TTL 54
For years, we talked about being a T-shaped professional: having a broad base of knowledge with one deep area of expertise.
But with AI, you can multiply your impact in every field where you have enough of a foundation to direct the tools. AI is moving us toward being square-shaped.
This same line of reasoning applies to Claude Code: you do not need to be a professional coder to build a prototype, you just need enough experience to recognize when the AI is right and when it is making a mistake.
These tools allow you to act as a catalyst, closing the gap between an idea and a finished product.
This is why many people want to try Claude Code.
Usually, though, there is a hidden fear that these tools are too technical or that one wrong command might break something.
I recently ran a session at Automattic to address this.
Many people avoid the command line because they are afraid of breaking things. But the computer is a workshop, not a museum. You are there to get your hands dirty. The system (when used correctly, as I will explain) is designed to handle your mistakes.
The secret to learning these tools quickly is to be a bit more like a child: fearless. If something goes wrong, you reset and try again.
I am not an expert; I am just someone who is not afraid to break things.
Disclaimer: this Claude Code guide is not about Claude Code.
Between the time I boarded a plane and the time I landed last week, we saw new releases from not only OpenAI, but Anthropic and Cursor too. This is just to say that, in 2026, tools change every few hours: if you focus only on the tool, you are always playing catch-up.
In these videos I want to focus on the principles instead. I’ll give you the foundational logic so you can experiment on your own, with your preferred tools.
My only measure of success for this guide is whether your level of confidence will have increased by the end of it.
Second disclaimer: this is not a “you’ll learn everything in 30 minutes” kind of guide.
Building something with AI is often sold as a way to get results in minutes without effort. The reality is that, to reach that point, you first need a willingness to get your hands dirty and learn how the shortcut actually works.
This guide to Claude Code is not a quick-start manual. It is dense, designed for those ready to sit down for a few hours—perhaps on a Saturday morning with a good coffee—to experiment with these tools and pause the video a hundred times.
It is not short. But I assure you that, by the end of it, you will:
- replace terminal anxiety with technical autonomy,
- master the architecture of LLM context
- and significantly shorten the distance between a raw idea and a functional prototype.
Ready? Steady, go!
Claude Code Guide
I have structured this tutorial into two distinct paths. You can choose the one that fits your current level.
Path 1: The foundations
If you have never opened a terminal window and the idea of “directories” feels like 1980s hacking, start here. This path covers:
- The terminal: What it actually is and how to talk to it.
- Basic navigation: How folders work and how to move between them.
- LLM memory: Why LLMs don’t “remember” things the way we do, and how to give them context.
- Installation: A step-by-step walkthrough to get Claude Code running on your machine
Path 2: Claude Code 101
If you are already comfortable with the command line but haven’t integrated Claude Code into your workflow, this section focuses on execution:
- Internal tools: How to use slash commands, sub-agents, and plugins.
- Execution modes: Understanding when to let the AI “plan” and when to “accept edits.”
- Version control: Using GitHub so you always have a backup of your progress.
- The ecosystem: How to move between Claude Code, Cursor, and even Obsidian to organize your meeting minutes and notes.
Remember: what you learn here will transfer to whatever tool comes out next month.
The tools are temporary; the skills are permanent.
Enjoy your experiments.
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I also publish on paolo.blog and monochrome.blog.
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