Complete Tools Checklist
Before we start building, let us make sure you have everything installed and configured. This lesson walks through every tool you need, what it does, and how to verify it is working.
Core Development Tools
1. Node.js (v18 or higher)
Node.js is the JavaScript runtime that powers Next.js, our development server, and all build tools.
# Check your version
node --version
# Should output v18.x.x or higher (v20+ recommended)
# If not installed, use nvm (recommended)
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.0/install.sh | bash
nvm install 20
nvm use 20
2. Package Manager (npm comes with Node.js)
npm --version
# Should output 9.x.x or higher
3. Git
git --version
# Should output git version 2.x.x
# Configure if not already done
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your@email.com"
4. Code Editor — VS Code (Recommended)
VS Code has the best integration with Claude Code through the terminal panel. Install it from code.visualstudio.com.
Recommended extensions:
- Tailwind CSS IntelliSense — autocomplete for Tailwind classes
- ESLint — code linting
- Prettier — code formatting
Claude Code CLI
The star of the course. We will install this in the next lesson, but here is what you need:
- Option A: Claude Pro/Team subscription ($20/month) — simplest setup, log in directly
- Option B: Anthropic API key with credits — pay-per-use pricing
Both options work for this course. The Pro subscription is more predictable for budgeting.
Cloud Services (All Free Tier)
| Service | What You Need | Free Tier Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Neon | Postgres database | 0.5 GB storage, always-on compute |
| Clerk | Auth and user management | 10,000 monthly active users |
| Vercel | Deployment | Unlimited personal projects |
| GitHub | Code hosting and Actions | Unlimited public repos, 2000 CI minutes/month |
System Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | macOS 12+, Windows 10+ (WSL2), Ubuntu 20.04+ | macOS 14+, latest Windows 11 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 5 GB free | 20 GB free |
| Internet | Required for Claude Code API | Stable broadband |
Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues
"node: command not found" — Your PATH does not include the Node.js binary. If using nvm, run source ~/.bashrc or restart your terminal.
Permission errors on npm install -g — Never use sudo with npm global installs. Fix with npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global and add ~/.npm-global/bin to your PATH.
Git SSL certificate errors — Common on corporate networks. Ask your IT team for proxy configuration or use git config --global http.sslVerify false temporarily.
Key Takeaways
- You need Node.js 18+, Git, and a code editor as core development tools
- Claude Code CLI requires either a Claude Pro subscription or an Anthropic API key
- All cloud services (Neon, Clerk, Vercel, GitHub) have generous free tiers
- Set up all accounts before starting the next lesson to avoid interruptions