Your first website with Claude CMS
From signing up to a live website in under an hour. This guide walks you through everything — what you need, how to set it up, and what to say to Claude first.
A practical onboarding guide covering hosting requirements, MCP connector setup, and effective prompting patterns for the first build session.
What you need to get started
Claude CMS runs on standard web hosting. You don't need anything special — just a domain, a hosting account, and access to Claude.
Requirements: PHP 7.4+ (8.x preferred), MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+, mod_rewrite enabled. Tested on shared hosting (cPanel, Plesk) and bare Ubuntu LAMP/LEMP stacks.
A domain name
Any domain registered anywhere. Claude CMS works on any domain, subdomain, or custom domain you control. HTTPS recommended — most hosts provide free SSL via Let's Encrypt.
Apex or subdomain. HTTPS via Let's Encrypt or host-issued cert. No requirements on registrar or DNS provider. Subdirectory installs are not supported.
Web hosting
Any standard web host that supports PHP and MySQL. Most shared hosting plans from providers like SiteGround, Hostinger, or Namecheap work perfectly out of the box.
PHP 7.4+ / MySQL 5.7+. mod_rewrite for URL routing. Writable webroot for file_write. ~10MB disk minimum. Any LAMP or LEMP stack including shared hosting.
Claude access
A Claude account with MCP connector support — Claude Pro, Max, or Team. This is the same Claude.ai you already use, with an integration added to connect it to your site.
Claude.ai Pro/Max/Team, Claude Desktop, or any MCP-compatible client. The connector implements standard MCP JSON-RPC — no proprietary client required.
Step by step — from zero to live site
Here's exactly what happens from the moment you sign up to having a fully live website.
The full setup sequence, including install.php bootstrapping, MCP schema discovery, and first build session tool call patterns.
Choose a plan and get your licence key
Head to the pricing page and choose a plan. You'll get a licence key by email. This key authenticates the Claude CMS connector with your website — it's how Claude proves it's authorised to access your site. Keep it safe.
The licence key is validated on every MCP request against the central licensing API. Each key is tied to a single domain. The first 30 days are free — your card isn't charged until the trial ends.
Upload and run the installer
You'll receive the Claude CMS files with your licence. Upload them to your web host using FTP, cPanel File Manager, or SSH. Then open yoursite.com/install.php in your browser, enter your database details and licence key, and click install. Takes about 2 minutes.
install.php bootstraps the MySQL schema (pages, settings, navigation tables), writes config.php with DB credentials and API key, and creates .htaccess routing rules. Protected files become immutable after install. The installer self-deletes on completion.
Add the connector to Claude
In Claude.ai, go to Settings → Integrations → Add integration. Enter your website's MCP URL (yoursite.com/claude) and your API key. Claude will discover all available tools and confirm the connection is live.
MCP server URL: https://yoursite.com/claude. Auth header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY. Claude discovers the full tool schema via the MCP endpoint and stores it for the session. One key per domain — the connector is site-specific.
Start your first conversation
Open a new chat with Claude — with the connector active. Tell Claude about your website: what it's for, who it's for, your brand colours, and what pages you need. Claude will start building immediately. Most first sites are live within 20–40 minutes.
Claude reads site_overview first to understand the current state, then decomposes the build into tool calls: site_update_settings (colours, name), file_write (theme.css), site_create_page (each page), site_update_navigation. All synchronous, all live.
What to say to Claude first
The more context you give Claude, the better the first build will be. Here are prompt templates that work well for getting a full site built in a single conversation.
Effective first prompts include: site purpose, target audience, design aesthetic, brand colours, pages required, and specific features. Claude handles the rest.
Getting the most from Claude CMS
Give Claude context upfront
The more you share in your first message — brand, audience, goals, colours — the closer the first draft will be to what you want. Don't hold back on detail.
Build in stages
Start with the homepage and core pages, then iterate. It's easier to refine one page at a time than to redesign everything at once. Claude retains the full conversation context throughout.
Be specific about design
Instead of "make it look nice", try "dark background, clean sans-serif font, lots of white space, and a coral accent colour". Specific instructions produce specific results.
Ask for SEO as you build
Claude sets SEO meta on every page automatically. You can also steer it: "optimise the services page for [keyword]" — and it'll adjust the title, meta description, and heading structure.
Getting started FAQ
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Claude handles all the code. You describe what you want in plain English and Claude writes everything — HTML, CSS, PHP, and SQL. No technical knowledge required.
Claude generates production-quality code from natural language. If you know code, you can inspect and guide the output — but it's entirely optional.
How long does the first site take to build?
Most first sites — 3 to 5 pages with a custom design and a contact form — are complete within a single Claude conversation. Usually 20 to 40 minutes of back-and-forth. More complex features like Stripe or custom admin panels take a bit longer.
Can I migrate an existing site to Claude CMS?
Yes. Claude can recreate your existing site's design and content in Claude CMS. Share your current site URL and Claude will reference it while rebuilding. Existing content can be provided directly in the conversation.
Claude reads the existing site structure and recreates it via site_create_page with matching HTML/CSS. Content can be pasted or linked. WordPress migrations are possible via SQL export and db_query import.
What if something goes wrong?
Claude CMS creates automatic backups before every file change. If a change breaks something, just tell Claude — it can roll back to any previous version instantly. For urgent help, visit the support page.
Which sites work well with Claude CMS?
Almost any type of site. See the use cases page for a full breakdown — from business sites and portfolios to e-commerce stores, SaaS products, and internal tools.
Ready to build your first site?
Your first month is free. No credit card needed. Get set up in minutes and start building today.
30-day trial, full MCP tool access, any PHP/MySQL host. One conversation to a live site.