She Builds with Claude Free Starter Kit

Your First Build

The She Builds
Starter Kit

Get set up. Build something real.

Got an idea you can't stop thinking about?

Claude Code makes all of it possible - no coding experience required. And I will show you how.

This guide will get you from zero to building in under an hour - no tech background needed, no jargon, no gatekeeping. Just you, Claude Code, and your first real project.

6 Project ideas
4 Ways to build
<1hr To your first build
shebuildswithclaude.com
She Builds with Claude Introduction

Before we begin

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is an AI coding assistant that lives in your terminal. Unlike a chatbot, it can actually read your files, write code, run commands, and build things alongside you - like having a senior developer who never stops working. You stay in the driver's seat. It does the heavy lifting.

She Builds with Claude Part One - Getting Set Up

First, one thing

You need Claude Pro to build

Go to claude.ai and upgrade to Pro (£18/month). This is required - Claude Code isn't available on the free plan. You get Claude on the web and as a coding agent, all in one subscription.

Marni's note: £18/month is 1 coffee per week. I've shipped 10+ websites and apps on Pro and I love it, for me it is worth every penny. You can cancel after the first month if it's not for you.

Then choose your path

Four ways to build.
Pick the one that feels right.

There is no wrong choice. Start wherever you're comfortable - you can always try another path later.

Path A

Browser

No install. Open a tab and start. Best if you want to try building before committing to anything.

→ Next page

Path B

Desktop App

Download once, no terminal needed. Feels like a normal app. Full Claude Code power without the scary bits.

→ Page after next

Path C

Terminal

One command to install. You type, it builds. Sounds scary - genuinely isn't. The full Claude Code experience from day one.

→ Further in

Path D

VS Code

A free code editor with Claude built right in. See every change as it happens. Best for understanding what's being built.

→ Last setup page

How to decide

"I just want to try something right now, no faff"

→ Browser Path A

"I want to build real things but the terminal terrifies me"

→ Desktop App Path B

"I'm not scared of a bit of setup and want the real thing"

→ Terminal Path C

"I want to actually see and understand the code as I go"

→ VS Code Path D

She Builds with Claude Path A - Browser

Zero friction

Build in your browser.
No install. No setup.

Open a tab. Start describing what you want to build. Claude writes the code and shows you the result - all inside your browser. This is the fastest way to go from idea to something real.

1

Go to claude.ai and log in

Open your browser and go to claude.ai. Log in with your Claude Pro account. That is it - you're already in the right place.

2

Start a new chat

Click New chat. Everything you build happens right here in the conversation.

3

Describe what you want to build

Type it the way you'd explain it to a smart friend. Claude writes the code and shows you a live preview in the panel on the right - you can see it working as it's being built.

Try starting with: "Build me a simple tool that [describe what it does]. It should look clean and be easy to use."
4

Iterate by just talking

"Make the button bigger." "Change that to green." "Add a text box at the top." Claude updates it in real time. This back-and-forth conversation is the whole skill.

The browser is where most She Builds women start. It's the lowest barrier to your first "oh my god, I just built something" moment.
She Builds with Claude Path B - Desktop App

No terminal required

Full Claude Code power.
Feels like a normal app.

Anthropic built a proper desktop app that gives you Claude Code without the terminal. Download it like any other app, open it, and build. Full power, none of the scary bits.

1

Download the Claude desktop app

Go to claude.ai/download and download the app for Mac or Windows. Install it the same way you'd install any app - open the file, follow the installer.

2

Open the app and log in

Open Claude from your Applications folder or Start menu. Log in with your Claude Pro account. Your browser may open briefly to confirm - that's completely normal.

What you'll see: A clean interface connected to your actual computer files, with the full power of Claude Code built in.
3

Create a project folder

Before building, create a new folder on your Desktop - name it something like my-first-build. This is where Claude Code will save your files. Having a dedicated folder keeps everything tidy.

4

Open a Claude Code session and start building

In the app, start a Claude Code session and point it at your folder. Describe what you want to build. Claude creates the files, writes the code, and shows you visual diffs - highlights of exactly what's being added or changed.

The best bit: You can run multiple tasks at once. The desktop app is designed to handle parallel builds, so you can kick one off and start another.
She Builds with Claude Path C - Terminal

Sounds scary. Isn't.

One command.
Then just talk to it.

The terminal is just a text window where you type instructions to your computer. You only need it for the install - after that, Claude Code is a conversation in plain English. One command, done forever.

1

Open your terminal

On a Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", press Enter.

