Track 2 — Claude Code (in browser VS Code)

Goal: open VS Code in your browser, where the Claude Code CLI and extension are already installed, sign in once, and run a spec-driven task on the LaTeX starter.

This runs as a container in the kit — ./bootstrap.sh already started it. No host install of VS Code or Claude Code needed.

Docs: https://code.claude.com/docs

1. Open the workspace

• Browser VS Code: http://localhost:8080

It opens with latex-starter/ as the workspace folder. The Claude Code extension is pre-installed, and the claude CLI is on the PATH.

Don’t confuse the two chat panels. VS Code has a built-in “CHAT” panel that says “You need to set up GitHub Copilot…” — that is not Claude Code; ignore it. Claude Code is the Claude-logo icon in the left activity bar (or Command Palette → “Claude Code: New Conversation”).

2. Sign in to Claude (one time)

Open a terminal in VS Code (Terminal → New Terminal) and run:

claude

Follow the prompt to sign in. Any paid Claude subscription (Pro / Max / Team / Enterprise) or a Console account works. If the browser sign-in flow is awkward inside the container, set an ANTHROPIC_API_KEY in the repo’s .env and re-run ./bootstrap.sh — the key is passed into the workspace. # VERIFY your preferred auth

You can also use the Claude Code panel from the VS Code activity bar (the extension) instead of the terminal.

3. Install Superpowers

Superpowers is the spec-driven methodology toolkit. Install it in Claude Code:

/plugin install superpowers@claude-plugins-official

4. First spec-driven task

Now point Claude Code at one of the starter TODOs (e.g. “add an explain_steps tool”) — just describe what you want. Superpowers’ skills trigger automatically: it’ll brainstorm → write a plan → execute with review checkpoints, test-first, instead of dumping code.

Keep the task scoped to the LaTeX project so Tracks 2 and 3 reinforce each other — they share this same workspace.

Done when: claude is signed in, Superpowers is installed, and you’ve completed one brainstorm → plan → execute pass on a starter TODO.

Concept behind this: Spec-driven development · Superpowers. Next: Track 3 — the LaTeX build and the roadmap.