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Terminal, folders, and an agent on Windows
Create the projects\my-site folder with cmd, see the same folder in File Explorer, and have Claude Code or Codex work in it.
1Open the terminal
cd
What you see: C:\Users\YourName — the path to the folder where the terminal is now.
What it is
Press the Windows key, type cmd, and press Enter. A black window opens: Command Prompt. Running cd by itself shows which folder you're in.
Why learn it
Everything in this course starts here. The terminal is just another window for the same folders you already see in Windows.
Key concepts
Terminal: a window where you type commands instead of clicking. cmd: the classic Windows terminal. Home folder: C:\Users\YourName, where Documents, Downloads, and now your projects are.
2Create the projects folder and your first project folder
cd %USERPROFILE%
mkdir projects
cd projects
mkdir my-site
cd my-site
What you see: C:\Users\YourName\projects\my-site>
What it is
Type one command at a time and press Enter after each one. mkdir creates a folder; cd enters it.
Why learn it
One folder per project is the rule that keeps everything else organized: the agent, Git, and the VPS always work inside it.
Key concepts
%USERPROFILE%: a shortcut to your home folder that works on any computer. mkdir (make directory): creates a folder. cd (change directory): enters a folder.
3See where everything is in Windows
explorer .
What you see: File Explorer opened to my-site, inside projects, inside your home folder.
What it is
explorer opens File Explorer; the period means “the folder where I am.” This is the most important step in the course.
Why learn it
When you see both windows showing the same place, the terminal is no longer a mystery: what you create in one appears in the other.
Key concepts
File Explorer: the Windows folder window. Period (.): the current folder. Two periods (..): the folder above.
4Navigate with 6 commands
cd ..
dir
cd my-site
dir
What you see: dir lists what's in each folder; after cd my-site the path ends in my-site again.
What it is
Six commands are enough to move through folders: dir lists, cd name enters, cd .. goes up one folder, mkdir name creates, explorer . opens it in Windows, and cls clears the screen.
Why learn it
With these six, you'll never get lost, and on the VPS you'll use the same commands with different names.
Key concepts
dir: lists files and folders. cd ..: goes up one folder. cls: clears the screen without deleting anything. Tab key: completes folder and file names as you type.
5Install Git, GitHub CLI, and Node (once)
winget install --id Git.Git -e
winget install --id GitHub.cli -e
winget install --id OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS -e
What you see: Download messages and “Successfully installed.” Then close cmd, open it again, and run git --version and gh --version: version numbers appear.
What it is
winget is the program installer that comes with Windows 10 and 11. It downloads each program from its official source.
Why learn it
Git saves versions, gh communicates with GitHub, and Node is needed to install Codex. Without them, parts 2 and 3 won't work.
Key concepts
winget: the Windows command-line installer. Git: a program that saves your project's history. gh (GitHub CLI): GitHub in the terminal. Node: an engine that runs JavaScript programs, such as Codex.
6Install the agent: Claude Code or Codex
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd
npm install -g @openai/codex
What you see: The first line installs Claude Code; the second installs Codex. In a new window, claude --version or codex --version shows the version.
What it is
Choose one or both. The first time you open it, the agent asks you to sign in: use your subscription (Claude Pro or Max, ChatGPT Plus or Pro).
Why learn it
The agent works for you inside the folder: it reads, creates, and changes files with your permission.
Key concepts
Agent: an AI that performs tasks on your computer, not just chats. Claude Code: Anthropic's agent. Codex: OpenAI's agent. Subscription: your account login, without an API key.
7Work inside the project folder
cd %USERPROFILE%\projects\my-site
claude
dir
start index.html
What you see: Inside the agent, ask: Create an index.html with a simple page about me and an AGENTS.md with this project's rules. Exit with /exit. dir shows the new files, and start opens the page in your browser.
What it is
Enter the folder and start the agent (claude or codex). It can only see the folder you're in. AGENTS.md saves the project rules for future conversations.
Why learn it
This completes the cycle: you ask, the agent creates, and you check with dir, File Explorer, and the browser.
Key concepts
index.html: a website's main page. AGENTS.md: an instruction file the agent reads when it opens the folder. start: opens a file with the default Windows program.
HANDS-ON / ~25 MIN
Your project folder, up and running
Check each item when it actually works on your computer, not when you finish reading.
Part 1 cheat sheet
cd
cd %USERPROFILE%
mkdir projects
cd projects
mkdir my-site
cd my-site
explorer .
cd ..
dir
cd my-site
dir
winget install --id Git.Git -e
winget install --id GitHub.cli -e
winget install --id OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS -e
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd
npm install -g @openai/codex
cd %USERPROFILE%\projects\my-site
claude
dir
start index.html
Done criteria
Create the projects\my-site folder with cmd, see the same folder in File Explorer, and have Claude Code or Codex work in it.
Review what you learned
You created a file with File Explorer inside my-site. Will it show up in dir in the terminal?
View the explained answer
Yes. The terminal and File Explorer show the same folder on the disk. If it doesn't show up, you're in a different folder: type cd to see where you are.