Setup — Before Day 1
Everything you need to install and configure before your first live session. Takes about 60–90 minutes. Do this once and you're set for the entire program.
You're about to set up a professional software development environment on your computer — the same tools that developers at Google, Razorpay, and every major tech company use every day.
This is not complicated. Every tool here has a simple installer, just like Tally or Winzip. If you've installed software on a computer before, you can do this.
Time required: 60–90 minutes, working at your own pace.
What you'll have by the end:
- A GitHub account (your online code storage — like Google Drive but for code)
- Git installed (the version control system)
- VS Code (your code editor — like Notepad but built for developers)
- Node.js (the engine that runs JavaScript and React)
- Claude Code (your AI coding assistant — the main tool of this program)
- A Supabase account (the backend/database service we use)
- A Vercel account (the hosting platform where your apps go live)
- Expo Go on your phone (to preview mobile apps on your actual device)
- VaultMate installed (your secure credential manager — where every API key and password is stored)
Do this before Session 1. We will not spend live session time on installation. Sessions are for building — not downloading software. If you arrive at Session 1 without this setup complete, you'll spend the first hour watching instead of doing.
The analogy that might help
Think of it this way. Before your first day at a CA firm, someone asks you to:
- Get a Gmail account (to communicate)
- Install Tally (to do accounting work)
- Get access to the shared drive (to store files)
- Install the office VPN (to connect securely)
You wouldn't do that on your first day in front of a client. You'd do it the weekend before.
This is exactly that — your pre-day-one setup.
What each tool does
| Tool | What it is | Excel analogy |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | Online storage for your code | Your shared Google Drive / network drive for files |
| Git | Tracks every change you make to code | Excel's "Track Changes" — but for the entire project, forever |
| VS Code | The app where you write code | Microsoft Excel — the main tool you work in |
| Node.js | Runs JavaScript on your computer | The calculation engine behind Excel formulas |
| Claude Code | AI assistant that writes code with you | An expert colleague who sits next to you and helps |
| Supabase | Your database + backend in the cloud | The server where your master Excel files live |
| Vercel | Publishes your app to the internet | The portal where clients log in to see their reports |
| Expo Go | Previews your mobile app on your phone | The mobile version of a report your client opens on their phone |
| VaultMate | Stores every API key and password securely | A locked filing cabinet — you put every credential in here so you can find it later |
How to use this guide
Work through the pages in order:
- Tools — Install everything, one by one, with step-by-step instructions
- Claude Code Setup — Set up your AI assistant specifically
- Verification — Run through the final checklist to confirm everything works
If something doesn't install or you get an error: Don't spend more than 10 minutes trying to fix it on your own. Take a screenshot of the error and send it to the WhatsApp group. Someone will help. These issues are almost always one small thing and easy to fix once someone else looks.
Before you begin
Make sure you have:
- A working laptop or desktop (Windows 10/11 or macOS 12+)
- Stable internet connection (you'll be downloading several things)
- About 5 GB of free disk space
- Your personal Gmail address ready (you'll use it to create accounts)
You do not need any prior coding experience. You do not need to understand how any of this works yet.
At this stage, you're just installing tools — the same way you'd install Tally before learning accounting on it.
Let's go.