On Windows: Press the Windows key, type "PowerShell", press Enter. Use PowerShell specifically - not Command Prompt.
2

Run one install command - nothing else needed

Copy and paste the right command for your computer:

Mac or Linux

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

Windows (PowerShell)

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Don't panic if text scrolls past - that's normal. Wait for it to finish, then close your terminal and open a fresh one.
3

Create a project folder and navigate to it

Make a new folder on your Desktop called my-first-build, then type:

cd ~/Desktop/my-first-build
4

Type claude and start building

claude

A browser window opens to log you in. Once you're in, describe what you want to build in plain English. That is the whole skill.

You're in. Everything from here is just a conversation.
She Builds with Claude Path D - VS Code

See your code as it's written

Claude Code,
right inside your editor.

VS Code is a free professional code editor used by millions of developers. The official Claude Code extension brings Claude into the sidebar - chat with it, watch it build, see exactly what's changing, accept or reject each edit. All in one window.

1

Download VS Code - it's free

Go to code.visualstudio.com and download VS Code for your computer. Install it like any normal app. It's free, made by Microsoft, and what most professional developers use every day.

2

Install the Claude Code extension

Open VS Code. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (four squares). Search "Claude Code". Find the one by Anthropic and click Install.

Look for: The Anthropic extension with a verified publisher badge and 2 million+ installs. That is the right one.
3

Open your project folder

Go to File → Open Folder and select a folder where your project will live - or create a new one called my-first-build on your Desktop first.

4

Click the spark icon ✦ and log in

Look for the spark icon in your left sidebar or top-right corner of the editor. Click it, then click Sign In and log in with your Claude Pro account in the browser that opens.

5

Describe your project in the chat panel

Type what you want to build. Claude reads your folder, understands the project, and starts building. You'll see green and red highlights showing exactly what's being added or removed - accept or reject each change.

Marni's tip: VS Code is brilliant if you're planning to build seriously. Seeing the code as it's written helps you learn fast - even if you don't understand it yet.
She Builds with Claude Part Two - Your First Projects

Six ideas

Pick the one that makes you think "I want that."

These are ordered by confidence level, not difficulty. They're all doable on your first session. The best project is the one you actually care about.

"

You don't need to know how to build it. You just need to be able to describe what you want. That's the whole skill.

- The She Builds approach
Project 01

A Linktree Page

✦ We're doing this at the webinar

One page with every link you share - Instagram, Etsy, LinkedIn, your email. Yours to design, yours to own. No monthly fee, no Linktree branding. Completely custom. This is the one we build together live - by the end of the session you'll have something real to put in your bio.

Try this prompt

"Build me a link-in-bio page with my name, a short description, and buttons linking to [list your links]. Make it look beautiful - clean, minimal, with a warm colour palette."

Project 02

A Portfolio Page

♡ Your corner of the internet.

Your own page - your name, what you do, what you've built, how to contact you. A step up from the linktree, and something you'll be proud to share as your builds grow.

Try this prompt

"Build me a simple personal portfolio page. My name is [name], I work in [field], and I'm starting to build things with AI. Include a short bio, a section for projects, and a contact link. Make it look clean and professional."

Project 03

A Tiny Game

✦ Tic-tac-toe, snake, anything.

People underestimate this one. Building a game feels playful and low-stakes - but you end up with something genuinely impressive to show people. Tic-tac-toe takes about 10 minutes. Snake takes a bit longer. Both will make you feel like a wizard.

Try this prompt

"Build me a working tic-tac-toe game in the browser. Two players take turns, it detects when someone wins or the board is full, and there's a restart button. Make it look fun."

Project 04

A Daily Journal

♡ Personal, useful, small.

Write a little every day, save each entry, look back over time. No ads, no subscriptions, no one reading your data. Just yours. Small enough to finish in one session and genuinely something you'll use.

Try this prompt

"Build me a simple daily journal app. I can write an entry, save it with today's date, and scroll back through past entries. Keep it calm, minimal, and easy to use."

Project 05

A Reading List

✦ Books, articles, recipes.

Add titles, mark things as read or unread, filter by category, add notes on what you thought. Works just as well for recipes, articles, or podcasts. A genuinely useful tool you'll actually go back to.

Try this prompt

"Build a reading list app where I can add books with a title, author, and category. I can mark them as read or unread, filter by category, and add a short note about each one."

Project 06

Something Totally Yours

✦ The real one

What's the thing in your life or work that's annoying, repetitive, or broken? The thing you keep thinking "someone should make a tool for this"? Build that. This is where building gets genuinely exciting - because it's yours.

How to start

Open Claude Code and say: "I want to build a tool that helps me [describe the problem]. The person using it would [what they'd do]. Can you help me figure out where to start?"

What's next

You're not learning to code.
You're learning to build.

There's a whole community of women doing exactly this - using Claude to build real things, for their jobs, their businesses, their lives. You don't have to figure it out alone.

Join She Builds with Claude →
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