Installing AI CLI Tools

Claude Code, Gemini CLI, and Codex CLI

Choose Your Tool

All these CLI tools let you work with AI directly in your terminal. Pick one to start - they all work similarly.

Recommendation

Claude Code is what we use in this course. But the skills transfer to any of these tools.

Tool	Provider	Model	Pricing
Claude Code	Anthropic	Claude	Claude Pro/Max ($20+/mo) or Console
Gemini CLI	Google	Gemini	Free tier + paid plans
Codex CLI	OpenAI	GPT-4o	ChatGPT Plus/Pro ($20+/mo)

Prerequisites (All Tools)

Before installing any CLI tool, you need:

1. Node.js

Most CLI tools require Node.js. Check if you have it:

node --version

If not installed: Download from nodejs.org (LTS version)

node --version

If not installed:

brew install node

Or download from nodejs.org

node --version

If not installed:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update && sudo apt install nodejs npm

# Fedora
sudo dnf install nodejs npm

2. A Terminal

Windows Terminal (recommended) - comes with Windows 11, or install from Microsoft Store
PowerShell - built-in, search “PowerShell”
Command Prompt - built-in, search “cmd”

Terminal - built-in, press Cmd+Space, type “Terminal”
iTerm2 - popular alternative

Usually Ctrl+Alt+T or search “Terminal”

VS Code Users

You can also open a terminal directly inside VS Code! Press Ctrl+` (backtick) on Windows/Linux or Cmd+` on Mac—or go to View → Terminal. This keeps everything in one window.

New to the terminal? Read Terminal Basics first.

Claude Code

Anthropic’s official CLI for Claude.

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is a command-line tool that lets you work with Claude directly in your terminal. It can read, edit, and create files, run commands, and help with coding and data analysis where your code lives.

Why use it?

Works directly with your files and folders
Can read, edit, and create code for you
Runs commands and sees the output
Great for data analysis workflows
No copy-pasting between browser and code editor

Install

PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Command Prompt:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Or with Homebrew:

brew install claude

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Use

Navigate to your project folder and start:

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

First time: You’ll be prompted to log in via browser. You need one of: - Claude Pro, Max, Teams, or Enterprise subscription (recommended) - Claude Console account (API access with pre-paid credits)

After login: Type your requests naturally like “what does this project do?” or “add a hello world function to the main file.”

More details: Claude Code Documentation

Quick Tips

Command	What it does
`claude`	Start Claude Code
`exit`	Quit Claude Code
`claude --help`	See all options
`/help`	Get help while inside Claude

Requirements

Claude account — Sign up at claude.ai if you don’t have one
Subscription or Console credits — Claude Pro/Max/Teams/Enterprise or a Claude Console account with credits
Internet connection — Claude runs in the cloud

Troubleshooting

“command not found” — Close and reopen your terminal, then try again
“Permission denied” — Re-run the install step with admin permissions or follow the OS-specific instructions above
“Authentication failed” — Make sure your Claude subscription/credits are active and try logging in again

Gemini CLI

Google’s CLI for Gemini models.

Install

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

Use

Navigate to your project folder and start:

cd /path/to/your/project
gemini

First time: You’ll be prompted to select Login with Google and authenticate via browser with your Google account.

Account options:

Individual Google accounts (free tier + paid Google AI Pro/Ultra)
Organization accounts (company, school, or Google Workspace)

More details: Gemini CLI Documentation

Codex CLI

OpenAI’s command-line coding tool.

Install

npm install -g @openai/codex

npm install -g @openai/codex

Or with Homebrew:

brew install openai/tap/codex

npm install -g @openai/codex

Use

Navigate to your project folder and start:

cd /path/to/your/project
codex

First time: You’ll be prompted to sign in via browser. You can authenticate with:

ChatGPT account (Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, or Enterprise) - recommended
OpenAI API key (alternative option)

More details: Codex CLI Documentation

Next Steps

Install one tool (we recommend Claude Code for this course)
Read Terminal Basics if you’re new to command line
Try it on a simple task: navigate to a folder with some files and ask “what’s here?”
Continue to Week 04 to use it for data analysis

