Guide
Running Claude Code on Windows without WSL
Claude Code no longer needs a Linux layer on Windows. The install is short; the details that decide whether it is pleasant are PATH, the terminal and the shell around it.
Install (native Windows, no WSL)
Follow the current instructions in Anthropic's Claude Code documentation - they list the native Windows installer and the npm package, and they change faster than any third-party page. You do not need WSL for the normal Windows path.
Have these ready before the first launch:
- Node.js LTS on your PATH if you install via npm (verify with node -v and npm -v in a fresh terminal).
- Git for Windows. Claude Code uses git, and it can use the bundled Git Bash as its shell.
- A modern terminal - Windows Terminal or any ConPTY terminal - so the interactive UI renders and resizes correctly.
- Your Anthropic login or API access already working in that same terminal (claude --version or the current auth command from the docs).
Shell and PATH checklist
Most "Claude Code does not work on Windows" reports are PATH or shell mismatches, not missing WSL. After install, close and reopen the terminal so PATH updates apply. If `claude` is not found, check where npm global binaries land (often under your user AppData Roaming npm folder) and that this directory is on PATH.
Decide which shell the agent should use for project commands. PowerShell and Git Bash disagree on quoting, env vars and chaining. Put the project's expected shell in CLAUDE.md so the agent stops guessing.
- Prefer Windows Terminal profiles you already use for Node and git.
- Keep one terminal profile for Claude Code so auth cookies/config stay predictable.
- If you use nvm-windows or fnm, open Claude from a shell where the right Node is active.
The Windows snags
These are the issues that waste an afternoon once install succeeds:
- Line endings. If core.autocrlf rewrites files on checkout, every agent diff looks bigger than it is. Decide on a setting per repository, and add a .gitattributes.
- Shell differences. Commands written for bash fail in PowerShell and vice versa. Say which shell the project uses in CLAUDE.md.
- Long paths. Deep node_modules trees can hit the old 260-character limit; enable long paths in git (core.longpaths) and in Windows.
- Antivirus scanning. Real-time scanning of large repositories slows every file operation; excluding the dev folder helps noticeably.
- Execution policy. If npm global scripts are blocked, adjust PowerShell execution policy for your user or run from Git Bash.
- Corporate proxies. Set HTTPS_PROXY / NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS the same way your other Node tools need.
Several sessions side by side
Once one session works, the next step is running two or three on separate tasks. Give each its own git worktree so they never share a working copy - the guide on running multiple Claude Code sessions has the exact commands.
Nix Agents does the worktree-per-session setup natively on Windows (x64 and ARM64), with a real terminal for each Claude Code session and the diff to review before merging. It launches the claude you installed, with your login - still without requiring WSL.
Questions
- Does Claude Code require WSL on Windows?
- No. Claude Code runs natively on Windows; WSL is optional. Check Anthropic's documentation for the current requirements.
- Claude is not recognized as a command - what now?
- Reopen the terminal after install, confirm the npm global bin directory is on PATH, and verify with the version command from Anthropic's docs. This is the most common Windows setup failure and is unrelated to WSL.
- Should I use PowerShell or Git Bash?
- Either works if the project instructions match. Pick one per repository, document it in CLAUDE.md, and keep agent sessions in that shell so scripts do not half-fail.
- Does Claude Code work on Windows on ARM?
- Check Anthropic's documentation for current ARM64 support. Nix Agents itself ships a native ARM64 build, so the workspace around the agent does not run under emulation.