Terminal, then open it. Brand new? Typing claude will not work yet, because it is not installed. Lesson 2 installs it in one line.
whyYou need somewhere to type.
It's a text thread with your computer, like texting a friend who never leaves you on read.
Seven steps from zero to your first sentence in Claude Code, on a Mac or a Windows PC.
The free plan does not include Claude Code.
whyClaude Code is not in the free plan.
It's a movie ticket. No ticket, no seat, no matter how early you show up.
if you skip itIf you skip it: you install everything, then get turned away. Like showing up at the movies with popcorn but no ticket.
It is already on your laptop.
whyEverything you type happens in this window.
It's the front door to your laptop. It was always there, just unlabeled.
Then press Enter and wait. It shows nothing while it downloads. That is normal.
whyOne line sets everything up for you.
It's pasting a shopping list into a delivery app. The groceries just show up.
Close the window, open a new one, then type one word. If it says command not found, close every terminal window, open a fresh one, and try again.
whyThe first time, it needs to know it's you.
It's saying the dog's name. One word, and it comes running.
KeltyclaudeA browser window opens.
Sign in once. That's it.
Plain English. Like texting a person.
whyPlain sentences work. No special words needed.
It's directions for a brilliant new hire. Tell them the job, plainly.
I run a small business. What can you help me with first?It answers in plain English.
It asks before changing files. Read the ask, then answer.
whyYou stay in charge of every change.
Claude is the intern handing you a letter. You sign it, not the intern.
if you skip itIf you skip it: you sign the intern's letter without reading. Your neighbor now has opinions about their fence.
Before you change anything, ask me firstIt agrees to ask before every change.
Ask it to say what it just did.
whyYou sign off, so mistakes get caught early.
It's checking your teeth for spinach before a meeting. Two seconds now, no awkward later.
Tell me what you just did for me, step by stepIt lists what it did, in plain English.
Give Claude Code the key to your photos, texts and voice memos on a Mac, then put it to work in one sentence each.
Open System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Full Disk Access. Turn on Terminal.
whyYour Mac keeps photos, texts and memos locked until you say so.
It's a hotel key card. The room is there, but the door stays shut until the front desk turns the card on.
if you skip itIf you skip it: Claude says operation not permitted, and you think it's broken. It's not. It just has no key card.
Can you see my Messages and Voice Memos folders?It says yes, or tells you which switch to flip.
Press Command Q, open Terminal again, and type claude.
whyThe new permission only works in a fresh window.
It's restarting the wifi router. Annoying, but it's the fix.
if you skip itIf you skip it: You flip the switch, nothing changes, and you flip it eight more times.
claudeClaude opens, now with the key.
Ask for copies. If your Mac asks to let Terminal control Photos, click OK.
whyCopies keep your originals safe.
It's a photocopy. The original stays in the file cabinet.
if you skip itIf you skip it: You scroll your camera roll for twenty minutes, every single time you post.
Copy my 10 newest photos into a folder on my Desktop called PostsA Posts folder on your Desktop. Your library is untouched.
Ask it to read a conversation and sum it up.
whyIt reads only. Nothing gets sent.
It's the friend who read the whole group chat and tells you the three parts that matter.
if you skip itIf you skip it: You scroll for ten minutes to find one address.
Read my last 20 texts with Sam and give me a three line summaryA three line summary. No message sent.
If it asks to install a free tool to write out the audio, read the ask, then say yes.
whyYou talk your ideas, and it hands you a list.
It's an assistant taking dictation who never judges the rambling.
if you skip itIf you skip it: Your best idea lives in memo number forty-seven, forever.
Find my newest voice memo, write it out, and make a to-do list from itThe words of your memo, then a short to-do list.
Set the house rule: read only, and ask before changing, moving or sending anything.
whyFull Disk Access is a big key. You set the rules. You can switch it off any time in the same setting.
You handed over the master key. This is the house rules taped by the door.
Read only. Ask me before you change, move or send anything.It agrees to ask first.
Five plain sentences that show a first-time user what Claude Code can do for a small business.
Sentences one and two: see files, summarize a PDF.
whySeeing what is there comes before changing anything.
It's a flashlight in a dark garage. You look first, then you move things.
What files are on my desktop?A short list of your desktop files.
Sentences three and four: lists and photo names.
whyBoring jobs are what it does best.
It's a helper who loves alphabetizing the spice rack, and never complains.
Make a to-do list from these notes. Then rename my photos by date.A tidy list, and photos named by date.
Sentence five: let it suggest where to start.
whyIt gives better ideas when it knows what you do.
Ask it like a brand new hire. Tell them what you do first, or you get random chores.
What can you help me with in my business?Ideas based on what you tell it.
