Orientation: what you will be able to do by the end

Learning objectives

Know what Module 01 covers and why it comes first.
Recognise the four outcomes you will be able to demonstrate by the end of the module.
Understand how the module is organised and where its two checkpoints sit.

Estimated teaching time: 2 min · Prerequisites: none

Why this module comes first

Before you write a line of code against Claude, it helps to know what the words mean.

This module introduces the model fundamentals and the technical foundations that the rest of the Developer course assumes you already have. Think of it as the shared vocabulary: once tokens, context, sampling, model tiers, prompting modes and the API's transport mechanics have names, later modules can build on them directly.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Explain what a token is, how the context window works as a fixed budget, why sampling makes outputs vary, and what non-determinism means for testing and evals.
Describe the Claude model family and its capability tiers, and distinguish choosing a model from enabling a reasoning mode such as extended thinking.
Choose between zero-shot, one-shot, and multi-shot prompting, and weigh the cost and quality trade-off of adding examples.
Describe how a developer accesses Claude: SDK versus raw REST, synchronous versus streaming responses, and asynchronous patterns for high-volume work.

Objective	Taught in
1 · Tokens, context, sampling, non-determinism	Lesson 2 · How LLMs behave
2 · Model family and reasoning modes	Lesson 3 · Models & reasoning
3 · Zero-, one-, multi-shot prompting	Lesson 4 · Prompting modes
4 · SDK vs REST, streaming, async	Lesson 5 · Technical substrate

Two checkpoints follow the teaching lessons: a four-question module quiz and a four-scenario 'predict the behavior' exercise. A recap of five takeaways closes the module.

Disclaimer / Notice for Educational Content

Source text (verbatim)

We built this Developer course Module 1: MSO Foundations to help you get real work done with Claude. Treat it as educational content. It doesn't constitute legal, financial, or other professional advice, so adapt what you learn to your own situation. Our products and services evolve quickly, so certain content may contain errors or be outdated; remember to verify on Anthropic’s website or docs. Examples and scenarios used in the course are illustrative and often fictitious. If the course material mentions a company or product, it doesn't mean Anthropic endorses them, they endorse Anthropic, or that we're affiliated. Also note your use of Anthropic products and services is covered by our terms, policies and documentation; if anything in this course conflicts with them, they control.

References

Claude Platform Docs · checked 2026-10-20
The source asks learners to verify product specifics here.

Source notes

Primary source: S01 of 'MSO Foundations: Developer Module 1'. The disclaimer is reproduced verbatim on the lesson page and summarised in narration.
The module roadmap shown in the video is derived from the source's SECTIONS/SCREENS model (6 sections, 9 screens, 2 checkpoints).