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📋Setup 💻VS Code 🤖OpenCode ⚡Backend ✅Test
🚀 Pre-Workshop Setup Guide

Set up your AI coding toolkit in 45 minutes

No experience needed. Just follow each step, and you'll arrive at the workshop ready to build.

Start Setup → I'm already set up
⏱ 45 min
💻 Mac, Windows, Linux
🆓 Free tools
🖥️ Show instructions for:

Set up your tools

Complete each step below. Tap to expand.

1

GitHub Account

⏱ ~5 min

Your professional coding identity

Step 1: Create a GitHub Account

Go to github.com/signup and create a free account. Use your real name — this becomes your professional identity.

Mac / Windows
📸
GitHub signup page
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Step 2: Install Git

Git is version control — it tracks your code changes and lets you collaborate. Install it for your operating system:

$ xcode-select --install

A dialog will pop up — click "Install" and wait a few minutes.

Mac
📸
Mac: Xcode command line tools install dialog
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💡
On Windows, we recommend installing Git for Windows, which includes Git Bash — a terminal that works exactly like Mac/Linux. Use Git Bash for all workshop commands.
1

Download Git for Windows

Go to git-scm.com/download/win — the download should start automatically.

2

Run the installer

Click through the installer. Use all default settings. The only important one: make sure "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software" is checked.

3

Verify in Git Bash

Open Git Bash from the Start Menu (search "Git Bash") and run:

$ git --version
Windows
📸
Windows: Git Bash with version output
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⚠️
From now on, use Git Bash for all commands — not PowerShell or Command Prompt. Git Bash is included with Git for Windows.
$ sudo apt install git

For Fedora/Red Hat: sudo dnf install git

Step 3: Verify Git is working

Open a terminal and run:

$ git --version

You should see something like git version 2.x.x. If you get "command not found," restart your terminal and try again.

Mac
📸
Mac: Terminal with git version
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Windows
📸
Windows: Git Bash with git version
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Step 4: Tell Git who you are

These commands link your commits to your name and email. Use the same email you used for GitHub.

# Replace with your info $ git config --global user.name "Your Name" $ git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
2

VS Code

⏱ ~5 min

Your code editor

Step 1: Download & Install

Go to code.visualstudio.com and download for your OS. Install with default settings.

All OS
📸
VS Code download page
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Step 2: Open the Terminal

In VS Code, open the built-in terminal:

  • • Menu: View → Terminal
  • • Shortcut: Ctrl + ` (backtick, top-left of keyboard)
Mac
📸
VS Code with terminal panel open
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💡
On Windows, you need to set VS Code's default terminal to Git Bash so all commands work the same as Mac/Linux.
1

Open VS Code Settings

Press Ctrl + Shift + P and type "terminal profile" → select "Terminal: Select Default Profile"

2

Select Git Bash

Choose Git Bash from the list. Now every terminal in VS Code will open Git Bash.

3

Open the terminal

Press Ctrl + ` (backtick) or go to View → Terminal

Windows
📸
Windows: VS Code terminal profile selector
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Windows
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Windows: VS Code with Git Bash terminal
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Step 3: Verify

In the VS Code terminal, type:

$ git --version

If it works, you're good. If not, restart VS Code and try again.

3

OpenCode

⏱ ~5 min

Your AI coding assistant

OpenCode is an open-source AI coding assistant. It's like having a conversation with an AI that can also write, edit, and run code for you.

Step 1: Install OpenCode

curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash

Run this in Terminal (not VS Code). You may need to restart your terminal after.

💡
Open PowerShell (not Git Bash) for this install command. You can use Git Bash for everything else after.
1

Open PowerShell as Administrator

Right-click the Start button → select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" or "Terminal (Admin)"

2

Run the install command

irm https://opencode.ai/install.ps1 | iex
3

Restart your terminal

Close PowerShell and open a new Git Bash window. The opencode command should now work.

