Setup Guide

You'll need a few tools ready before the workshop. Don't worry - everything here is free and takes about 15-20 minutes to set up.

No Admin Rights? No Problem!

If you're on a Charite-managed laptop (or any machine where you can't install software the normal way), jump straight to the No Admin Rights? section - we have you covered.

VS CodeGitGitHub AccountNode.js (Optional)Google (Optional)AI SubscriptionsNo Admin?Checklist

What You'll Need

VS Code~5 min

A modern code editor with built-in AI support. This is where you'll write and edit code during the workshop.

Required

Git~5 min

Version control that tracks your changes - like a super-powered undo button for code.

Required

GitHub Account~5 min

Where code lives online - like Google Drive for code, with powerful collaboration features.

Required

Node.js~5 min

Only needed if you want to try Claude Code during the hands-on session.

Optional

Google Account~2 min

Needed for Gemini CLI - Google's free AI coding assistant that runs in your terminal.

Optional

AI Subscriptions~1 min

Already pay for Claude Pro, ChatGPT Plus, or similar? Bring your login - you'll get more out of the workshop.

Optional

1. VS Code

A free code editor from Microsoft that supports AI assistants and has tons of helpful extensions. We'll use it throughout the workshop.

Windows

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudio.Code

macOS

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo snap install code --classic

Or download manually: Go to code.visualstudio.com/download, pick your operating system, and run the installer.

Windows Without Admin Rights?

Download the User Installer from the VS Code download page (look for "User Installer" under Windows). It installs to your user folder and doesn't need admin access.

Verify: Open VS Code. If you see the Welcome tab, you're good.

Recommended Extensions

After installing, open VS Code and install these extensions (click the Extensions icon in the sidebar or press Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X):

• GitHub Copilot - AI code suggestions (free with GitHub Education Pack)
• Markdown Preview Enhanced - for viewing .md files

Troubleshooting: VS Code

• "winget is not recognized" - Winget comes with modern Windows 10/11. If you don't have it, download VS Code manually from the website instead.
• VS Code opens but looks wrong - Try Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac), type "Color Theme", and pick a theme you like.
• Can't install extensions - Make sure you have an internet connection. If you're behind a corporate proxy, see VS Code proxy settings.

2. Git

Git tracks changes to your files so you can undo mistakes and collaborate with others. It's the standard tool for version control in software development.

Windows

winget install Git.Git

macOS

xcode-select --install

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install git

Windows alternative: Download from git-scm.com/download/win and run the installer. Use the default options - they work fine.

macOS alternative: If you have Homebrew, run brew install git.

Linux: For other distributions, check git-scm.com/download/linux.

Verify: Open a terminal (or Git Bash on Windows) and run:

git --version

You should see something like git version 2.x.x. Any 2.x version is fine.

Configure Git (all platforms)

After installing, tell Git who you are. Open a terminal and run:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Replace "Your Name" with your actual name and use the email you'll use for GitHub.

Troubleshooting: Git

• "git is not recognized" - Close and reopen your terminal. If it still doesn't work, you may need to restart your computer.
• Windows: "winget is not recognized" - Download Git manually from git-scm.com instead.
• macOS: Xcode install stuck - The download can be large. Be patient, or try brew install git if you have Homebrew.
• Permission errors on Linux - Make sure you include sudo before the install command.

3. GitHub Account

GitHub is where code lives online. You'll use it to save your work and share it with others.

1. Go to github.com and click "Sign up"
2. Use your university email if you have one (this unlocks free tools)
3. Complete the signup process

GitHub Education Pack (recommended)

If you have a university email (.edu or institutional email), you can get free access to GitHub Copilot and other premium tools:

• Visit education.github.com/pack
• Sign up with your university email
• This gives you free GitHub Copilot access (normally $10/month)

The approval usually happens within a few hours, but can take up to a few days. It's worth applying even if you don't get approved before the workshop - you can use it for future projects.

4. Node.js (Optional)

Optional

Node.js is only needed if you want to try Claude Code during the workshop. You can safely skip this step if you're not sure.

Node.js lets you run JavaScript outside of a browser. Claude Code needs it to work.

Windows

winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS

macOS

brew install node@22

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Or download manually: Go to nodejs.org and download the LTS (Long Term Support) version.

Verify: Open a terminal and run:

node --version

You should see v20.x.x or higher.

