Opening Your Terminal
Let's find the terminal on your computer. The steps differ by operating system.
macOS (Most Common in Aus Dev Community)
Press: ⌘ + Space
Type: Terminal
Press: Enter
▌
Or find it in: Applications → Utilities → Terminal
✓Tip
Pro tip: Once open, right-click the Terminal icon in your Dock and select "Options → Keep in Dock" for easy access.
Windows
You have two options:
Option 1: PowerShell (Built-in)
- Press
Win + X - Click "Windows Terminal" or "PowerShell"
Option 2: Git Bash (Recommended)
- Download from git-scm.com
- Install with default options
- Right-click desktop → "Git Bash Here"
⚠Warning
For Claude Code, we recommend Git Bash on Windows. It uses the same commands as Mac/Linux, making tutorials easier to follow.
Linux
- Press
Ctrl + Alt + T on most distributions - Or search for "Terminal" in your applications menu
What You Should See
Once open, you'll see something like:
Or on Windows:
This is your prompt - it's ready for commands!
🇦🇺Aussie Note
On a Mac, your prompt might show a % instead of $. They mean the same thing - "ready for your command, mate!"
Quick Test
Type this and press Enter:
If it shows your username, you're ready to go! 🎉