Get Started

Your step-by-step guide from today's workshop

Choose Your Tool

Which tool should you use? I recommend Anthropic's tools (Cowork or Claude Code) for the best experience. That's what I used in the live demo. Want something completely free? Try Google's Gemini CLI: the most generous free tier available (1,000 requests/day, just a Google account). OpenAI's Codex is also currently free for all ChatGPT accounts (limited time promotion). All three can run the demo prompt from this workshop. Each has trade-offs: Anthropic costs $20/mo but is the most capable. Google is genuinely free but terminal-only. OpenAI is free for now, but that won't last.

Path A: No Terminal Needed

Cowork

Claude's desktop app with a task mode that builds things for you. Install the app, switch to Cowork, paste your prompt.

Best for non-technical founders

Path B: Terminal

Claude Code

AI coding tool that lives in your terminal. More control, more power.

Best for technical founders

Not sure? Start with Cowork. It's the easiest way to try. Both require Claude Pro ($20/mo). See pricing

Path A: Cowork

Install the Claude Desktop App

Download from claude.com/download. Install it like any normal app: drag to Applications (Mac) or run the installer (Windows). Then sign in with your Claude account.

Switch to Cowork

Open the Claude app → click the Cowork tab (next to Chat). That's it, you're ready to go.

By default, Cowork runs in a virtual container, no folder setup needed. If you'd like files saved to your computer, you can optionally click "Choose folder" to select a local directory.

Paste the Prompt and See the Result

Paste the demo prompt into the Cowork chat and let it run. Cowork will create the files and you can preview the result directly.

If you chose a local folder, you can also open it and double-click the HTML file to view it in your browser.

Path B: Claude Code

Open Your Terminal

Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter
Windows: Click Start menu, search PowerShell, click to open

The terminal is just a text interface to your computer. Don't worry if it looks unfamiliar.

Install Claude Code

Copy this command, paste it into your terminal, and press Enter:

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

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

Create a Project Folder and Open It

No terminal commands needed. Use your normal file browser:

Mac: Open Finder → create a new folder (e.g., "my-startup") → right-click the folder → New Terminal at Folder
Windows: Open File Explorer → create a new folder (e.g., "my-startup") → right-click inside it → Open in Terminal

Claude Code works inside project folders. This is where your files will be created.

Start Claude Code and Paste the Prompt

Type claude and press Enter. Then paste the demo prompt below.

Claude Code is a conversation. You can keep typing to ask for changes, fixes, or additions.

Open the Result

When Claude Code finishes, go back to your project folder in Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows) and double-click the HTML file to open it in your browser.

Bonus: Run It Free with Ollama

Don't want to pay $20/mo? Ollama lets you run a Claude Code-like experience with free models.

Download and install Ollama from ollama.com (install it like a normal app)
Open your terminal and run:

ollama launch claude

Less capable than Claude Pro for complex tasks, but completely free. Can also work offline.

Advanced: You can plug Ollama directly into Claude Code as a backend. See Ollama + Claude Code docs.

Path A: No Terminal Needed

Codex

OpenAI's desktop app for building with AI. More dev-oriented than Cowork. Download, sign in with your ChatGPT account, paste a task.

macOS only (Windows in alpha)

Path B: Terminal

Codex CLI

OpenAI's terminal-based coding agent. Install via npm or brew, then run from any project folder.

macOS / Windows

Pricing: Currently free for all ChatGPT accounts (limited-time promotion, no end date announced). Full access with Plus ($20/mo).

Path A: Codex (Desktop App)

Download Codex

Download from openai.com/codex (macOS, Apple Silicon). Install it like any normal app.

Sign In

Open Codex and sign in with your ChatGPT account.

Create a Task

Create a new task and paste the demo prompt. Codex will generate the files for you.

View the Result

Preview the generated HTML directly in the app, or save and open it in your browser.

macOS only for now (Windows alpha). Web version at chatgpt.com/codex available for all platforms as a fallback.