--- title: "Installing AI CLI Tools" subtitle: "Claude Code, Gemini CLI, and Codex CLI" --- ## Choose Your Tool All these CLI tools let you work with AI directly in your terminal. Pick one to start - they all work similarly. ::: {.callout-tip} ## Recommendation **Claude Code** is what we use in this course. But the skills transfer to any of these tools. ::: | Tool | Provider | Model | Pricing | |------|----------|-------|---------| | **Claude Code** | Anthropic | Claude | Claude Pro/Max ($20+/mo) or Console | | **Gemini CLI** | Google | Gemini | Free tier + paid plans | | **Codex CLI** | OpenAI | GPT-4o | ChatGPT Plus/Pro ($20+/mo) | --- ## Prerequisites (All Tools) Before installing any CLI tool, you need: ### 1. Node.js Most CLI tools require Node.js. Check if you have it: ::: {.panel-tabset} ### Windows ``` node --version ``` If not installed: Download from [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org/) (LTS version) ### Mac ``` node --version ``` If not installed: ``` brew install node ``` Or download from [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org/) ### Linux ``` node --version ``` If not installed: ``` # Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt update && sudo apt install nodejs npm # Fedora sudo dnf install nodejs npm ``` ::: ### 2. A Terminal ::: {.panel-tabset} ### Windows - **Windows Terminal** (recommended) - comes with Windows 11, or install from Microsoft Store - **PowerShell** - built-in, search "PowerShell" - **Command Prompt** - built-in, search "cmd" ### Mac - **Terminal** - built-in, press `Cmd+Space`, type "Terminal" - **iTerm2** - popular alternative ### Linux - Usually `Ctrl+Alt+T` or search "Terminal" ::: ::: {.callout-note} ## VS Code Users You can also open a terminal directly inside VS Code! Press `` Ctrl+` `` (backtick) on Windows/Linux or `` Cmd+` `` on Mac—or go to **View → Terminal**. This keeps everything in one window. ::: **New to the terminal?** Read [Terminal Basics](terminal-basics.html) first. --- ## Claude Code Anthropic's official CLI for Claude. ### What is Claude Code? Claude Code is a command-line tool that lets you work with Claude directly in your terminal. It can read, edit, and create files, run commands, and help with coding and data analysis where your code lives. **Why use it?** - Works directly with your files and folders - Can read, edit, and create code for you - Runs commands and sees the output - Great for data analysis workflows - No copy-pasting between browser and code editor ### Install ::: {.panel-tabset} ### Windows PowerShell: ``` irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` Command Prompt: ``` curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd ``` ### Mac ``` curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` Or with Homebrew: ``` brew install claude ``` ### Linux ``` curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` ::: ### Use Navigate to your project folder and start: ``` cd /path/to/your/project claude ``` **First time**: You'll be prompted to log in via browser. You need one of: - **Claude Pro, Max, Teams, or Enterprise** subscription (recommended) - **Claude Console** account (API access with pre-paid credits) **After login**: Type your requests naturally like "what does this project do?" or "add a hello world function to the main file." **More details:** [Claude Code Documentation](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart) ### Quick Tips | Command | What it does | |---------|--------------| | `claude` | Start Claude Code | | `exit` | Quit Claude Code | | `claude --help` | See all options | | `/help` | Get help while inside Claude | ### Requirements - **Claude account** — Sign up at [claude.ai](https://claude.ai) if you don't have one - **Subscription or Console credits** — Claude Pro/Max/Teams/Enterprise or a Claude Console account with credits - **Internet connection** — Claude runs in the cloud ### Troubleshooting - **"command not found"** — Close and reopen your terminal, then try again - **"Permission denied"** — Re-run the install step with admin permissions or follow the OS-specific instructions above - **"Authentication failed"** — Make sure your Claude subscription/credits are active and try logging in again --- ## Gemini CLI Google's CLI for Gemini models. ### Install ::: {.panel-tabset} ### Windows ``` npm install -g @google/gemini-cli ``` ### Mac ``` npm install -g @google/gemini-cli ``` ### Linux ``` npm install -g @google/gemini-cli ``` ::: ### Use Navigate to your project folder and start: ``` cd /path/to/your/project gemini ``` **First time**: You'll be prompted to select **Login with Google** and authenticate via browser with your Google account. **Account options**: - Individual Google accounts (free tier + paid Google AI Pro/Ultra) - Organization accounts (company, school, or Google Workspace) **More details:** [Gemini CLI Documentation](https://geminicli.com/docs/get-started/installation/) --- ## Codex CLI OpenAI's command-line coding tool. ### Install ::: {.panel-tabset} ### Windows ``` npm install -g @openai/codex ``` ### Mac ``` npm install -g @openai/codex ``` Or with Homebrew: ``` brew install openai/tap/codex ``` ### Linux ``` npm install -g @openai/codex ``` ::: ### Use Navigate to your project folder and start: ``` cd /path/to/your/project codex ``` **First time**: You'll be prompted to sign in via browser. You can authenticate with: - **ChatGPT account** (Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, or Enterprise) - recommended - **OpenAI API key** (alternative option) **More details:** [Codex CLI Documentation](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli/) --- ## Next Steps 1. **Install one tool** (we recommend Claude Code for this course) 2. **Read** [Terminal Basics](terminal-basics.html) if you're new to command line 3. **Try it** on a simple task: navigate to a folder with some files and ask "what's here?" 4. **Continue** to [Week 04](../week04/) to use it for data analysis