About Claude Code
Claude Code is Anthropic's command-line coding agent. Started inside a project folder, it reads the code, proposes changes, runs commands (tests, builds, git) and asks for your approval before any sensitive action. It suits developers and small teams who want a remote workstation that is always on and reachable over SSH from any machine.
On delivery, the claude binary is installed for all users at /usr/bin/claude, from the official APT repository (stable channel). The signing key is checked against its fingerprint before it is accepted, and no remote script is run blindly. The git and tmux packages are added alongside it.
Nothing is authenticated at delivery, and that is deliberate: no API key is placed in the server configuration. You sign in yourself, with your Anthropic account or your key, once you are on the machine. The installation logs its progress to /var/log/claude-code-install.log.
What you can do with Claude Code
System-wide install via signed APT
The
claude-codepackage comes from Anthropic's official repository, stable channel, and installs to/usr/bin/claude. It is available to every account on the server and does not depend on a home directory.GPG key checked by fingerprint
The signing key is downloaded and compared with the expected fingerprint before it is saved to
/etc/apt/keyrings/claude-code.asc. If the fingerprint differs, the installation stops.Coding agent in your terminal
Claude Code explores your repository, edits files and runs commands from the shell. You stay in control through permission prompts.
git and tmux already in place
Both tools are installed with the agent. With tmux, a working session keeps running even if your SSH connection drops.
Updates controlled through APT
The repository is declared in
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-code.list. You update withsudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade claude-code, whenever you choose.Authentication on your terms
No secret is stored in the provisioning data. You use the browser login built into
claudeor theANTHROPIC_API_KEYvariable.
Get started with Claude Code
From order to production in a few minutes.
- 1
Order the VPS with Claude Code
Choose a Linux VPS (Paris or Frankfurt) running Debian 12, Debian 13, Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04 or 24.04, then tick Claude Code in the Applications tab. Plan for 4 GB of RAM: the installer prints a warning below 3.5 GB.
- 2
Connect and check the installation
Once the server is delivered, open an SSH session. The marker file confirms the installation finished, and the log details every step if anything looks wrong.
Bashssh USER@SERVER_IP ls /var/lib/claude-code-install.done claude --version tail -n 20 /var/log/claude-code-install.log - 3
Authenticate and open a project
Go to your project folder and run
claude. Follow the browser login it offers, or export your key in the session if you prefer to use the API.Bashmkdir -p ~/projet && cd ~/projet && git init claude - 4
Secure the server before real use
Work as a non-root user, log in with an SSH key and limit the open ports. Claude Code exposes no web service, so there is no domain or HTTPS to set up for it. Keep your repositories pushed to a git remote, which doubles as a backup of your code.
Bashadduser dev && usermod -aG sudo dev apt install -y ufw ufw allow OpenSSH && ufw enable
Claude Code use cases
Permanent remote dev workstation
You connect over SSH from a light laptop or a tablet and find the same environment every time, with your repositories and running tmux sessions.
Refactoring and code review
Ask the agent to analyse a repository, rename an internal API across several files or fix failing tests, then read the diff before you commit.
Scripts and admin tasks
On a server you control, the agent helps write shell scripts, configuration files or playbooks, testing the commands in the same terminal.
Long sessions that survive disconnects
Run
claudeinside tmux for a task that takes a while, detach the session, close your laptop and pick it up later withtmux attach.
Claude Code FAQ
Yes. The installation provides only the program, with no authentication. After connecting over SSH, run claude to sign in with your account, or export your key in ANTHROPIC_API_KEY. Access to Claude is provided by Anthropic, not by Infrawire.
More about Claude Code
Checking what the installation did
Three things tell you the state of the server: the log at /var/log/claude-code-install.log, the marker file /var/lib/claude-code-install.done (created only if everything went well) and the claude --version command. If the marker is missing, read the end of the log: it shows the line and the cause of the failure, for example a broken third-party repository or an unreachable network.
Authenticating without exposing a secret
Never paste an API key into a server's provisioning data: it stays readable through the metadata service. Sign in after delivery with claude instead, or export the key in your session:
Bashexport ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="VOTRE_CLE"
To make it persistent, keep it in a secrets manager or in a file readable only by your own user (chmod 600), rather than in a shared file.
Updating Claude Code
The APT repository points to the stable channel. Updates work like any other package, which avoids surprises in the middle of a working session:
Bashsudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade claude-code
Working with tmux
Start a named session before launching the agent, for example tmux new -s code, then claude. Detach with Ctrl+b then d, and resume with tmux attach -t code. For heavier workloads, consider a larger VPS from our Linux VPS range.
