Episode 2 of 24Prepare45 min

Prepare your computer and accounts for the build

Install a code editor (VS Code or Cursor), Node.js, Git and a local PostgreSQL safely, and line up the free accounts the store will need.

You will have: A computer with the four core tools installed and verified, plus a short checklist of accounts with two-factor sign-in turned on.

Before you start

Know which computer you will build on (macOS, Windows or Linux) and that you can install software on it
Have a password manager ready (or install one now). You will save new passwords there, never in a chat
Have your PROJECT_PLAN.md from Episode 1 nearby
Allow about 45 minutes. Downloads and installers are the slow part

Make it yours

Change the example (fashion store) to your own. Your answers are saved in this browser and used in every episode.

Store nameYour brand name.Type of storeFor example: jewellery store, book shop, plant shop.Payment gatewayStripe, PayPal or another gateway available in your country.AI agentClaude Code or Codex.Code editorVS Code, Cursor, Windsurf or any editor you like.Your computermacOS, Windows or Linux.

Other series keywords (4)

What you sellYour main product groups.Main countryWhere most customers live. It decides tax and shipping notes.CurrencyThe currency you charge in.Domain nameUse the one you own, or a name you plan to buy.

Your prompt

Paste into: A normal AI chat (Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini) is enough: it gives you the checks to run and you paste the results back. If you already have an agent that can run commands, you can paste it there instead and it will audit the computer for you.

You are my patient setup guide. I am a non-programmer preparing my macOS computer to build an online store called "Thread & Needle" (fashion e-commerce store) with an AI coding agent (Claude Code).

How to work with me:
- If you can run commands on my computer, run ONLY read-only checks (version commands, listing) and show me the output. If you are a normal chat with no access, give me each check to paste into my terminal and ask me to paste the result back.
- Give one step at a time and wait for me to say "done" before the next step.
- Explain every technical word in a few words, and tell me what to expect on screen.

Goal: this computer has VS Code, Node.js, Git and a local PostgreSQL database server installed and verified, and I know which free accounts I need.

Tasks:
1. Explain in one sentence each what VS Code, Node.js, Git, PostgreSQL and a terminal are for.
2. Check what is already installed: the version of VS Code (and its command line launcher, if it has one), node, npm, git and psql. Show a table of installed and missing.
3. For anything missing, give step-by-step instructions for macOS using only the official download page or the official package manager (Homebrew on macOS, winget on Windows, the distribution package manager on Linux). Tell me when an admin password prompt is normal and why.
4. Node.js: install the current LTS release. Check the Next.js installation docs for the minimum Node version and confirm mine meets it.
5. PostgreSQL: install a currently supported major version (check the PostgreSQL versioning page). Keep it local: it must listen only on this computer. Help me choose a strong password for the postgres administrator user and tell me to save it in my password manager. Do NOT create the shop database yet; that is a later episode.
6. Git: help me set my name and email, and set the default branch name to main.
7. Verify everything again and show a final table with each tool, its version and a status.
8. Give me an accounts checklist for: GitHub, Cloudinary, Resend, Neon, Vercel, Stripe and the account for Claude Code. For each one say what it is for, whether it needs a card (tell me to verify on the provider's pricing page), and remind me to turn on two-factor sign-in. I will create these accounts myself. Do not ask me for any API key now.

Security rules:
- Use official download pages or official package managers only. I will type each address myself rather than click links in ads or emails.
- Never ask me to turn off antivirus or the firewall, and never run a command you cannot explain.
- Never ask me to paste a password, API key, token or recovery code into this chat.
- If a step needs administrator rights, say why first.

Report back in this format:
1. Done: what is installed and verified
2. Check: what I should look at myself (for example, the code editor opens and the terminal prints versions)
3. My decisions: anything that needs a choice from me, and which accounts I still need to create

Review the prompt, then copy it. Never paste real passwords or API keys into a chat.

How to check it worked

Typing the version command for Node.js, npm and Git in a new terminal window prints a version number each
Typing psql --version prints a version, and the database server check says it accepts connections on this computer
Your code editor opens and lets you open any folder
Your password manager contains the PostgreSQL administrator password
Each account in the checklist has two-factor sign-in turned on or is marked as created later

Sample result

Example: fashion store

Example result on a Mac for the fashion store. Your versions and status will differ.

If something goes wrong

A tool installed fine but the terminal says "command not found".: Close the terminal window completely and open a new one. The computer only reads its list of tool locations when a terminal starts. If it still fails, paste the exact message to the guide and ask which location needs to be added.
The installer asks for an administrator password or a Windows security prompt.: This is normal for installing system software, but only approve prompts for the official installer you started. If a prompt appears that you did not trigger, cancel it.
PostgreSQL installed but the server does not accept connections.: Ask the guide for the status and start commands for your system. On macOS and Linux the service may need to be started once; on Windows check that the PostgreSQL service is running in the Services app.
Your computer is old, locked by an employer, or you cannot install software.: Tell the guide. It can suggest building inside a cloud development environment instead, but check the provider's current free limits first and ask it to adapt Episodes 3 to 6.

All four tools are free. Creating accounts is free to start; some providers ask for a card even on a free plan, so read each sign-up page and verify on the provider's pricing page.

More in Prepare

This is part of the series Build a secure, no-cost e-commerce website with AI agents. See all 24 episodes, the tools used and answers to common questions on the series page.