Path B: Codex CLI (Terminal)

Open Your Terminal

Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter
Windows: Click Start menu, search PowerShell, click to open

Install Codex CLI

Copy this command, paste it into your terminal, and press Enter:

brew install --cask codex

Alternative: npm install -g @openai/codex

npm install -g @openai/codex

Requires WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Install WSL2 first if you haven't already.

Authenticate

Create a Project Folder and Open It

Mac: Open Finder → create a new folder (e.g., "my-startup") → right-click the folder → New Terminal at Folder
Windows: Open File Explorer → create a new folder (e.g., "my-startup") → right-click inside it → Open in Terminal

Run Codex and Paste the Prompt

Type codex and press Enter. Then paste the demo prompt.

Path A: No Terminal Needed

No Cowork equivalent

Firebase Studio exists but is developer-oriented (cloud IDE). For a true no-code experience, Gemini CLI (below) is the easiest Google option.

Not available

Path B: Terminal

Gemini CLI

Google's terminal-based coding agent. No install needed, runs directly via npx. Just a Google account.

macOS / Windows

Pricing: Genuinely free. 1,000 requests/day, 60 per minute. No credit card needed. Just a Google account.

Gemini CLI

Open Your Terminal

Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter
Windows: Click Start menu, search PowerShell, click to open

Run Gemini CLI

Copy this command, paste it into your terminal, and press Enter:

npx @google/gemini-cli

No installation needed. npx downloads and runs it directly. Requires Node.js.

Sign In with Google

When prompted, sign in with your Google account. That's all you need.

Create a Project Folder and Open It

Mac: Open Finder → create a new folder (e.g., "my-startup") → right-click the folder → New Terminal at Folder
Windows: Open File Explorer → create a new folder (e.g., "my-startup") → right-click inside it → Open in Terminal

Run Gemini and Paste the Prompt

Type gemini and press Enter. Then paste the demo prompt.

Gemini CLI is a conversation. You can keep typing to ask for changes or additions.

The Demo Prompt

Copy this and paste it into your chosen tool:

$ Build a single self-contained HTML file for "CarbonCampus": a platform helping university students track and reduce their carbon footprint, aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Include: hero section with bold headline and "Start Tracking" CTA, "How It Works" (3 steps with icons), 4 feature cards (carbon tracking, campus challenges, SDG dashboard, community leaderboard), email signup form, and footer with social links.

Design: emerald green (#10b981) on dark backgrounds, Google Fonts (Sora + DM Sans), smooth scroll-triggered animations, mobile-responsive. Make it visually impressive and production-quality.

Three Challenges

Challenge 1: Replicate (Beginner)

Paste the demo prompt above. Open the result in your browser. Success = a working landing page.

Challenge 2: Customize (Intermediate)

Replace "CarbonCampus" with your startup idea. Change the color palette, features, and hero copy. Just type your changes in the same conversation. Both Cowork and Claude Code keep the context.

Challenge 3: Expand (Advanced)

Add a second page (pricing, about, or blog) and link both pages together. Match the visual style. For extra credit: try adding a skill or MCP server to level up your workflow.

Tips and Tools

Voice Input

Handy: free, open-source, offline. Press a shortcut, speak, text appears.
Wispr Flow: AI dictation, 97.2% accuracy. Free basic plan. Pro: $12/mo.

Best Practices

1 task, 1 context window. Start fresh for each task. Open a new chat or run /clear to reset the conversation.
Be specific. The more detail in your prompt, the better the result.
Save your preferences. Create a text file in your project describing your style, brand, and goals. The AI remembers it.
Have a conversation. Treat AI like a collaborator: ask, suggest, push back.
Give it context. Share screenshots, error messages, reference material. Describe your vision.
Close the loop. Find ways for AI to verify its own work (e.g., check the website itself via browser tools) and self-iterate.
Ask AI to plan first. For bigger tasks, let it show a plan before it starts building.
Iterate. The first result is a starting point. Refine and improve from there.
Not just code. These same principles work for pitch decks, brainstorming, market research, business plans, Google Slides, and more.

Official guide: Claude Code Best Practices