Reference desk

Sources, scope,
and further learning.

Official documentation, a clear review date, and a path into features you can explore after the basics.

What this guide covers

This independent guide covers core Claude Code workflows, the documented session command catalog, common CLI options, GitHub, local setup, extensions, automation, privacy, cost, and home hosting. It is a learning guide, not a claim that every feature is available on every account.

The corrections, command catalog, and reference links were checked on September 24, 2026. This is not a claim that every older example was rerun. Documentation can change ahead of your installed release or account rollout. Type claude --version, use /help, and check your account’s interface before relying on a command. This site does not update itself automatically.

Examples and recommended learning sequences are original instructional guidance. Product availability statements come from the linked official documentation. The home-hosting example is an optional practice design, not an Anthropic deployment requirement.

Beyond the first project

References

References follow APA 7 conventions: author, date, title, and URL. Undated entries use “n.d.” with letter suffixes to distinguish works by the same author. Retrieval dates identify this review of changing documentation.

• Anthropic. (n.d.-a). Advanced setup. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup
• Anthropic. (n.d.-b). Automate work with routines. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/routines
• Anthropic. (n.d.-c). Best practices for Claude Code. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/best-practices
• Anthropic. (n.d.-d). Browse skills, connectors, and plugins in one directory. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14328846-browse-skills-connectors-and-plugins-in-one-directory
• Anthropic. (n.d.-e). Checkpointing. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/checkpointing
• Anthropic. (n.d.-f). Choose a permission mode. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes
• Anthropic. (n.d.-g). Claude Code GitHub Actions. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/github-actions
• Anthropic. (n.d.-h). Claude Code GitLab CI/CD. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/gitlab-ci-cd
• Anthropic. (n.d.-i). CLI reference. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/cli-reference
• Anthropic. (n.d.-j). Code Review. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://claude.com/plugins/code-review
• Anthropic. (n.d.-k). Commands. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/commands
• Anthropic. (n.d.-l). Configure permissions. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permissions
• Anthropic. (n.d.-m). Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp
• Anthropic. (n.d.-n). Continue local sessions from any device with Remote Control. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/remote-control
• Anthropic. (n.d.-o). Create custom subagents. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents
• Anthropic. (n.d.-p). Data usage. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/data-usage
• Anthropic. (n.d.-q). Desktop application. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop
• Anthropic. (n.d.-r). Discover and install prebuilt plugins through marketplaces. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/discover-plugins
• Anthropic. (n.d.-s). Engineering. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://claude.com/plugins/engineering
• Anthropic. (n.d.-t). Extend Claude with skills. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills
• Anthropic. (n.d.-u). Get started with Claude Code in the cloud. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/web-quickstart
• Anthropic. (n.d.-v). Get started with Claude Design. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14604416-get-started-with-claude-design
• Anthropic. (n.d.-w). Get started with the desktop app. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop-quickstart
• Anthropic. (n.d.-x). Hooks reference. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/hooks
• Anthropic. (n.d.-y). Hosting the Agent SDK. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-sdk/hosting
• Anthropic. (n.d.-z). How Claude remembers your project. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory
• Anthropic. (n.d.-aa). Interactive mode. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/interactive-mode
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ab). Manage costs effectively. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/costs
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ac). Model configuration. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/model-config
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ad). Orchestrate teams of Claude Code sessions. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/agent-teams
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ae). Overview. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview
• Anthropic. (n.d.-af). Quickstart. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ag). Run Claude Code through a gateway. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/gateways
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ah). Run prompts on a schedule. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/scheduled-tasks
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ai). Security. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/security
• Anthropic. (n.d.-aj). Self-hosted environments. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/self-hosted-environments
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ak). Self-hosted environments quickstart. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/self-hosted-environments-quickstart
• Anthropic. (n.d.-al). Set up your design system in Claude Design. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14604397-set-up-your-design-system-in-claude-design
• Anthropic. (n.d.-am). Settings files and precedence. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings
• Anthropic. (n.d.-an). Share session output as artifacts. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/artifacts
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ao). Use Claude Code in the cloud. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/claude-code-on-the-web
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ap). Use Claude Code in VS Code. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/vs-code
• Anthropic. (n.d.-aq). Use Claude Code with Chrome. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/chrome
• Anthropic. (n.d.-ar). Use plugins in Claude. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13837440-use-plugins-in-claude
• Anthropic. (n.d.-as). Use skills in Claude. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12512180-use-skills-in-claude
• Anthropic. (n.d.-at). What are artifacts and how do I use them?. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9487310-what-are-artifacts-and-how-do-i-use-them
• Docker. (n.d.-a). Docker Compose Quickstart. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://docs.docker.com/compose/gettingstarted/
• Docker. (n.d.-b). Get Docker. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://docs.docker.com/get-started/get-docker/
• GitHub. (n.d.-a). Getting started with Git. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/learning-to-code/getting-started-with-git
• GitHub. (n.d.-b). Hello World. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/start-your-journey/hello-world
• Hallie, L. (2026, July 7). Choosing a Claude model and effort level in Claude Code. https://claude.com/blog/claude-model-and-effort-level-in-claude-code
• OWASP Foundation. (2025). OWASP Top 10:2025. https://top10.owasp.org/2025/
• OWASP Foundation. (n.d.-a). Authentication Cheat Sheet¶. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Authentication_Cheat_Sheet.html
• OWASP Foundation. (n.d.-b). Authorization Cheat Sheet¶. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Authorization_Cheat_Sheet.html
• OWASP Foundation. (n.d.-c). Input Validation Cheat Sheet¶. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Input_Validation_Cheat_Sheet.html
• OWASP Foundation. (n.d.-d). LLM Prompt Injection Prevention Cheat Sheet¶. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/LLM_Prompt_Injection_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html
• OWASP Foundation. (n.d.-e). Secrets Management Cheat Sheet¶. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Secrets_Management_Cheat_Sheet.html
• Phillippi, C. (2026, August 7). Auto mode is now the default in Claude Code for Pro, Max, and Team plans. https://claude.com/blog/auto-mode-default-in-claude-code
• World Wide Web Consortium. (n.d.). Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.12: Text Spacing. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/text-spacing.html

How to use this handbook

Begin with the browser or local setup path. Keep the command reference nearby. Expand a troubleshooting item only when you need it. All code blocks have a Copy button; read the label first to confirm where the text belongs. Nothing in this guide runs commands on your computer or connects to your accounts.