Troubleshooting: Node.js

• "node is not recognized" - Close and reopen your terminal. If it still doesn't work, restart your computer.
• Old version showing - You may have a previous installation. Uninstall the old version first, then install the new one.
• Linux permission errors - Don't install Node.js with sudo npm. Use the NodeSource setup script shown above, or use nvm instead.

5. Google Account (Optional)

Optional

A Google account is only needed if you want to try Gemini CLI - Google's free AI coding assistant that runs in your terminal. You can skip this if you're not sure.

Gemini CLI is an open-source command-line AI tool from Google. It's free to use and just needs a Google account to authenticate.

Already Have a Google Account?

If you use Gmail, Google Drive, or any Google service, you're all set. You'll sign in with that account when you first run Gemini CLI during the workshop.

Create a Google Account

If you don't have one yet:

1. Go to accounts.google.com/signup
2. Fill in your details and complete the signup
3. No special plan or subscription needed - the free tier is enough

Install Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI requires Node.js (see step 4 above). Once Node.js is installed:

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

No Install Needed

You can also run Gemini CLI without installing it globally using npx:

npx @google/gemini-cli

Verify: Run gemini --version in your terminal. On first launch, it will open a browser window to sign in with your Google account.

Troubleshooting: Gemini CLI

• "npm is not recognized" - You need to install Node.js first (see step 4).
• Browser doesn't open for login - Copy the URL shown in the terminal and paste it into your browser manually.
• Permission errors during install - On macOS/Linux, try sudo npm install -g @google/gemini-cli. On Windows, run your terminal as administrator or use the npx approach instead.

Existing AI Subscriptions (Optional)

Optional

This is not something you need to set up - just a reminder to bring what you already have!

If you already pay for an AI assistant, bring your login credentials to the workshop. A paid subscription gives you access to more powerful models and higher usage limits, which can make the hands-on session more productive.

Subscriptions that are useful for the workshop:

• Claude Pro / Team (claude.ai) - access to Claude's most capable models and Claude Code
• ChatGPT Plus / Team (chat.openai.com) - access to GPT-4o and advanced features
• GitHub Copilot (free with Education Pack) - AI code completion in VS Code
• Google Gemini Advanced (gemini.google.com) - enhanced Gemini models
• Cursor Pro (cursor.com) - AI-powered code editor

Before the workshop: Make sure you can log in to your account. That's it - no other setup needed.

No Subscription? No Problem!

All the core workshop activities work with free tools. Paid subscriptions are a nice bonus, not a requirement.

No Admin Rights? Use Scoop

Scoop is a command-line installer for Windows that doesn't need admin rights. It installs everything to your user folder.

Install Scoop

Open PowerShell (not Command Prompt) and run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
Invoke-RestMethod -Uri https://get.scoop.sh | Invoke-Expression

ExecutionPolicy Blocked?

If your IT department has locked down PowerShell execution policies, the first command may fail. Try this instead:

Invoke-RestMethod -Uri https://get.scoop.sh -OutFile install.ps1
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install.ps1
Remove-Item install.ps1

If that also fails, use the VS Code User Installer (see the VS Code section above) and download Git manually from git-scm.com using the "Portable" version.

Install Workshop Tools with Scoop

Once Scoop is installed, you can install everything you need in one go:

scoop bucket add extras
scoop install git extras/vscode nodejs-lts

Verify: Run scoop list to see what's installed.

Verification Checklist

Let's make sure everything is working. Open a terminal (Terminal on macOS/Linux, Git Bash or PowerShell on Windows) and run each command:

Command	Expected Output
git --version	git version 2.x.x (any recent version works)
code --version	A version number like 1.x.x
node --version	v20.x.x or higher (only if you installed Node.js)

If any command says "not found", try closing and reopening your terminal. Sometimes you need to restart for new installations to be recognized.

Ready to Go

Pre-Workshop ChecklistTick each item as you complete it

Required

VS Code installed and opensGit installed and git --version worksGit config set with your name and emailGitHub account created

Optional extras

GitHub Education Pack for Copilot accessNode.js installed (node --version)Google account ready for Gemini CLIAI subscription login tested (Claude, ChatGPT, etc.)

Don't worry if something isn't working yet - we'll have time at the start of the event to help with setup.

Next step: Check the agenda to see what the evening looks like.