Coding with AI — Pre-Class Setup Guide

Get a Claude subscription & install Claude Code

Claude Code requires a paid Anthropic subscription.

Go to claude.ai/pricing and sign up for at least the Pro plan ($20/month). If you already have a Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise account, you're all set.

Install Claude Code

Open a terminal and run the install command for your platform:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

Windows users: I highly recommend installing via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) even though it takes a bit longer to set up. You'll have much more flexibility in what you can get done throughout the course. The native Windows path requires Git for Windows and has more limitations.

For full platform-specific details, see the official Claude Code installation docs.

Verify & Log In

Confirm it installed correctly:

claude --version

Then start Claude Code and follow the browser prompt to log in with your subscription:

claude

The first time you run it, a browser window will open asking you to authenticate. After that, you're connected.

Install a programming language

You need at least one language runtime on your machine for Claude Code to work with. I recommend Python or Node.js, but any language works — Go, Ruby, Rust, Java, whatever you're comfortable with.

Python (recommended)

# Download the latest installer from python.org
# https://www.python.org/downloads/

# After installing, verify:
python3 --version

# Download the latest installer from python.org
# https://www.python.org/downloads/
# Check "Add Python to PATH" during installation!

# After installing, verify:
python3 --version

# Ubuntu / Debian / WSL:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y python3 python3-pip

# Verify:
python3 --version

Node.js (also recommended)

# Download the LTS installer from nodejs.org
# https://nodejs.org/

# After installing, verify:
node --version

# Download the LTS installer from nodejs.org
# https://nodejs.org/

# After installing, verify:
node --version

# Ubuntu / Debian / WSL:
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify:
node --version

Already have a language installed? You're probably fine. If you can open a terminal and run something — python3, node, go version, ruby -v, whatever — you're good to go.

Get a GitHub account

You'll need a GitHub account for some exercises and for the Codespaces fallback environment. A free account is all you need.

If you don't have one: github.com/signup — it's free.

If you already have an account, make sure you can log in and you're good.

Fallback plan

Having trouble? Use GitHub Codespaces

If local installation gives you grief — Windows edge cases, work laptop restrictions, anything — don't sweat it. I've set up a pre-configured cloud workspace that comes with Claude Code and basic programming languages already installed. You just need your Claude subscription to authenticate.

Make sure you have a GitHub account (Step 3 above) and a Claude subscription (Step 1 above).

Go to github.com/trickv/coding-bootcamp-codespace and click the black "Open in GitHub Codespaces" button, then click the green "Create" button. GitHub gives you 60 hours/month free — that's plenty for this class.

Once the environment loads, open the terminal and run claude to authenticate with your subscription. That's it — you're ready to go.

Ready-to-go checklist

Claude Pro (or higher) subscription — active and logged in

Claude Code installed — claude --version returns a version number

Claude Code authenticated — claude starts without asking you to subscribe

At least one programming language — python3 --version or node --version (or your language of choice)

GitHub account — free tier is fine