Learning Path

Last updated: Sep 23, 2026

Master Claude Code in 8-11 hours. Go deep on what matters to you with optional deep dives.

This is your structured entry point. Follow the modules in order, then jump into the full guide for depth.

The 7-Module Path

Module	Time	Focus	Complexity
01-Installation & Setup	15 min	Get Claude Code running	⭐ Beginner
02-Core Loop	45 min	How Claude Code actually works	⭐ Beginner
03-Memory & Config	1 hour	CLAUDE.md and settings	⭐⭐ Intermediate
04-Agents & Specialization	1.5 hours	Creating focused agents	⭐⭐ Intermediate
05-Skills & Automation	1.5 hours	Reusable capabilities	⭐⭐ Intermediate
06-Hooks & Events	1 hour	Triggering automation	⭐⭐ Intermediate
07-Advanced Patterns	2-3 hours	Multi-agent orchestration	⭐⭐⭐ Advanced

Total: 8-11 hours base learning + optional deep dives.

How to Use This Path

Step 1: Assess Your Level

Beginner (day 1 of Claude Code):

Take the quick path: 01 → 02 → 03 (2 hours)
Then jump to full guide Part 1: Quick Start

Intermediate (using Claude Code 1-4 weeks):

Take the full path: 01 → 07 (8-11 hours)
Focus on modules 04, 05, 06, 07 for depth

Advanced (using Claude Code 1+ months):

Skim 01-03, deep-dive 04-07
Jump to guide Part 9: Advanced Patterns for orchestration

Step 2: Choose Your Track

Track A: Master the Fundamentals (11 hours)

Follow modules 01-07 in order
Complete all exercises
Take /lesson-quiz [topic] after each module
Finish with /self-assessment comprehensive

Track B: Skill-Focused Deep Dive (4-6 hours)

Module 01-02 (basics)
Skip to Module 04, 05, or 06 based on your goal
Go deep on that one module
Link to advanced patterns as needed

Track C: Team Adoption (5-7 hours)

Module 01-02 (teach fundamentals)
Module 03 (team configuration)
Modules 04-07 (team workflows)
Run /self-assessment across team, identify gaps
Create follow-up training plan from gaps

Step 3: Learn & Validate

Each module includes:

📖 Reading (10-30 min): Concepts and mental models
🔨 Hands-on practice (20-45 min): Real examples from examples/
📝 Validation: /lesson-quiz [topic] to verify understanding

Step 4: Go Deeper

After this path, you have options:

Option A: Deep Reference → Jump to relevant section in guide/ultimate-guide.md

Option B: Master a Domain → Read dedicated guides (e.g., guide/security/, guide/ops/)

Option C: Build with Plugins → Install a plugin bundle from examples/plugins/

Option D: Self-Assess → Run /self-assessment comprehensive to identify remaining gaps

Step 5: Keep Progress in the Project

The installable learning-path skill turns the seven modules into a local progression. It selects only modules whose prerequisites are complete, requires a non-empty evidence note, and writes state to .claude/learning/claude-code-guide-progress.json in the learner’s project.

Use the skill when the reading path spans several sessions or when another person must inspect what was completed. Its review schedule is 1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60, and 90 days. Those intervals are project policy, not a claim that one schedule is optimal for every learner.

The Proofpack companion project carries one issue through configuration, implementation, tests, a guarded release check, evidence review, packaging, and an optional Docker boundary. Use it when you want one continuous exercise across all seven modules.

The learning path slides provide a short workshop version. The video production briefs connect individual exercises to observable checks.

Current Product Surfaces

The path also routes to focused pages for product surfaces that sit outside the seven-module sequence:

After	Continue with	Why
Module 02	Computer Use	Understand the current desktop interaction boundary
Module 05	Plugin Distribution	Package and distribute reusable capabilities
Module 07	Claude apps gateway	Separate the first-party surface from adjacent gateway patterns

Module Details

Module 01: Installation & Setup (15 min)

Goal: Get Claude Code running and confirm it works

Install for your platform (macOS/Linux/Windows)
Run your first command
Understand the prompt → output loop
Exercise: Complete the “First 5 Minutes” workflow

Complexity: ⭐ (Beginner) Read: 01-installation.md Then: Part 1: Quick Start in main guide

