Prerequisites Overview
Before we start building, you need a few tools set up on your computer. If you already have some of these, feel free to skip to the ones you're missing — but make sure to run the verification steps on each page to confirm everything is working.
What you'll need
Here's a checklist of everything we'll set up in this section. Both paths need the first five tools. Supabase is only needed for Path B.
| Tool | What it does | Time to set up | Which path? |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Account | Stores your code online and tracks changes | ~5 minutes | Both |
| Git | Version control — lets you save snapshots of your code | ~10 minutes | Both |
| Node.js & npm | Runs JavaScript code and installs packages | ~10 minutes | Both |
| Claude Account | Access to Anthropic's AI assistant | ~5 minutes | Both |
| Claude Code | AI coding assistant that runs in your terminal | ~5 minutes | Both |
| Cloudflare Account | Hosts your site on the internet for free | ~5 minutes | Both |
| Supabase Account | Database and authentication for your app | ~5 minutes | Path B only |
Why do I need all of this?
Great question. Here's the short version:
- GitHub is where your project code lives online. It's like Google Drive for code.
- Git is the tool that syncs your code between your computer and GitHub.
- Node.js & npm are what your application runs on. Node.js is the engine, npm installs the building blocks.
- Claude is the AI that will help you write code. You'll describe what you want, and Claude writes it.
- Claude Code is the command-line version of Claude that can read, write, and run your project files directly.
- Cloudflare is where your finished site will live on the internet. Cloudflare Pages hosts it for free — and if you want a custom domain (like
yourname.com), you can buy one there too. - Supabase (Path B only) is the backend for apps with login and a database — it provides data storage and an authentication system that lets users log in with GitHub.
Let's go
Work through each page in order. Each one has step-by-step instructions for Mac, Windows, and Linux. If you're doing Path A, you can skip the Supabase page (but don't skip Cloudflare — you'll want your site live on the internet!).