Platform Setup
Every track on this platform uses the same foundation: a terminal, Claude Code, and a GitHub account. Set these up once. They work across all tracks.
1. Create your accounts
You need two accounts before anything else:
Claude account: claude.ai. Create your account here if you don't have one. You'll need a Pro plan or higher to use Claude Code.
GitHub account: github.com. Free tier is all you need. This is where your project code lives.
2. Terminal
The terminal is your command line, a text-based interface where you type commands and see results. Everything on this platform runs through it: code, tools, deployments, and Claude Code itself.
All commands and examples on this platform assume a Linux/Unix terminal. This is the standard development environment in the industry. macOS and Linux work out of the box. Windows users need one extra step (WSL) to get the same environment.
If you've used a terminal before, skip to the verify step at the bottom of this section.
Linux. Your distribution includes a terminal. On Ubuntu, press Ctrl+Alt+T or search for "Terminal." Commands on this platform will work as written.
macOS. Open Terminal (search with Cmd+Space) or use iTerm2. macOS is Unix-based, so commands on this platform will work as written.
Windows. You'll need Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which gives you a full Linux terminal inside Windows. Once it's set up, everything works the same as Linux or macOS. Follow Microsoft's WSL installation guide to get started. When the platform says "open your terminal," it means the WSL/Ubuntu terminal, not PowerShell.
New to the terminal? MDN's command line crash course is a good starting point. The commands you need immediately: cd (change directory), ls (list files), mkdir (make a directory), pwd (show where you are). You'll pick up the rest as you work.
If a command or example doesn't work on your specific setup, use Claude Code or any AI assistant to help you adapt it. The concepts are the same across platforms, though occasionally the syntax differs.
Verify
Run this in your terminal:
echo "Terminal is working"
You should see Terminal is working printed back.
3. Claude Code
Claude Code is an AI coding agent that runs in your terminal. You give it instructions in plain English, and it writes code, runs commands, manages files, and interacts with tools on your machine, with your permission. Every time it wants to do something on your system, it asks first. You'll see what this looks like shortly.
Install: Follow the Claude Code installation guide for your operating system.
First run: Open your terminal, type claude, and press enter. The first time, it will open your browser to authorize with your Claude account. Follow the prompts. Once authorized, you won't need to do this again.
Verify
claude --version
You should see a version number.
4. Git and GitHub
Open Claude Code and ask it to set up Git and connect your GitHub account:
claude
Install Git if it's not already installed, configure it with my name and email
(ask me for these), and connect to my GitHub account.
Claude Code will install Git if needed, ask for your details, and walk you through GitHub authorization, a browser prompt similar to the Claude one you just did.
Verify
git --version
You should see a version number.
5. Project folder
Before starting any track, create a folder for your work. Claude Code works within the folder you open it in. If you open it in your home directory, it sees everything. Open it in a project folder, and it's focused on that project.
mkdir -p ~/dev
Each track will have its own subfolder inside ~/dev. Your track's setup page will tell you what to name it.
Not sure what a command does? When Claude Code asks for permission to run something, ask it: "what does this command do?" Part of directing AI well is understanding what you're authorizing.
Done
You have a terminal, Claude Code, Git, and a GitHub account. That's the shared foundation.
Now continue to your track's setup to install the discipline-specific tools: