Fix “Command Not Found: Claude” — zsh, bash & npm PATH Fix

TL;DR — Quick Fix

Run this single command. It fixes the problem 90% of the time:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code && source ~/.zshrc && claude --version

If that does not work, your shell cannot find the npm global bin directory. Keep reading for the full fix.

The Error

zsh: command not found: claude

Or one of these variations:

bash: claude: command not found
command not found: claude
claude: not found
-bash: claude: No such file or directory

You installed Claude Code with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, the install completed without errors, but when you type claude your shell says it cannot find it.

Why This Happens

When npm installs a global package, it places the executable in npm's global bin directory. Your shell can only run commands that exist in directories listed in your PATH environment variable. If npm's global bin is not in PATH, your shell cannot find claude.

The three most common causes:

1. npm global bin is not in PATH. This is the default state on many Linux distributions and some macOS setups. npm installs the binary, but your shell profile never adds its location to PATH.
2. nvm node version mismatch. You installed Claude Code under Node 20, then switched to Node 22 with nvm use 22. Global packages are per-node-version in nvm. The binary only exists under the Node 20 prefix.
3. Wrong shell profile. You added the PATH export to ~/.bashrc but your terminal runs zsh (reads ~/.zshrc). Or you edited ~/.zprofile but your terminal is a login shell that reads ~/.zshrc.

Fix 1 — Reinstall Claude Code Globally

The fastest fix. This reinstalls the package and re-links the binary:

# Uninstall any existing broken installation
npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Reinstall fresh
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Verify the binary exists
which claude

If which claude prints a path like /usr/local/bin/claude or /Users/you/.nvm/versions/node/v22.x.x/bin/claude, the install worked. If it still says “not found”, continue to Fix 2.

Fix 2 — Add npm Global Bin to PATH

First, find where npm installs global binaries:

npm bin -g

This prints the directory. Common outputs:

# macOS (system Node)
/usr/local/bin

# macOS/Linux (nvm)
/Users/you/.nvm/versions/node/v22.15.0/bin

# Linux (apt-installed Node)
/usr/lib/node_modules/.bin

# Linux (snap-installed Node)
/snap/node/current/bin

Now add that directory to your PATH. Choose your shell:

zsh (macOS default since Catalina):

# Add npm global bin to PATH in your zsh profile
echo 'export PATH="$(npm bin -g):$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc

# Reload the profile
source ~/.zshrc

# Verify
claude --version

bash:

# Add npm global bin to PATH in your bash profile
echo 'export PATH="$(npm bin -g):$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc

# Reload the profile
source ~/.bashrc

# Verify
claude --version

fish:

# Add npm global bin to PATH in fish config
set -Ua fish_user_paths (npm bin -g)

# Verify
claude --version

If you are not sure which shell you use, run:

echo $SHELL

Fix 3 — nvm Users: Node Version Mismatch

If you use nvm, global packages are installed per Node version. Switching Node versions makes previously installed globals disappear.

# Check which Node version is active
node --version

# List installed Node versions
nvm ls

# Check if claude exists in the current version's bin
ls $(nvm which current | xargs dirname)/claude 2>/dev/null && echo "Found" || echo "Not found"

If “Not found”, you have two options:

Option A — Reinstall under the current Node version:

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

Option B — Switch back to the Node version that has it:

# List all Node versions and check each for claude
for dir in ~/.nvm/versions/node/*/bin; do
  [ -f "$dir/claude" ] && echo "Found claude in: $dir"
done

# Switch to that version
nvm use 22  # replace with the version number from above

Option C — Set a default Node version so claude persists across terminal sessions:

# Set your current version as the default
nvm alias default node

# Install claude on the default
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Fix 4 — Homebrew Users (macOS)

If you installed Node.js via Homebrew, npm's global bin is under the Homebrew prefix, which may not be in your PATH (especially on Apple Silicon Macs):

# Check Homebrew prefix
brew --prefix

# Apple Silicon Macs: /opt/homebrew
# Intel Macs: /usr/local

Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) fix:

# Add Homebrew's bin to PATH (if not already there)
echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# Reinstall Claude Code
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Verify
which claude

Intel Mac fix:

# Homebrew's /usr/local/bin is usually already in PATH
# Just reinstall:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# If still not found, force the link:
npm link @anthropic-ai/claude-code

You can also install Claude Code directly via Homebrew if npm is giving you trouble:

# Alternative: install via npx without global install
npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Fix 5 — Verify Installation

Run these commands to confirm everything is working:

# Check if claude is in PATH
which claude

# Check the version
claude --version

# Check that the binary is executable
ls -la $(which claude)

# Check your PATH includes npm's global bin
echo $PATH | tr ':' '\n' | grep -i node

Expected output:

$ which claude
/Users/you/.nvm/versions/node/v22.15.0/bin/claude

$ claude --version
Claude Code v1.x.x

$ ls -la $(which claude)
lrwxr-xr-x  1 you  staff  ... claude -> ../lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code/cli.js

If which claude returns a path but claude --version still fails, the symlink may be broken. Reinstall with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code.

Error Variations by Shell and OS

The fix is the same for all: make sure npm's global bin directory is in your shell's PATH.

FAQ

Why does “zsh: command not found: claude” appear after a successful npm install?

npm installed the binary, but your zsh shell does not know where it is. npm's global bin directory is not in your PATH environment variable. Run npm bin -g to find the directory, then add it to ~/.zshrc with export PATH="$(npm bin -g):$PATH". Reload with source ~/.zshrc.

How do I fix “claude command not found” on macOS?

macOS uses zsh by default since Catalina. Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code to install, then add the npm bin path to ~/.zshrc. On Apple Silicon Macs (M1-M4), also make sure Homebrew's shell environment is loaded: eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" in your ~/.zshrc.

Does “command not found” mean Claude Code failed to install?

Not necessarily. The npm install may have succeeded (check with npm list -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code). The error means your shell cannot locate the claude binary because the install directory is not in your PATH. It is a path configuration issue, not an installation failure.

Why does claude work in one terminal but not another?

Different terminals may load different shell profiles. If you added the PATH export to ~/.zshrc but open a bash terminal, it reads ~/.bashrc instead. Also, if you use nvm and different terminals default to different Node versions, the global packages differ between them. Run echo $SHELL and node --version in each terminal to compare.

I switched Node versions with nvm and now claude is gone. How do I get it back?

nvm installs global packages per Node version. When you switch from Node 20 to Node 22, the packages installed under Node 20 are not available. Reinstall with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code on your current Node version. To prevent this in the future, set a default: nvm alias default node and always install globals on the default version.