Read the answers and fix what is wrong.
whyIt can be confidently wrong, so you sign off.
It's a dog proudly bringing the wrong shoe. Thank it, then check which shoe.
Show me what you did and what you were unsure aboutIt lists what it did and what it guessed.
Claude Code asks first, you can stop it any time, and secrets stay out of the chat.
Claude Code asks permission before running commands or changing files.
whyYou decide what happens on your computer.
Claude is the intern handing you a letter. You sign it, not the intern.
if you skip itIf you skip it: you sign the intern's letter blind, and your landlord gets a very strange email.
Before you change any file, ask me firstIt agrees to ask before every change.
Press the Escape key to stop it in the middle of a task.
whyYou can halt anything, any time.
It's the brake pedal. You hope not to need it, but you know where it is.
if you skip itIf you skip it: you watch the robot happily reorganize everything while you hunt for the brake pedal.
Tidy my desktop files into foldersPress Escape and it stops mid-task.
Never paste passwords or secret keys into the chat.
whyAnyone who sees a key can use your account.
A secret key is your house key. You don't tape it to the front door.
if you skip itIf you skip it: strangers walk right in, and they eat your snacks.
How do I log in to my email safely?It explains a safe way, and never asks for your password.
Ask for a draft before anything is sent.
whyNothing goes out until you read it.
The robot is the intern. You're the one who signs the letter.
if you skip itIf you skip it: your real client gets an email that was meant to be a joke about llamas.
Write a draft reply, but do not send itIt shows a draft and waits for your OK.
Git keeps free save points, so a big change that breaks things is one step from undone.
Ask it to set up git, then save before big changes.
whyGit is a free tool that keeps save points.
It's a save point in a video game. Lose to the boss, restart at the save.
Set up git in this folder, then save a save pointGit is ready, and your first save point is made.
Ask it to go back to the last save point.
whyYou undo the mess without starting over.
It's reloading your game. Back at the boss door, health full, no tears.
Something broke. Go back to the last save pointYour files return to the last save point.
Keep a backup copy of important files somewhere else.
whyOne broken computer should not end your business.
A backup is the spare key at your neighbor's house.
Which of my files are most important to back up?It lists your key files so you can copy them elsewhere.
Ask it to show your save points and the last change.
whyYou see the safety net is really there.
It's checking your teeth for spinach. Two seconds now, no awkward later.
Show me my save points in plain EnglishA plain list of your save points.
Say who it is for, what you want and what good looks like, and the first try gets much closer.
Say who it is for, what you want, and what good looks like.
whyClear directions mean fewer do-overs.
It's directions for a brilliant new hire. Say "make it pop" and you get fireworks.
Write a welcome email for new clients, friendly, under 100 wordsIt writes one friendly, short welcome email.
Paste or describe one example of what you like.
whyShowing beats explaining every time.
It's showing the barista a photo of the latte you want.
Write it like this example: Hi Sam, so glad you're here!It matches the warm tone of your example.
For a big job, ask it to ask you questions first.
whyQuestions up front save a redo later.
It's a contractor measuring before cutting. Boring for a minute, then perfect.
This is a big job. Ask me questions before you startIt asks you a few short questions first.
Read it, then say exactly what to change.
whySpecific fixes beat starting over.
It's a dog proudly bringing the wrong shoe. Thank them, then check which shoe.
Keep the first paragraph, but make the ending shorter and warmerIt changes only the ending.
Match your biggest pain to the robot that fixes it, and start with just one.
Graphics take forever? Pixel. Videos never edited? Spielbot.
whyEach robot fixes one job really well.
Pixel is the designer who never sleeps. Spielbot is the editor who skips the intro.
My graphics take forever. Which robot should I hire?Boot points you to Pixel.
Inbox and bookings eat the day? Tempo. Money questions? Penny.
whyHand off the work you dread most.
Tempo is the receptionist. Penny is the bookkeeper who loves a balanced book.
My inbox eats my day. Which robot should I hire?Boot points you to Tempo.
Writing sounds robotic? Echo. Website changes? Dot.
whyYour words and your site stay yours.
Echo is the ghostwriter who studied you. Dot is the builder who gets it right once.
My writing sounds robotic. Which robot should I hire?Boot points you to Echo.
Too many research tabs? Scout. Connecting email or payments? Bouncer first.
whyLock the door before you hand out keys.
Scout reads the long stuff. Bouncer checks every name on the list at the door.
I want to connect my email. Which robot comes first?Boot points you to Bouncer.
Start with one robot, then add more as you go.
whyYou learn each one before the next.
Six dogs on six leashes, first time? Start with one.
Help me pick my first robot from my biggest painIt names the one robot to start with.
Boot is free. When you are ready, hire your next robot for $2.99, or the whole team for $14.99.
Meet the team