Windows Setup Guide

Complete setup instructions for Windows users: VS Code, Bun, Git, and developer tools.

Introduction

Setting up your development environment on Windows requires downloading and installing each tool individually. While Windows has package managers like Chocolatey and WinGet, we will use direct downloads for simplicity and consistency. This guide will establish a professional development environment identical to what you would use in industry.

The following instructions are specifically for Windows users. Mac users should refer to the Mac Setup Guide instead. The entire setup process takes approximately 45 minutes depending on your internet connection speed.

Note: If you are an advanced Windows user and you know and understand how to use the 📦 managers such as Chocolatey or WinGet, you may choose to use them for installation.

What You'll Install Today

• Visual Studio Code: Your primary code editor
• Bun: All-in-one JavaScript toolkit (runtime + package manager + bundler + test runner)
• Git: Version control system for tracking code changes
• Warp Terminal: Modern terminal with integrated AI assistance
• GitHub CLI: Command-line interface for GitHub operations

Core Concept Overview

Understanding Windows Development Tools

Git Bash and Warp Terminal will be your primary command-line tools in this course. Windows also includes Command Prompt and PowerShell, but we will not rely on them for day-to-day work. Git Bash (installed with Git for Windows) gives you a Unix-style terminal, and Warp adds a modern interface and integrated AI help.

Visual Studio Code functions as a powerful code editor created by Microsoft. It provides syntax highlighting for code readability, integrated terminal access, comprehensive file management, and thousands of extensions for added functionality. The editor serves as your primary workspace for writing and editing code.

Bun is an all-in-one JavaScript toolkit that runs JavaScript on your computer, manages packages, bundles code, and runs tests—all in one fast tool. It replaces the need for separate tools like Node.js and npm. Bun is 17-33x faster than npm for package installation and is designed as a drop-in replacement for Node.js with 100% compatibility as the goal.

Git provides version control capabilities essential for professional development. It tracks changes in your code over time, enables collaboration with other developers, and creates snapshots of your work for recovery purposes.

Windows File System Structure

Windows organizes files through a hierarchical structure starting with drive letters. Your main drive typically appears as C:\, with user files stored in C:\Users\YourName\. Most software installs to C:\Program Files\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\. We will create a dedicated Dev folder in your user directory for organizing all development projects.

The PATH environment variable determines where Windows searches for executable programs. Many installation issues stem from incorrect PATH configuration, which installers typically handle automatically when you select the appropriate options.

Hands-On Application

Step 1: Install Visual Studio Code

Navigate to the VS Code website at https://code.visualstudio.com/ using any web browser. Click the prominent "Download for Windows" button to download the installer file, which will be named something like VSCodeUserSetup-x64-1.XX.X.exe.

Once downloaded, navigate to your Downloads folder and double-click the installer file. When Windows requests permission to make changes, click Yes. Proceed through the installation wizard, accepting the license agreement.

On the "Select Additional Tasks" screen, ensure you check all the following options: "Add 'Open with Code' action to Windows Explorer file context menu", "Add 'Open with Code' action to Windows Explorer directory context menu", "Register Code as an editor for supported file types", and "Add to PATH". These selections enable convenient VS Code access from Windows Explorer and the command line.

Complete the installation by clicking Install and waiting for the process to finish. Launch VS Code to verify successful installation. You should see the Welcome screen with a dark theme by default.

Step 2: Install Bun

Bun is a modern all-in-one JavaScript toolkit that's faster than Node.js. We'll install it using a simple command in your terminal.

Important: Bun installation requires Git Bash or Warp Terminal. If you haven't set up either yet, you can return to this step after completing Step 3 (Git) and Step 4 (Warp).

1. Open Git Bash or Warp Terminal (Git Bash comes with Git installation in Step 3)

2. Run the installation command:

   curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
   

   • This downloads and installs Bun automatically
   • Wait for the installation to complete (1-2 minutes)
   • You'll see output showing the installation progress

3. Restart your terminal:

   • Close and reopen Git Bash or Warp Terminal
   • This ensures the Bun command is available

4. Verify Bun installation:

   • Type: bun --version
   • You should see something like 1.3.9 (version number may be higher)

Optional Node.js Fallback: If you encounter issues with Bun or need Node.js for a specific project, you can install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/ as a backup. Select the LTS version and follow the installer instructions. Both Bun and Node.js can coexist on the same system.

Step 3: Install Git

Download Git from https://git-scm.com/ by clicking "Download for Windows". This downloads a file like Git-2.XX.X-64-bit.exe. Run the installer from your Downloads folder with administrator permission.

The Git installer presents numerous configuration screens. Maintain the default selections for all options (including installation of Git Bash) except:

After installation, verify Git functionality by opening Git Bash or Warp Terminal and typing git --version. You should see output like git version 2.42.0.windows.1.

Configure Git's Default Branch Name

When you create a new Git repository, Git automatically creates a default branch as the starting point for your work. Older versions and some Windows installations use master as the default branch name. We use main instead for the following reasons:

1. Inclusivity: The tech industry moved away from "master" language years ago to avoid outdated terminology
2. Consistency: Modern platforms like GitHub use main by default, so we match that standard
3. Alignment: Our course materials and examples all use main, so this ensures consistency in your workflows

Check your current default branch setting:

Open Git Bash or Warp Terminal and run:

git config --global init.defaultBranch

• If main appears, you're all set
• If master appears, or nothing appears (the command just returns to a new prompt with no output), you need to update it

Update to use main as your default branch:

Run this command:

git config --global init.defaultBranch main

What this command does:

• git config → Tells Git to store a configuration setting
• --global → Saves this setting for your entire user account (not just one project)
• init.defaultBranch → Specifies we're setting the default branch for new repositories
• main → The branch name we want to use going forward

Verify the change:

Run the check command again:

git config --global init.defaultBranch

You should now see main as the output.

