Get Ready for Week 1

Step 1: Download VS Code

Go to code.visualstudio.com and click the big blue download button. The site will automatically detect your operating system (Mac, Windows, or Linux). Click the download button for your OS.

Step 2: Install VS Code

Mac: Open the downloaded .zip file, then drag Visual Studio Code to your Applications folder.

Windows:Run the downloaded .exe installer. Check all the boxes when prompted (especially "Add to PATH").

Linux: Follow the instructions for your distribution on the download page.

Step 3: Open VS Code

Launch VS Code from your Applications folder (Mac) or Start menu (Windows). You'll see a welcome screen. Click "Open Folder" to create or open a project folder where your code will live. Create a new folder called bubble-projects on your Desktop or Documents folder.

Step 4: Install recommended extensions

Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (it looks like four squares) or press Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows). Search for and install these extensions:

• ESLint - Catches errors in your code
• Prettier - Formats your code automatically
• Tailwind CSS IntelliSense - Helps with styling

Step 5: Open the integrated terminal

Press Ctrl+` (backtick - the key above Tab) or go to Terminal > New Terminalin the top menu. This opens a command line inside VS Code where you'll run commands. You'll use this terminal throughout the program.

Step 1: Create an Anthropic account

Go to claude.ai and click "Sign Up" in the top right corner. You can sign up with your email address or use your Google account for faster signup.

Step 2: Verify your email

Check your email for a verification message from Anthropic. Click the verification link in the email. If you don't see it, check your spam folder or request a new verification email.

Step 3: Upgrade to Claude Pro

SMG will provide you with access to Claude Pro ($20/month plan). Your instructor will send you instructions on how to activate your subscription before Week 1. You'll get a notification when it's ready to set up.

Step 4: Explore Claude

Once you're logged in, try asking Claude to help you with a simple task. For example:

Step 1: Install Node.js

Claude Code requires Node.js 18 or higher. Go to nodejs.org and download the LTS (Long Term Support) version (the green button). Install it like any other application - just click through the installer and accept the defaults.

Step 2: Verify Node.js is installed

Open your terminal (or VS Code's integrated terminal) and run:

Step 3: Install Claude Code

In your terminal, run this command:

Step 4: Authenticate Claude Code

Run this command in your terminal:

Step 5: Test it works

Navigate to any folder and start Claude Code:

Step 1: Create a GitHub account

Go to github.com and click "Sign up". Choose a username you'll be comfortable with long-term (this will be public). Use your email address and create a strong password.

Step 2: Verify your email

Check your email for a verification code from GitHub. Enter the code on the GitHub website to activate your account.

Step 3: Install Git

Mac: Open Terminal and run:

Step 4: Verify Git is installed

Open your terminal and run:

Step 5: Configure Git

Open your terminal and run these two commands (replace with your info):

Step 6: Connect GitHub to your computer

GitHub will walk you through authentication the first time you push code. When you run a git push command, a popup will ask you to sign in to GitHub. We'll cover this in detail in Week 2, so don't worry if this seems confusing now.

Step 1: Create a Vercel account

Go to vercel.com and click "Sign Up" in the top right. Choose "Continue with GitHub" to link your GitHub account (the one you just created).

Step 2: Authorize Vercel

Vercel will ask for permission to access your GitHub repositories. Click "Authorize" to allow this. This lets Vercel automatically deploy your projects when you push code to GitHub.

Step 3: Complete your profile

Fill in your name and any other requested information. You can choose the "Hobby" plan (it's free and perfect for this program).

Step 4: Explore the dashboard

Once logged in, you'll see your Vercel dashboard. It will be empty for now - that's normal! We'll deploy your first project in Week 3. Feel free to click around and explore the interface.

Step 1: Create a Supabase account

Go to supabase.com and click "Start your project". Sign up with your GitHub account for the easiest setup experience.

Step 2: Create your first project

Click "New Project" and fill in:

• Name:Give your project a name (e.g., "bubble-app")
• Database Password: Create a strong password and save it somewhere safe (like a notes app or password manager)
• Region: Select the region closest to you (US East, US West, etc.)

Step 3: Wait for project setup

Supabase will take about 2 minutes to set up your project. You'll see a progress screen while it creates your database and configures everything.

Step 4: Explore the dashboard

Once your project is ready, you'll see the Supabase dashboard with sections for Database, Authentication, Storage, and more. We'll create your first database table in Week 3. For now, just familiarize yourself with the interface.