Stage 0 — Get set up

Time budget: ~1 day

In one line: Before you can write code, you need the tools to write it, run it, and save it.

Before you can write code, you need the tools to write it, run it, and save it. This stage is short but everyone gets stuck somewhere — usually on PATH issues on Windows or "permission denied" on Mac. Don't move on until node --version and git --version both print something.

1. Install Node.js (the JavaScript runtime)

Node lets you run JavaScript outside a browser. You'll use it to run every script in this guide, install libraries, and later run your servers. Install the LTS version (Long Term Support — the stable one) from nodejs.org.

Verify it worked by opening your terminal and running:

node --version
# should print something like v22.11.0

npm --version
# should print something like 10.9.0 — npm comes bundled with Node

For more on what npm is and how it fits in, see Package Managers and Build tools.

2. Install VS Code (your editor)

Download VS Code. It's free, by Microsoft, and the default editor for ~90% of professional web developers. Other options exist (Cursor, Zed, WebStorm) but start here — every tutorial assumes it.

Three extensions to install immediately (open the Extensions panel, search by name):

• Prettier — formats your code automatically on save. End of arguments about indentation forever.
• ESLint — catches common JavaScript mistakes as you type.
• GitLens — shows you who wrote each line and when. Indispensable once you read other people's code.

3. Install Git

Git tracks changes to your code. You'll learn it properly in Stage 4 — for now, just install it from git-scm.com so it's there when you need it.

4. Terminal basics

The terminal (or "command line" or "shell") is a text interface for telling your computer what to do. On Mac/Linux, open Terminal. On Windows, use PowerShell (built in) or install Windows Terminal for a nicer experience. The six commands you'll use every day:

pwd              # print working directory — "where am I?"
ls               # list files in the current directory (Windows: dir)
cd folder-name   # change directory into folder-name
cd ..            # go up one level
mkdir new-folder # make a new folder
code .           # open VS Code in the current directory

If code . doesn't work, open VS Code, press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P, search for "Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH", and run it.

5. Your first program

Create a folder, open it in VS Code, make a file called hello.js, paste this in, save:

console.log("Hello from JavaScript.");
const name = "world";
console.log(`Hello, ${name}!`);

In the VS Code terminal (`Ctrl/Cmd+``), run:

node hello.js

You should see two lines print. Congratulations — you're a programmer now.

Common pitfalls

• Windows: "node is not recognized" — Node didn't get added to your PATH. Restart your terminal; if still broken, reinstall and tick "Add to PATH" during setup.
• Mac: "command not found: code" — see the Cmd+Shift+P trick above.
• "Permission denied" on Mac/Linux — never use sudo with npm; it causes permission chaos later. Fix by installing Node via nvm instead.
• Don't fight your OS. If something obscure breaks, search the exact error message — someone has hit it before, the answer is on Stack Overflow.

Want to set up like a pro?

This page is the minimum. Stage 0+ — Set up like a pro is the optional upgrade: a real terminal, a modern shell, replacement CLI tools (ripgrep, fzf, bat), a Node version manager, a properly configured git, the gh CLI, and VS Code tuned the way working developers actually use it. Skim it now to see what's there; come back for upgrades as the default tools start to annoy you.

Where to go deeper

• Node.js Learn — short, official, covers the basics.
• The Missing Semester (MIT) — a free course on terminal, git, and editors. Lectures 1–3 are the right level for now.

Deeper in this guide

• Package Managers — what npm/pnpm/bun actually do.
• Build tools — Vite, esbuild, and the rest of the toolchain you'll meet soon.

Project

Project — Verify your environment

Write three small scripts in a stage-0/ folder: (a) greet.js that prints a greeting using a name in a variable; (b) add.js that adds two numbers and prints the result; (c) date.js that prints today's date. Run all three with node filename.js. Trivial, but proves your environment works end-to-end.

Common mistakes

Where people commonly trip up

• Skipping the version checks. If node --version doesn't print, nothing else in this guide will work — chasing a phantom Node install error two stages later is a misery. Verify both node --version and git --version print something before moving on.
• sudo npm install on Mac/Linux. It works once and then permission-breaks every install after. If you hit "permission denied," uninstall Node and reinstall via nvm — never reach for sudo.
• Installing five editors before writing one line of code. Cursor vs VS Code vs Zed is a great debate after you can ship. For now, install VS Code and move on; tutorials assume it.
• Ignoring the terminal. Most beginners try to avoid it; every senior dev lives in it. Spend 30 minutes on pwd, ls, cd, mkdir until they're automatic — the payoff compounds across every later stage.

Page checkpoint

Checkpoint Quiz

Did Stage 0 stick?

Required

→ Next: Stage 1 — JavaScript basics · Back to Part I overview