Setup

Before you build anything, you need your tools set up. This isn't complicated, but every piece matters. I'll walk you through exactly what you need and — just as importantly — why you need it. No extra stuff, no "nice to haves." Just what's actually required.

1. Terminal (Command Line)

On macOS, you already have Terminal built in — find it in Applications > Utilities > Terminal. On Windows, you'll want Windows Terminal or WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). The terminal is where you'll run Claude Code, manage your projects, start your servers, and do pretty much everything. It looks scary at first. It's just a text-based way to tell your computer what to do. You'll get used to it fast.

2. Code Editor — VS Code or Cursor

You need a place to look at code and make edits. VS Code (Visual Studio Code) is free, made by Microsoft, and what most people use. Download it from code.visualstudio.com. Cursor is an alternative that has AI features built in — it's basically VS Code with extras. Pick either one. You don't need to master the editor right now. You just need to be able to open files, read them, and make small changes when needed. That's it.

3. Node.js (via nvm)

Node.js lets you run JavaScript outside of a browser. Most of the projects you'll build use it. But don't install Node.js directly — use nvm (Node Version Manager) instead. It lets you switch between different Node.js versions, which matters when different projects need different versions.

Install nvm:
`
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
`

Then install Node.js:
`
nvm install --lts
nvm use --lts
`

Verify it works:
`
node --version
npm --version
`

If you see version numbers, you're good.

4. Claude Code CLI

This is the main tool. Claude Code is a command-line interface that lets you work with Claude directly in your terminal, inside your project. It can read your files, understand your codebase, write code, run commands, and help you build things.

Install it globally:
`
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
`

After installation, you can start it by just typing claude in your terminal inside any project folder. That's it — that's your AI coding partner.

5. Anthropic API Key

Claude Code needs an API key to work. Go to console.anthropic.com, create an account, and generate an API key. You'll need to add some credits (it's pay-per-use). When you run Claude Code for the first time, it will ask you for this key. Keep it safe — treat it like a password. Don't share it, don't commit it to git, don't paste it in public.

6. Git

Git tracks changes in your code. Think of it as an unlimited undo button that also lets you collaborate and deploy. On macOS, you might already have it (try git --version in terminal). If not, install it via:
`
brew install git
`
(You'll need Homebrew first — get it from brew.sh)

On Windows, download from git-scm.com.

You don't need to be a git expert. The basics you'll use daily:
`
git init # start tracking a project
git add . # stage all changes
git commit -m "what you did" # save a snapshot
git push # upload to GitHub
git pull # download latest changes
`

Claude Code can handle git for you too, but understanding these basics helps.

7. A Comfortable Text Editor Setup

This sounds obvious but it matters: make your editor comfortable. Pick a theme you like, increase the font size if you need to, install a file icon extension so you can tell files apart visually. You'll spend a lot of time looking at code — it should be pleasant. In VS Code, I'd recommend at minimum: a good color theme and the Prettier extension for auto-formatting.

That's the full list. Terminal, editor, Node.js, Claude Code, API key, Git. Once you have all of these working, you're ready to build your first project. Don't overthink the setup — it's a one-time thing. If something doesn't install right, describe the error to Claude and it'll help you fix it. That's already using the workflow.