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K12worX Education501(c)(3) Public Charity
Jamboree

Section 00: Prerequisites

Before you can start developing the K12worX website, you need to set up your development environment. This section will guide you through installing all the necessary tools.

What You'll Install

  1. Node.js and npm - JavaScript runtime and package manager
  2. Visual Studio Code - Code editor
  3. Git - Version control system
  4. Command Line Basics - How to use the terminal

Why These Tools?

  • Node.js lets you run JavaScript code on your computer (not just in a browser)
  • npm (Node Package Manager) helps install and manage code libraries
  • VS Code is a powerful, free code editor designed for web development
  • Git tracks changes to your code and lets you collaborate with others
  • Command Line is how you'll run most development commands

Estimated Time

1-2 hours (mostly downloading and installing)

Installation Order

Follow these guides in order:

  1. Installing Node.js
  2. Installing Visual Studio Code
  3. Installing Git
  4. Command Line Basics

Verification Checklist

After completing this section, verify everything works:

# Check Node.js version
node --version
# Should show: v20.x.x or v22.x.x

# Check npm version
npm --version
# Should show: 10.x.x or higher

# Check Git version
git --version
# Should show: git version 2.x.x

# Check you can navigate in terminal
pwd
# Should show your current directory path

If all four commands work without errors, you're ready to move on!

Troubleshooting

Command not found

If you see "command not found" errors:

  1. Restart your terminal - Close and reopen it
  2. Check installation - Make sure the software actually installed
  3. Check PATH - The tool might not be in your system PATH (see individual installation guides)

Permission errors

If you see permission errors on Mac/Linux:

  • You might need to use sudo before commands
  • Or check folder permissions

Still stuck?

See the Troubleshooting section or ask for help!

Next Steps

Once all tools are installed and verified, move on to:

Section 01: Understanding Basics