Windows
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Windows: OpenCode install in PowerShell
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⚠️
If you see "running scripts is disabled," run this first: Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash

Step 2: Launch OpenCode

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

$ opencode

This opens the OpenCode interface. If it asks you to configure a provider, that's the next step.

All OS
📸
OpenCode running in terminal
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Step 3: Open the Web UI (optional but recommended)

OpenCode has a browser-based UI that's easier to use. When it's running, open the URL it shows (usually http://localhost:4096).

All OS
📸
OpenCode Web UI in browser
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4

Pick Your AI Backend

⏱ ~10 min

Choose one — any will work

OpenCode needs an AI model to talk to. Pick one of these options:

Path A: ChatGPT Subscription

If you already pay for ChatGPT Plus or Pro

1

Go to platform.openai.com/api-keys and create an API key

2

Copy the key and configure it in OpenCode (it'll prompt you, or set it as an environment variable)

3

Test: ask OpenCode "What model are you?"

💰 Your subscription may include API credits. Check your plan.

All OS
📸
OpenAI API key page
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Path B: Groq

Free tier, blazing fast

1

Create a free account at console.groq.com

2

Go to API Keys → Generate a new key

3

Configure the key in OpenCode as your provider

💰 Free tier has rate limits. Wait a minute if you hit them.

All OS
📸
Groq console API key page
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Path C: OpenRouter

Pay per call, no subscription

1

Create an account at openrouter.ai

2

Add $10–20 in credits

3

Create an API key and configure it in OpenCode

💰 $10–20 lasts well beyond the workshop.

All OS
📸
OpenRouter dashboard
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⚡ You only need ONE. Pick whichever is easiest.

Test everything

Quick end-to-end check to make sure you're ready.

💡
On Windows: use Git Bash for all these commands (not PowerShell).
1

Create a workshop folder

$ mkdir ai-workshop && cd ai-workshop
2

Initialize Git

$ git init
3

Launch OpenCode

$ opencode
4

Type this prompt

Create a file called hello.txt that says "Hello from AI! I'm ready for the workshop." Then commit it with the message "First AI commit".
5

Verify it worked

$ cat hello.txt $ git log --oneline
✅
You're ready for the workshop! If you see "Hello from AI!" and a commit message, everything is working.

Got stuck? We've got you.

Tap any question to see the fix.

Git isn't installed or isn't in your PATH.

  • Windows: Reinstall from git-scm.com. During install, make sure "Git from the command line" is checked. Then use Git Bash.
  • Mac: Run xcode-select --install
  • Linux: Run sudo apt install git
  • Fix: Close and reopen your terminal after installing.
  • Run the install command again (see Step 3 above)
  • Windows: Make sure you installed via PowerShell, then open a new Git Bash window
  • Mac/Linux: Close and reopen your terminal. Check that ~/.opencode/bin is in your PATH
  • Check for extra spaces before or after the key
  • Make sure you copied the full key (they're long)
  • Verify the key is still active on your provider's dashboard
  • If using OpenRouter, check that you have credits

You've hit your provider's rate limit.

  • Wait 1–2 minutes and try again
  • On Groq free tier, this is common — it resets quickly
  • Try: Ctrl + ` (backtick, top-left of keyboard)
  • Or go to View → Terminal
  • Windows: Make sure you set Git Bash as the default terminal profile (see Step 2)
  • If still broken, reinstall VS Code

This is a common Windows security setting.

  • Open PowerShell as Administrator
  • Run: Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
  • Type Y and press Enter
  • Try the install command again
  • Make sure your API key is configured correctly
  • Try setting the key as an environment variable before launching OpenCode
  • Check your provider's status page — they might be down
  • Windows: Make sure you're in Git Bash, not PowerShell, when running opencode
  • OpenCode needs a terminal to stay open. Make sure you're running it from Git Bash, not double-clicking an icon.
  • Open Git Bash, navigate to your folder, then type opencode