Module 02: Core Loop (45 min)

Goal: Understand how Claude Code works at the system level

The interaction loop (prompt → tool → decision → feedback)
Context and sessions
Plans and thinking modes
Exercise: Use /plan to plan a real task, observe the flow

Complexity: ⭐ (Beginner) Read: 02-core-loop.md Then: Part 2: Core Concepts in main guide

Module 03: Memory & Config (1 hour)

Goal: Configure Claude Code for your workflow

CLAUDE.md structure and hierarchy
Settings precedence (global → project → session)
Environment variables
Exercise: Create your first CLAUDE.md, customize settings

Complexity: ⭐⭐ (Intermediate) Read: 03-memory.md Then: Part 3: Memory & Settings in main guide

Module 04: Agents & Specialization (1.5 hours)

Goal: Create focused agents for specific tasks

When to use agents vs a single session
Tool restriction and isolation
Creating agents (AGENT.md format)
Exercise: Build 2 agents (generalist + specialist), test them

Complexity: ⭐⭐ (Intermediate) Read: 04-agents.md Then: Part 4: Agents in main guide

Module 05: Skills & Automation (1.5 hours)

Goal: Build reusable capabilities that trigger automatically

Skill lifecycle and frontmatter
Auto-invocation patterns
Bundling scripts with skills
Exercise: Create a skill that solves a repeated problem

Complexity: ⭐⭐ (Intermediate) Read: 05-skills.md Then: Part 5: Skills in main guide

Module 06: Hooks & Events (1 hour)

Goal: Automate responses to system events

Hook events and matching
Pre-validation vs post-execution
Writing safe hooks
Exercise: Add and test one narrow PreToolUse validation hook

Complexity: ⭐⭐ (Intermediate) Read: 06-hooks.md Then: Part 7: Hooks in main guide

Module 07: Advanced Patterns (2-3 hours)

Goal: Orchestrate multi-agent workflows

Multi-agent teams and dependencies
Orchestration patterns
Error handling and recovery
Exercise: Design a 3-agent workflow for a realistic scenario

Complexity: ⭐⭐⭐ (Advanced) Read: 07-advanced.md Then: Part 9: Advanced Patterns in main guide

After the Learning Path

Assessment

Take /self-assessment comprehensive to:

Measure where you stand
Identify knowledge gaps
Get a personalized next-step plan

Specialization

Choose where to go next:

Interest	Path
Security & Production	→ `guide/security/` (43KB)
DevOps & Operations	→ `guide/ops/` (113KB)
Architecture & Design	→ `guide/core/architecture.md` (77KB)
Building with AI	→ `guide/roles/learning-with-ai.md` (53KB)
Teams & Adoption	→ `guide/roles/adoption-approaches.md` (15KB)

Practice

Try one of the practice projects from /self-assessment results:

Proofpack companion project: one tested release-verification CLI across all seven modules
Project 1: Your first automation workflow
Project 2: Team configuration
Project 3: Production-grade setup

Time Estimates

For different goals:

Just getting started: 2 hours (Modules 01-02 only)
Daily usage: 6 hours (Modules 01-05)
Team adoption: 8-11 hours (Modules 01-07)
Deep mastery: 15-20 hours (Path + guide deep-dives)
Specialization: 20-30+ hours (Path + domain expertise)

What You’ll Be Able to Do

After this learning path, you’ll:

✓ Navigate Claude Code without the docs ✓ Create custom agents and skills for your workflow ✓ Configure team-level settings and governance ✓ Build multi-agent orchestration ✓ Automate repetitive tasks with hooks ✓ Know where to go for deeper expertise

Common Questions

Q: Can I skip modules? A: Yes, but 01-03 are prerequisites. If you know basics, start at 04.

Q: How long does it really take? A: 8-11 hours for the full path. Budget extra time for exercises.

Q: Do I need prior Claude Code experience? A: No, start at Module 01. If you’ve used it before, skim 01-02.

Q: After this, what’s the full guide? A: guide/ultimate-guide.md (25K lines) is your reference. This path gets you to the point where you can read it effectively.

Ready? Start Here

First time: → Module 01: Installation Already using Claude Code: → Assess your level, jump to relevant module Team adoption: → Module 03: Memory & Config

Or take the quick assessment: /self-assessment quick (5 minutes)