name: claude-cli description: "Use this skill when the user wants to install, set up, update, configure, manage, or troubleshoot the Claude Code CLI tool. Triggers: install claude code, update claude, claude command not found, set up CLAUDE.md, configure permissions, add an MCP server, claude won't start, change the model, set up hooks, run claude non-interactively, pipe to claude, resume a session, or any hands-on operational task with the claude CLI binary. For documentation lookups use claude-cli-docs."

Claude CLI

Operational skill for installing, configuring, managing, and troubleshooting the claude CLI binary. For deep documentation lookups, use the claude-cli-docs skill.

Intent Router

Install

# macOS / Linux / WSL (recommended — auto-updates)
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows PowerShell (auto-updates)
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# Homebrew (does NOT auto-update)
brew install --cask claude-code

# WinGet (does NOT auto-update)
winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Windows requires Git for Windows.

First run:

cd your-project
claude          # prompts for login on first use

Update

Native installs (curl/PowerShell) auto-update in the background. Manual update:

# Homebrew
brew upgrade claude-code

# WinGet
winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode

# Check current version
claude --version

Auth

Login is prompted automatically on first run. To re-authenticate:

claude auth login     # opens browser to log in
claude auth logout    # sign out
claude auth status    # show current auth state

For API-key or third-party provider (Bedrock, Vertex) setup, use claude-cli-docs.

Configuration

CLAUDE.md

CLAUDE.md at the project root (or ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md for global defaults) is read at the start of every session. Put coding standards, build commands, and conventions here.

# My Project

## Commands
- Build: `npm run build`
- Test: `npm test`

## Conventions
- TypeScript strict mode
- Tests required for all public APIs

Claude walks up from the current directory to find CLAUDE.md files.

Settings file

~/.claude/settings.json controls global defaults (model, permissions, hooks, etc.). For the full settings schema, use claude-cli-docs or visit https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings.

Permissions

claude --permission-mode acceptEdits    # auto-approve file edits, prompt for commands
claude --permission-mode bypassPermissions  # skip all prompts (use with care)
claude --permission-mode plan           # plan mode: propose changes, don't apply

Restrict or expand which tools are available:

claude --allowedTools Bash,Read,Write
claude --disallowedTools Bash

MCP

Add an MCP server interactively:

claude mcp add <name> -- <command> [args...]
# Example: local stdio server
claude mcp add my-server -- node /path/to/server.js

# Add from npm
claude mcp add filesystem -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /tmp

List / remove servers:

claude mcp list
claude mcp remove <name>

For full MCP configuration options, use claude-cli-docs.

Scripting

Non-interactive (CI/automation) usage:

# Print mode — outputs to stdout, no interaction
claude -p "explain this function"

# Pipe input
echo "what does this do?" | claude -p
git diff main | claude -p "summarize these changes"

# Limit agentic turns
claude -p --max-turns 5 "fix the failing tests"

# Output as JSON
claude -p --output-format json "list all API endpoints"

# Resume a session
claude --continue                    # resume most recent
claude --resume <session-id>         # resume by ID

Troubleshooting

Enable verbose logging for any issue:

claude --verbose "your task here"

Official troubleshooting page: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/troubleshooting

For issues not covered here, use the claude-cli-docs skill to look up the relevant documentation page.