Part 1 Pre-requisite

Step 0: Get set up

Install Claude Code and download your starter system. This takes about 20 minutes.

Install Claude Code

If you completed the pre-sprint setup, you can skip this section. This is a reference for anyone who needs help getting Claude Code installed.

Quick setup checklist

Get Claude Pro at claude.ai ($20/month)
Install Node.js from nodejs.org (click LTS)
Open your terminal (Mac: Cmd+Space, type Terminal. Windows: type PowerShell)
Run: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Type claude and press Enter

The terminal is just a text-based way to talk to your computer. Instead of clicking through menus, you type commands. That blank screen with the blinking cursor is normal.

Claude Code uses the terminal because from here, it can read your files, create new ones, organize your folders, and actually do things on your computer. You do not need to memorize commands. You just talk.

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Mac:
Press Cmd+Space to open Spotlight, type "Terminal", press Enter.
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Windows:
Press the Windows key, type "PowerShell", press Enter.
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You do not have to type everything.
Use voice-to-text tools like WhisperFlow or Superwhisper to speak your instructions. Talk to Claude the way you would talk to an assistant.
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You can show it things.
Drag a screenshot into the terminal and Claude will see it. Want it to match a design? Show it. Want it to fix something on screen? Screenshot it and drag it in.

You will not break anything. The commands we use in this course are simple and safe. If something ever goes wrong, Claude Code itself can help you fix it.

Detailed installation steps

1
Get Claude Pro. Go to claude.ai and sign up for a Pro subscription ($20/month). This gives you access to Claude Code. Already have it? Skip this.
2
Install Node.js. Go to nodejs.org. Click the big green "LTS" button. Download, run the installer, click Next through everything. About 2 minutes.
3
Open your terminal. Mac: Cmd+Space, type "Terminal". Windows: Windows key, type "PowerShell".
4
Install Claude Code. Type this exactly and press Enter:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Wait 30 to 60 seconds. Text will scroll by. When you see your cursor again, it is done.
5
Test it. Type claude and press Enter. If you see Claude's welcome message, you are done.
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If step 7 did not work:
Close the terminal completely, open a fresh one, and type claude again. This fixes the problem almost every time. The Claude Code Starter Guide has screenshots for every step.

Download your starter system

Claude Code is installed. Now you need your starter system. This is a folder with everything already set up for you: your root file template, your memory system folders, your skills, your protocols. You download it once and build on it for the rest of the course.

Your starter system lives on GitHub. GitHub is just a website that stores files, like Google Drive for projects. You do not need to understand how it works. You just need to download one folder from it.

1
Create a GitHub account. Go to github.com/signup and create a free account. If you already have one, skip this step.
2
Email us your GitHub username. We need to give you access to the starter system repository. Send your GitHub username to us and we will add you within 24 hours.
Send access request
3
Go to the starter system page. Once you have access, go to: github.com/maantie/the-four-languages-root-system
4
Download it. Click the green "Code" button, then click "Download ZIP". A zip file will download to your computer.
5
Unzip and rename it. Double-click the zip file to extract it. You will see a folder called the-four-languages-root-system-main. Rename it to something simple like my-business or your business name (no spaces, use dashes). Move it to a place you will remember, like your home folder or Desktop.
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Where should you put the folder?
Your home folder is the easiest location. On Mac, that is /Users/yourname/. On Windows, that is C:\Users\yourname\. Moving it to your Desktop also works. The key is knowing where it is, because you will need to tell Claude Code to look there.

Open Claude Code in your project folder

This is the most important step. Claude Code needs to be opened inside your project folder. This is how it finds your root file and all your system files. If you open Claude Code from the wrong folder, it will not know who you are.

6
Navigate to your project folder. In your terminal, type this and press Enter:
cd ~/my-business
Replace my-business with whatever you named your folder. If you put it on the Desktop, type cd ~/Desktop/my-business instead.
7
Start Claude Code. Type claude and press Enter.

First time logging in

The first time you type claude, it will ask you to log in to your Anthropic account. This is the Claude Pro account you signed up for. Follow the instructions on screen. It will open a browser window, you log in, and come back to the terminal. This only happens once.

After you log in, Claude Code will read your root file (CLAUDE.md) automatically. You will see it reference "The Four Languages Root System" in its startup. That means it found your project. You are in.

Every time you start a session

From now on, every time you want to work with your root system: open your terminal, type cd ~/my-business, then type claude. Two commands. That is your daily start.

What are skills?

Your starter system comes with 40 skills. Skills are instructions that tell Claude how to do a specific task. They live in a hidden folder inside your project called .claude/commands/.

You do not need to read or edit skill files. You just type a skill name and Claude follows the instructions. For example:

you: /onboarding
root system: Let me walk you through setting up your root system...

you: /morning
root system: Good morning. Let me check in with you...

you: /evening
root system: Let me help you wrap up the day...

That / before the name is how Claude knows you are running a skill, not just typing a word. You will learn specific skills throughout the course. For now, just know: if the course says "type /something", it is a skill, and Claude knows what to do.

Understanding your files

You do not need to learn markdown. Claude writes it for you. You just tell it what you want, in plain language, by typing or speaking. Claude handles the formatting.

Here is what a markdown file looks like, so you can recognize one when you see it:

# My Business

I help solopreneurs build sustainable businesses.

## What I offer
- 1:1 consulting ($3,000 for 3 months)
- Group program ($500 per person)

The # creates a heading. The - creates a bullet point. You do not need to remember any of this. Claude writes it all.

⚠️
Claude works on your actual computer.
When you tell Claude to create a file, it creates a real file. This is what makes it powerful. The good news: Claude always asks for your permission first. Before it creates, edits, or deletes anything, it shows you what it wants to do and waits for you to say yes.
Ready to start
Module 1: Your root system knows you
Start Module 1