Terminal and file path basics for installing skills
Translated from Korean. View original
In skill-installation instructions, the first obstacle may be ‘Which folder do I run this in?’ rather than a long command. A terminal has a current folder just like a file browser. Start by checking your location and reading filenames; these examples inspect locations without deleting files or changing settings.
What does a terminal do?
A terminal runs programs through typed commands. The same command can find different files depending on the current folder, so check your location first.
Distinguish a running Claude Code conversation from a regular command prompt. Entering an in-app command such as /plugin in a shell can mean something else or produce an error.
How do I see my current folder and file list?
In common macOS, Linux and WSL shells, pwd shows the current path and ls lists files. Use ls -a to include hidden items beginning with a dot. Enter commands one line at a time and press Enter.
pwd ls -a
In Windows PowerShell, Get-Location shows the current location and Get-ChildItem -Force lists items including hidden ones.
Get-Location Get-ChildItem -Force
What are absolute and relative paths?
An absolute path gives an address from its starting point, such as /Users/name/Documents/notes.txt on macOS or C:\Users\name\Documents\notes.txt on Windows. Replace ‘name’ with the actual account folder name.
A relative path starts from the current folder. notes/meeting.txt refers to a file inside its notes folder. The same relative path points elsewhere if the current location changes.
- my-projectCurrent location
- notes
- meeting.txtnotes/meeting.txt
- output
What do a tilde and dot-prefixed folder mean?
In common macOS, Linux and WSL shells, ~ means your home folder. ~/.claude and .claude inside a project are different locations. Check whether the tilde is present.
A folder beginning with a dot, such as .claude, may be hidden in a file browser. Not seeing it does not necessarily mean it is absent. Show hidden files or use the listing command above.
- Under the home folder
- Used for personal settings
- Under the current location
- Can be inside a project
What if a folder name contains spaces?
Put the path in quotes. On macOS, an example for moving to My Project inside Documents is cd "$HOME/Documents/My Project". The folder must actually exist.
Check that a copied command does not still contain an example username or folder. If stuck, provide the current path, destination and original error. You may redact personal names in paths when sharing.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Do I need a coding program to open an .md file? A. An ordinary text editor can read and write it. Check that you save plain text with the correct extension.
Q. Must I memorize commands? A. Start by learning to check the current location and file list. Before running an installation command you do not understand, find out what it does.