Troubleshooting

Getting stuck is a normal part of learning. This guide covers the most common issues you might encounter and how to fix them.

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Installation Issues

Claude Code Not Recognised After Install

Symptom: You type claude in your terminal and get “command not found”.

Solutions:

1. Close and reopen your terminal - The install adds Claude Code to your PATH, but existing terminals don’t see it automatically.

2. Check the installation completed - Run the installer again:

   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

3. Verify it’s installed - Check npm’s global packages:

   npm list -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

4. Manually add to PATH (advanced) - If Claude Code installed but isn’t found, you may need to add npm’s global bin directory to your PATH.

Permission Denied Errors

Symptom: You see EACCES or “permission denied” when installing.

Solutions:

macOS/Linux:

# Fix npm permissions (recommended)
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Windows:

• Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator
• Or use Node Version Manager (nvm) which avoids permission issues

Node.js Version Issues

Symptom: Claude Code won’t install or run, mentioning Node.js version.

Check your version:

node --version

Required: Node.js 18 or higher

To upgrade:

• macOS: brew install node or download from nodejs.org
• Windows: Download from nodejs.org
• Linux: Use your package manager or nvm

API Key Not Working

Symptom: Claude Code says your API key is invalid or you get authentication errors.

Check these:

1. Correct key: Anthropic API keys start with sk-ant-. Make sure you’re not using a different service’s key.

2. No extra spaces: When copying your key, ensure there are no leading or trailing spaces.

3. Environment variable set:

   # Check if it's set
   echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
   
   # Set it (add to your shell config file)
   export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-your-key-here"

4. Key not expired: Check your Anthropic Console to ensure the key is still valid.

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Slash Command Issues

Command Not Found

Symptom: You type a slash command like /w1.d1 and Claude Code says it doesn’t exist.

Solutions:

1. Are you in the right project? - Slash commands are project-specific. Make sure you’re in the CoEngineers project folder:

   pwd  # Should show the coengineers folder

2. Did you clone the repository? - Commands live in .claude/commands/. If you downloaded files manually, you might be missing them.

3. Check the file exists:

   ls .claude/commands/w1.d1.md

Command Produces Unexpected Output

Symptom: The command runs but doesn’t do what the lesson describes.

Things to check:

1. Read the lesson first - Some commands need context from the lesson to make sense.

2. Answer the questions - Many commands ask questions before generating output. Make sure you’re providing the information it asks for.

3. Check your inputs - If the output seems wrong, try running the command again with different answers.

Custom Commands Not Loading

Symptom: Commands you created aren’t being recognised.

Verify:

1. File location: Custom commands must be in .claude/commands/ directory

2. File extension: Must be .md (markdown)

3. File name: Becomes the command name (e.g., mycommand.md → /mycommand)

4. Restart Claude Code: After adding new commands, you may need to restart.

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Course Content Issues

Videos Not Playing

Symptom: Video embeds show errors or won’t load.

Try these:

1. Check your internet connection - Videos stream from YouTube

2. Disable ad blockers - Some ad blockers prevent video embeds

3. Try a different browser - Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all work

4. Open on YouTube directly - Click the YouTube logo in the player

Code Examples Not Working

Symptom: Copy-pasting code from lessons produces errors.

Common causes:

1. Smart quotes: Some browsers convert " to " or ". Use a code editor that converts them back.

2. Indentation: Python is sensitive to spaces vs tabs. Ensure consistent indentation.

3. Missing dependencies: Check if the lesson mentions packages to install first.

4. Different file location: Make sure you’re in the right folder when running commands.

Links Not Working

Symptom: Clicking a link gives a 404 error or goes nowhere.

What to do:

1. Report it - Email us at john@coengineers.ai with the page and broken link

2. Try the URL manually - Sometimes the link text shows the intended destination

3. Check if the page exists - Use the sidebar to navigate to similar content

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Email Issues

Welcome Email Not Received

Symptom: You signed up but never got the welcome email.

Check these:

1. Spam/Junk folder - Most common! Check your spam folder and mark us as “not spam”

2. Correct email - Did you type your email correctly? Try signing up again if unsure.

3. Give it time - Email can take up to 5 minutes to arrive

4. Check Promotions tab - Gmail users: check the Promotions tab

Unsubscribe Link Not Working

Symptom: Clicking unsubscribe shows an error.

What to try:

1. Copy the full link - Sometimes email clients truncate long URLs. Try copying and pasting the full link.

2. Use a different browser - Your email app’s built-in browser might have issues.

3. Email us - If all else fails, email john@coengineers.ai and we’ll unsubscribe you manually.

Not Receiving Updates

Symptom: You’re subscribed but not getting new lesson notifications.

Possible reasons:

1. Check spam regularly - Email filters learn over time and might start filtering us

2. You unsubscribed - Try signing up again on the homepage

3. Lessons haven’t launched yet - The full course launches January 2026

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Browser/Device Issues

Site Not Loading Properly

Symptom: Page looks broken, missing styles, or shows errors.

Solutions:

1. Hard refresh:

   • Mac: Cmd + Shift + R
   • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + R
   • This clears cached files

2. Clear cache: In browser settings, clear cached images and files

3. Try incognito/private mode: This rules out extensions causing issues

4. Update your browser: Ensure you’re on a recent version

Navigation Not Working on Mobile

Symptom: Menu won’t open, or pages don’t load on your phone.

Try:

1. Tap the hamburger menu (☰) - On mobile, the sidebar is hidden behind this icon

2. Rotate your phone - Some layouts work better in landscape

3. Request desktop site - In your browser’s menu, try “Request Desktop Site”

4. Use a different browser - Safari, Chrome, and Firefox all support the site

Content Cut Off

Symptom: Text or images are partially hidden.

Fixes:

1. Scroll horizontally - Code blocks can scroll left/right

2. Zoom out: Pinch to zoom out on mobile, or Cmd/Ctrl + minus on desktop

3. Check orientation - Some content displays better in landscape

4. Resize browser window - On desktop, try making the window wider

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Getting Help

Where to Ask Questions

• YouTube comments - Ask under the lesson videos
• LinkedIn - Connect and message John Gordon
• Community - Launching January 2026

How to Report Bugs

Email john@coengineers.ai with:

1. What you were trying to do
2. What happened instead
3. Your browser and device
4. Screenshots if possible

Community Resources

• Claude Code Docs - Official documentation
• Anthropic Discord - General Claude discussion
• CoEngineers YouTube - Video tutorials

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Still Stuck?

Don’t worry - everyone gets stuck sometimes. That’s how we learn!

If none of these solutions work:

1. Take a break - Fresh eyes often spot the issue
2. Search for the error message - Someone else has probably seen it
3. Email us - john@coengineers.ai

We’re here to help you succeed.