What is Claude?

Claude is a leading AI chat and direct competitor to ChatGPT. Claude is widely regarded as the best language model for coding and users also praise its writing style for being more natural and nuanced than other AI models.

In this guide, we explain how to use Claude's main features. If you're familiar with ChatGPT, you'll feel right at home with Claude.

Chat features:

• File Upload: Add any type of file up to 30MB each.

• Image Support: Share images by dropping them straight into the chat.

• Google Drive: Connect your Drive to access your documents directly

• Style Options: Choose how Claude responds: formal, concise, or explanatory.

The bottom of the chat area shows which Claude model you're using. The default is Claude 3.5 Sonnet - the best choice for most tasks.

Working with Projects

Projects help you group related work with Claude. Each project can hold up to 500+ pages of text, making it easy to keep all your documents and conversations in one place.

Here's what you can do with Projects:

• Add context: Upload PDFs, documents and more to give Claude “knowledge”

• Instructions: Tell Claude how to respond to all conversations

• Collaborate: Share projects with coworkers to collaborate on team plan

Three ways to use Projects:

• Data Analysis: Group related datasets, reports, and analysis requirements together. Claude can refer to past work and keep using the same approach across your analysis.

• Research: Store research papers, notes, and key findings in one place. Claude can link information across documents and help you spot patterns.

• Writing and Editing: Keep style guides, past articles, and brand guidelines in one project. Claude learns from these to match your writing style and follows your rules for content.

💡 Tip: Make separate projects for different types of work. This helps Claude stay focused on the right context and rules for each task.

Claude Artifacts

Artifacts give you a separate window next to your chat to work on larger content like code, documents, or diagrams. Think of it as an iterative workspace that stays open while you talk with Claude.

Here's what you can do with Artifacts:

• See Changes: Switch between different versions of your work

• Test Code: Run code and see the results right away

• Make Edits: Change specific parts without starting over

• Share: Download your files or publish your artifacts online

See Artifacts in action:

Build Mini Apps: Write code and see it run instantly. The preview updates as you type, so you can test your changes right away.

Create Visuals: Brainstorm and create graphics, flowcharts and diagrams using React, SVG, or Mermaid.

💡 Tip: See visual you like? Share an image of it with Claude, and ask for an Artifact that matches that style. Claude can help you make something similar.

Customizing Claude's Style

You can choose how Claude writes and responds to match your needs. This helps you get more consistent and useful responses.

Built-in style options:

• Normal: Standard responses that work well for most tasks

• Formal: Professional writing for business documents

• Concise: Short, direct answers when you need quick information

• Explanatory: Detailed responses that help you learn and understand concepts

How to set your own style:

1. Choose "Create Style" from the menu

2. Upload samples of writing you want Claude to match

3. Add notes about tone, format, or special requirements

💡 Tip: Upload real examples of writing you like instead of just describing what you want. This helps Claude match your style more accurately.

Using the Analysis Tool

The Analysis Tool lets Claude run code to process data and make charts. It works like having a data analyst who can crunch numbers and show results right away.

Key features:

• Process Data: Handle large files like CSV and Excel spreadsheets

• Make Charts: Turn numbers into clear, interactive graphs

• Run Code: Test and run JavaScript to analyze data

• Show Steps: See exactly how Claude reaches its conclusions

💡 Tip: Start by asking Claude to describe your data's structure. This helps you know what questions to ask and often reveals patterns worth exploring.

You Made It! 🎉

The best way to learn Claude is to start using it. Be creative. Open a chat and try something new.

Need help writing better prompts? Check our guide on basic prompting techniques to get more from your chats with Claude.