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Guide

Before Session 1 — Get Your Laptop Ready

Welcome! Before our first session, please spend about 15 minutes getting two things installed on your laptop. This means we can dive straight into the fun part on the night instead of watching loading bars.

You do not need to be technical to do this. It's just downloading and clicking "install" — like setting up any other app. If you get stuck, don't worry: come 10 minutes early and we'll sort it out together.

What you'll need

  • A Windows or Mac laptop (not a tablet or phone)
  • An internet connection
  • About 15 minutes

There are two things to install: VS Code (the workspace we'll use) and the Claude Code add-on (the AI assistant that lives inside it).

Step 1 — Install VS Code

VS Code is a free app from Microsoft. It's where we'll do everything.

On a Mac

  1. Go to https://code.visualstudio.com
  2. Click the big blue Download for Mac button
  3. When it finishes downloading, find the file (usually in your Downloads folder) and double-click it — an app called Visual Studio Code will appear
  4. Drag that app into your Applications folder (a window may pop up letting you do this)
  5. Open it from Applications. The first time, your Mac may ask "are you sure you want to open it?" — click Open

On Windows

  1. Go to https://code.visualstudio.com
  2. Click the big blue Download for Windows button
  3. When it finishes, find the downloaded file (usually in Downloads) and double-click it to run the installer
  4. Accept the agreement and click Next through the screens — the default options are fine. Click Install, then Finish
  5. VS Code will open

How to know it worked

VS Code opens and you see a Welcome screen. That's it — you've done the hard bit. 🎉

Step 2 — Add Claude Code

Now we add the AI assistant inside VS Code.

  1. Open VS Code (if it isn't already)
  2. On the left-hand edge, find the icon made of four small squares and click it. (This is the "Extensions" panel. If you can't find it, press Cmd+Shift+X on a Mac or Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows.)
  3. In the search box at the top, type Claude Code
  4. Find the one published by Anthropic and click the blue Install button
  5. Wait a few seconds while it installs

How to know it worked

You'll see a new Claude icon appear down the left-hand edge of VS Code.

⚠️ Important — please stop here

You may be asked to sign in or finish setup. Don't. We'll sign you in together on the night using the club's account — that's the one thing we do as a group. If you see a sign-in screen, just leave it; you're all set.

Step 3 — Send us your email

If you haven't already submitted your response for the poll Your email address to register with Claude Code please do so before 14-June so we can get your Claude account created and funded before our first session.

Done? Here's your checklist

  • VS Code installed and it opens to a Welcome screen
  • Claude Code add-on installed (the Claude icon shows on the left)
  • I left the sign-in alone — we'll do that together
  • I've responded to the poll with my email address to use for the Claude account.

Stuck on an install? That's completely fine. Come a few minutes early on the night and we'll get you going. See you there!