Step 4: Install Warp Terminal

Warp provides a modern terminal experience with integrated AI assistance. Download Warp by clicking "Download for Windows". Run the installer with default options and launch Warp when installation completes.

When you first open Warp, you'll be prompted to sign up for a Warp account. Choose "Continue with GitHub" to connect your GitHub account. This gives you access to Warp's cloud features and syncs your settings across devices. If you don't have a GitHub account yet, create one first at github.com.

Warp improves upon Command Prompt and PowerShell through its modern interface with tabs, intelligent autocompletion, built-in AI help accessible with the # symbol, and superior text rendering. Use Warp as your primary terminal moving forward.

⚠️ Windows Administrator Mode (IMPORTANT for some systems)

If you later encounter permission errors when running commands (especially the Bun installation command or other setup commands), Windows is blocking access. This is more common on older laptops or corporate machines.

How to fix it: Right-click the Warp icon on your desktop or in your Start menu and select "Run as administrator". Then try your command again. This gives Warp permission to execute the command.

When to try this: If any course command fails with a permission error message or simply produces no output, admin mode often solves it immediately.

Backup option: Keep Git Bash (installed with Git for Windows) as a backup terminal. If Warp gives you trouble, Git Bash often works just fine and doesn't require admin mode.

Important Note About PowerShell: While PowerShell will technically work for most course commands, you will miss significant benefits by not using Warp Terminal. The integrated AI assistance in Warp helps you learn commands, debug errors, and understand what you are doing in real-time. PowerShell users will need to rely on external resources for the same support. Additionally, some course instructions may reference Warp-specific features that PowerShell lacks. We strongly recommend using Warp Terminal to ensure the best learning experience and to stay aligned with course materials.

Understanding Warp Better

Warp is a modern terminal built for speed and efficiency. Key features include Command Palette for quick command access, Split Panes for multiple terminal sessions, Persistent Sessions that survive window closure, and Built-in Git Integration for repository management.

Warp offers Warp University and YouTube tutorials to help you master the terminal:

Step 5: Install GitHub CLI

Visit https://cli.github.com/ and click "Download for Windows" to download a file like gh_2.XX.X_windows_amd64.msi. Run the installer with administrator permission, maintaining all default options throughout the installation wizard.

Verify installation by opening Warp and typing gh --version. You should see output like gh version 2.40.1.

Step 6: Authenticate GitHub CLI

Ensure you are logged into GitHub in your web browser before proceeding. In Warp, type gh auth login and press Enter. Follow the authentication prompts: Select "GitHub.com" for where you use GitHub. Choose "HTTPS" as your preferred protocol. Select "Yes" to authenticate Git with your GitHub credentials. Choose "Login with a web browser" for authentication method.

Copy the one-time code displayed (like "7516-60CE"), press Enter to open GitHub in your browser, and paste the code when prompted. Click Authorize to complete authentication. Verify success by typing gh auth status, which should show "Logged in to github.com" with your username.

Step 8: Create Your Development Folder

Open File Explorer with Windows key + E. Navigate to your user folder by clicking "This PC", then your C: drive, then Users, then your username folder. Right-click in an empty area and select New → Folder. Name it exactly Dev with a capital D.

Test the setup by right-clicking your Dev folder. You should see "Open with Code" in the context menu. Click it to open the folder in VS Code. If VS Code opens with your Dev folder visible in the sidebar, your setup is complete.

Tool Verification and Maintenance

Open Warp Terminal and run these verification commands to confirm successful installation:

# Check each tool's version
git --version
code --version
bun --version
gh --version
gh auth status

Each command should return a version number or status confirmation. The spacing between commands and flags (like git --version) is critical. These delimiter spaces allow the terminal to distinguish between the command and its options.

Navigating in Warp Terminal

Use these basic commands to navigate your file system in Warp Terminal:

• cd Dev → Change directory to your Dev folder
• ls → List files and folders in the current directory
• pwd → Print the current working directory path

Troubleshooting Quick Reference

Command fails with a permission error or produces no output? → Run Warp or Git Bash as administrator (right-click the icon, select "Run as administrator"), then try the command again. This fixes most Windows permission issues.

VS Code will not open? → Check your Start menu for "Visual Studio Code" or try running the installer again as administrator.

Bun commands not found? → Close and reopen Warp completely (not just a new tab). If it still doesn't work, try running Warp as administrator. If issues persist, try the optional Node.js installation as a fallback.

Git not recognized? → Check your Start menu for "Git Bash" to verify it installed. If Git Bash exists but git --version doesn't work in Warp, try running Warp as administrator. You may need to restart your computer.

Cannot create the Dev folder? → Verify you are in your user folder with appropriate permissions. Try right-clicking and selecting "New → Folder" again.

Keep Your Tools Updated

Windows tools don’t auto‑upgrade as nicely as on Mac, so plan to refresh them every 1–2 months:

• VS Code, Git, Warp, GitHub CLI: Revisit their official download pages, grab the latest installers, and run them—this will update in place.
• Bun: Update by running bun upgrade in your terminal
• Put a simple recurring reminder on your phone (for example, first weekend of every other month) to do this quick maintenance pass.

What You've Accomplished

You have successfully established a professional Windows development environment including Visual Studio Code for code editing, Bun for JavaScript execution and package management, Git for version control, Warp Terminal for enhanced command-line access, GitHub CLI for repository management, and an organized folder structure for your projects. This setup uses modern, fast tools that professional developers are adopting at technology companies worldwide.

Next Steps

With your development environment ready, you will proceed to configure VS Code with essential extensions, learn Git fundamentals for version control, and write your first JavaScript programs. This foundation enables you to begin serious programming work immediately.