Full-Day Classroom Seminar
Claude Code for Beginners
Build your first AI-Assisted Project Bring a small idea or problem to work on. A starter project can also be provided.
A practical one-day programme to help beginners understand, create, edit, improve, test, and review software with Claude Code.
The Programme
Programme Overview
Introduction
Course Overview
Many professionals and beginners want to explore AI-assisted development but are unsure how to start, how to give clear instructions, how to work with unfamiliar code, or how to safely review AI-generated changes. Without a structured workflow, it is easy to lose context, accept weak outputs, or struggle with debugging and validation.
This programme introduces participants to Claude Code as a practical, conversational tool for understanding, creating, editing, and improving software. By the end of the day, participants will use Claude Code to take a small project from idea to a working prototype while learning responsible habits for reviewing and validating AI-generated changes.
Outcomes
What You Will Learn
- Explain what Claude Code is and where it can help in a development workflow.
- Set up a simple working environment for Claude Code.
- Communicate clearly with Claude Code using prompts, project context, and permissions.
- Read an unfamiliar codebase and ask useful questions.
- Break a task into manageable steps.
- Create or modify a small application using an iterative AI-assisted workflow.
- Review outputs, test changes, and troubleshoot errors.
- Maintain human oversight while working with AI-generated changes.
- Use prompt patterns, context management, alternatives, and review checklists.
- Identify practical next steps for applying Claude Code to work projects.
Methodology
How We Teach
- Practical setup and first conversation with Claude Code.
- Guided codebase exploration exercises.
- Step-by-step project building using small checkpoints and clear instructions.
- Pair-based debugging and project improvement activities.
- Prompt makeover and review checklist practice.
- Independent or paired hands-on capstone build sprint.
- Short project walkthrough at the end of the programme.
The Outcome
Impact & Audience
For the Organization
Organizational Impact
- Help teams explore AI-assisted development through a structured beginner-friendly workflow.
- Improve productivity in understanding, editing, and improving small software projects.
- Encourage safer use of AI-generated code through testing, review, validation, and human oversight.
- Support faster prototyping of small tools, data helpers, research helpers, and interactive solutions.
- Build practical confidence in using AI to break down development tasks and troubleshoot errors.
- Create a foundation for applying Claude Code to work projects after the programme.
For the Individual
Personal Impact
- Build confidence in using Claude Code for a real project.
- Learn how to move from idea to working prototype in a guided way.
- Improve your ability to understand unfamiliar code and ask better questions.
- Develop habits for reviewing, testing, and validating AI-generated changes.
- Learn how to debug errors and refine project requirements safely.
- Complete a small feature and prepare a short walkthrough of your project.
Audience
Who Should Attend
- Beginners Exploring Claude Code: To understand how Claude Code can support software creation, editing, and improvement.
- Professionals with a Small Project Idea: To work on a simple useful app, tool, webpage, or prototype during the session.
- Developers New to AI-Assisted Coding: To learn an iterative workflow for prompting, reviewing diffs, testing changes, and debugging.
- Students and Early-Career Learners: To practise reading code, asking useful questions, and building small projects with AI assistance.
- Teams Exploring AI-Assisted Prototyping: To understand how Claude Code can help create productivity tools, data helpers, research helpers, or interactive prototypes.
- Working Professionals Handling Code-Based Tasks: To learn practical next steps for applying Claude Code to work projects.
Curriculum
Course Outline
Session 1: Setup and First Conversation
- Understand the workspace required for working with Claude Code.
- Learn basic terminal concepts needed for the workshop.
- Provide project context clearly to Claude Code.
- Write prompts that help Claude Code understand the task.
- Understand permissions while working with Claude Code.
- Run the first useful task using Claude Code.
Session 2: Understanding a Project
- Read files inside an unfamiliar project.
- Ask Claude Code useful questions about the codebase.
- Use Claude Code to explain existing code.
- Find relevant logic inside a project.
- Break a task into manageable steps.
- Complete a guided codebase exploration exercise.
Session 3: Build with Claude Code
- Move from idea to implementation using Claude Code.
- Work in small steps while building a project.
- Use checkpoints to review progress during development.
- Give clear instructions to Claude Code while building.
- Start the day project as a simple useful app or tool.
- Create or modify a small application using an AI-assisted workflow.
Session 4: Iteration and Debugging
- Interpret errors during the project-building process.
- Test changes made with Claude Code.
- Refine requirements based on project progress.
- Recover safely when the output does not work as expected.
- Debug and improve the project in pairs.
- Maintain human oversight while troubleshooting AI-generated changes.
Session 5: Working Effectively with AI
- Use prompt patterns for better AI-assisted development.
- Manage context while working with Claude Code.
- Ask Claude Code for alternatives when needed.
- Review diffs before accepting changes.
- Improve prompts through a prompt makeover activity.
- Use a review checklist to validate AI-generated changes.
Session 6: Capstone Build Sprint
- Choose a small project that is useful and achievable in one day.
- Work independently or in pairs on a hands-on build.
- Complete a small feature using Claude Code.
- Prepare a short walkthrough of the project.
- Apply testing, review, and validation habits during the build.
- Identify practical next steps for applying Claude Code to work projects.
Faculty & Inclusions
Your Trainer
Faculty
Instructors Details
The programme is designed to be led by instructors with practical knowledge of Claude Code, AI-assisted development workflows, project setup, codebase exploration, prompt patterns, context management, debugging, testing, reviewing diffs, validating AI-generated changes, and building beginner-friendly working prototypes.
What's Included
Certificates & Inclusions
- Certificate and inclusions to be confirmed as per programme format.
- Hands-on exercises using Claude Code.
- Guided codebase exploration and project-building practice.
- Prompt makeover and review checklist activities.
- Capstone build sprint with short project walkthrough.
Need Assistance?
Talk to a Programme Advisor
Have questions about your specific industry, or want to enquire about group discounts? Reach out to our programme coordinators directly.
Or register by e-mail
register@princetonacademy.co.inFor Teams
Corporate In-House Training
Have a large HR and Finance team? Standardize your compliance across all locations by training your entire team at once.
Request a Custom In-House ProposalSchedule
Upcoming Claude Code for Beginners Sessions
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The programme introduces participants to Claude Code as a practical, conversational tool for understanding, creating, editing, and improving software.
Yes. Participants will use Claude Code to take a small project from idea to a working prototype and complete a small feature during the capstone build sprint.
Participants can bring a small idea or problem to work on. A starter project can also be provided.
Participants can choose a small project such as a personal productivity tool, a data or research helper, a small webpage, an interactive prototype, or an existing beginner project they want to understand, improve, or extend.
Yes. Participants learn responsible habits for reviewing and validating AI-generated changes, including testing, troubleshooting, reviewing outputs, and maintaining human oversight.
