Best PracticesLesson 23 of 23
Troubleshooting Common Issues
1 min readClaude Code for DesignersUpdated Feb 18, 2026
Three things break most often: Claude Code refusing to start, the dev server failing to launch, and git getting confused. Here are the fixes for each — bookmark this lesson, you'll come back to it.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Claude Code Won't Start
- Check your API key (copy it again if needed)
- Make sure you've updated Node.js: npm install -g npm
- Reinstall Claude Code: npm install -g claude-code@latest
Development Server Won't Start
- Press Ctrl + C to stop it
- Run npm start again
- Check if port 3000 is already in use by another program
Git/GitHub Issues
- Forgot to initialize git? Run git init
- Wrong remote? Check with git remote -v
- Need a fresh start? Delete the .git folder and start over
Key Takeaways
- Specific is better than vague. The more detail you give Claude Code, the better the result.
- Test early and often. Don't wait until the end to see if something works.
- Iterate in small steps. Ask for one thing at a time, not everything at once.
- Document your decisions. Help future you and your teammates understand why you made choices.
- Use git effectively. Meaningful commit messages are your documentation.
You're Ready!
- How to set up Claude Code
- How to create prototypes
- How to save your work on GitHub
- Best practices for working with Claude Code
Congratulations! Start building! Create a prototype, share it with your team, and iterate. Claude Code is a tool to speed up your ideas—have fun with it!