Getting Started with a Dev Environment

From turning on the computer to running your first code. A 5-step climb for beginners.

Start with Step 1 →

Difficulty: Beginner
Lessons: 5

The first stair — "setting up your environment" — is where most beginners stumble. This course breaks it into 5 small steps.

Who is this for

People who want to become developers but don't know what to install first
Comfortable with Windows / macOS but awkward with terminal · Git · VS Code
Non-developers who want to try AI coding tools yourself

What you'll be able to do

Open a terminal and type commands on Windows / macOS
Manage versions with Git (commit, push, pull)
Run a first React project in VS Code
Connect an AI coding tool like Claude Code

Flow

Building a development environment

Terminal

Learn to navigate files and processes through commands.

Version control

Use Git to preserve change units and recovery points.

Edit and run

Connect an editor, Node.js, and a package manager to execute a project.

Supporting tools

Validate AI suggestions against actual diffs and verification output.

Starting from a blank machine, each step adds one new tool to your hands.

Steps

Get cozy with the terminal — Windows Terminal / iTerm install, basic cd/ls
Your first Git commit — install Git, GitHub account, first push
VS Code and extensions — install VS Code, ESLint · Prettier · GitLens
Node.js + pnpm — install Node 24 LTS, enable pnpm, first React project
Connect an AI coding tool — install Claude Code, generate first code

Each step builds on the previous one. You can pause mid-course and pick up the next session right where you left off.

Lessons

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