Guides/Tools & Setup
toolsbeginner

Set Up Your AI-Powered Environment

Install Node.js, pnpm, Git, and Cursor IDE step by step

What You'll Install

You'll need these 4 packages/apps to build your app:

  • Node.js — Powers your local development server
  • pnpm — Faster package manager than npm
  • Git — Version control to track changes
  • Cursor — AI-powered IDE with Claude built in

Step 1: Install Node.js

Visit nodejs.org and download the LTS version. Follow the installer instructions for your system (Windows, macOS, or Linux). After installing, restart your computer if needed.

Verify Node.js installation
node -v
# Should output something like: v18.19.0

npm -v
# Should output something like: 10.2.3

node -v means 'show me the Node version installed.' Node powers your local development server — every web app you'll build runs on top of it.

Step 2: Install pnpm

pnpm is a faster version of npm (the Node package manager). This speeds up how your project installs dependencies.

Install and verify pnpm
npm install -g pnpm

pnpm -v
# Should output a version number

npm install -g means you're installing something globally — available in all your projects.

Step 3: Install Git

Go to git-scm.com/downloads and follow the setup steps for your operating system.

Verify Git installation
git --version
# Should output something like: git version 2.42.0

Git is a version control tool — it remembers every change in your project. You'll use it to connect to GitHub and Vercel later.

Step 4: Install Cursor IDE

Go to cursor.com, download the app, and sign in with a free account.

Why Cursor?

  • Integrates your terminal, files, and Claude directly into your IDE
  • Looks like VS Code but has Claude AI built in
  • Can suggest, edit, and debug code with you in real time
  • It's the command center for AI-assisted coding

Open Cursor and make sure the terminal works before any session. You should be able to run node -v in Cursor's built-in terminal.