Introduction

Anthropic - the company behind Claude - runs a free learning platform called Anthropic Academy. It's a collection of self-paced courses covering everything from "what is AI" to advanced developer topics like building MCP servers.

No Anthropic account required. No paywall. Just sign up on Skilljar and start learning. Here's what's available.

For Everyone

Claude 101

The starting point. Covers how to use Claude for everyday work tasks, core features, and where to go next. If you've never used Claude, begin here.

Best for: Complete beginners.
Time: ~30 minutes.

AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations

A broader course on collaborating with AI systems effectively, efficiently, and ethically. Covers the mindset and framework for working alongside AI - not just the mechanics.

Best for: Anyone who wants a structured approach to AI collaboration.
Time: ~1-2 hours.

AI Capabilities and Limitations

An introductory course about how AI actually works - what it's good at, where it fails, and why understanding both matters more than hype.

Best for: People who want to separate realistic AI capabilities from marketing.

For Developers

Claude Code 101

Learn how to use Claude Code in your daily development workflow. Covers the basics of AI-assisted coding from the people who built the tool.

Best for: Developers new to Claude Code.
Time: ~1 hour.

Claude Code in Action

Takes Claude Code 101 further - integrating it into real development workflows rather than just trying it out in isolation.

Best for: Developers who've tried Claude Code and want to make it a habit.

Building with the Claude API

The most comprehensive developer course on the platform. Covers the full spectrum of working with Anthropic models through their API - from basic prompts to production patterns.

Best for: Developers building applications on top of Claude.
Time: ~2-3 hours.

Introduction to Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Learn to build MCP servers and clients from scratch using Python. Covers the three core primitives - tools, resources, and prompts - for connecting Claude with external services.

Best for: Developers who want to extend Claude with custom integrations.
Time: ~1-2 hours.

Model Context Protocol: Advanced Topics

The follow-up to the intro MCP course. Covers sampling, notifications, file system access, and transport mechanisms for production-grade MCP servers.

Best for: Developers who've built a basic MCP server and need production patterns.

Introduction to Agent Skills

Learn to build, configure, and share Skills in Claude Code - reusable markdown instructions that Claude automatically applies to the right tasks. Covers creation, distribution across teams, and troubleshooting.

Best for: Teams standardizing AI workflows.

Introduction to Subagents

Learn to use and create sub-agents in Claude Code for managing context, delegating tasks, and building specialized workflows that keep the main conversation clean.

Best for: Power users of Claude Code who are hitting context limits.

For Specific Audiences

Introduction to Claude Cowork

Hands-on course on working alongside Claude on real files and projects. Covers the Cowork task loop, plugins and skills, file and research workflows, and steering multi-step work responsibly.

Best for: People who want to be productive with Claude in their first week.

AI Fluency for Students

AI skills for learning, career planning, and academic success through responsible AI collaboration.

Best for: University students.

AI Fluency for Educators

For faculty, instructional designers, and educational leaders applying AI into teaching practice and institutional strategy.

Best for: Teachers and academic administrators.

Teaching AI Fluency

For those who want to teach and assess AI Fluency in instructor-led settings.

Best for: Professors and trainers running AI courses.

AI Fluency for Nonprofits

AI fluency for nonprofit professionals to increase organizational impact while staying true to mission and values.

Best for: Nonprofit teams.

AI Fluency for Small Businesses

Same framework, tailored for small business contexts.

Best for: Small business owners and operators.

Cloud Platform Courses

Claude with Amazon Bedrock

Built as part of an AWS accreditation program. Covers using Claude through Amazon Bedrock. Originally created for AWS employees, now available publicly.

Best for: Teams already on AWS infrastructure.

Claude with Google Cloud's Vertex AI

The same comprehensive course, but for Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform.

Best for: Teams on GCP infrastructure.

Recommended Learning Paths

If you're a developer new to AI:

1. Claude 101
2. AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations
3. Claude Code 101
4. Building with the Claude API

If you're building integrations:

1. Building with the Claude API
2. Introduction to Model Context Protocol
3. Model Context Protocol: Advanced Topics
4. Introduction to Agent Skills

If you're on a team adopting AI:

1. AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations
2. Introduction to Claude Cowork
3. Introduction to Agent Skills
4. Introduction to Subagents

Why These Courses Matter

Most AI education lives behind paywalls or in scattered YouTube videos. Anthropic Academy is different because:

• It's free. No upsell, no trial period.
• It's from the source. The people who built Claude are teaching you how to use it.
• It's structured. Courses have clear progression paths, not random tips.
• It covers the full spectrum. From "what is AI" to production MCP servers.

The courses won't make you an AI researcher. But they'll give you practical skills you can use immediately - and that's exactly what most people need.

Start learning →