Tool Installation Guide

Welcome to the AIASD Toolkit Setup!

Hey there, future AI-assisted software developer!

You are about to set up the tools that will install everything you'll need for the AI-Assisted Software Development environment. This guide will walk you through installing everything.

What You're Building

By the end of this guide, you'll have a complete AI-assisted software development environment that includes:

Essential Tools

Git - The version control system that many developers use to manage code changes and collaborate with others
GitHub Account - Your online code repository and portfolio
GitHub CLI - Command-line for working with GitHub without a browser
Visual Studio Code - A powerful, free code editor with tons of features and extensions
GitHub Copilot Extension - AI pair programmer that helps you write code faster and learn as you go
GitHub Copilot CLI - AI help right in your terminal
Mob.sh - Tool for seamless team coding sessions

Bonus Tools (Install these later if you need them):

Pandoc - Converts documents between different formats (Markdown → PDF, etc.)
Marp - Creates presentations from Markdown files

Your Journey Ahead

Time Investment: About 30-45 minutes for the essential tools
Difficulty: Beginner
Dependencies: Tools are installed in order so each one builds on the previous ones

Before We Start: Important Notes

For Windows Users

You'll see several installation options for most tools. Here's what they mean:

Direct Download: Download and run an installer (easiest for beginners)
Chocolatey: A package manager that lets you install software via commands (super convenient once set up)
Winget: Microsoft's built-in package manager (comes with Windows 10/11)

For Mac Users

Homebrew: The most popular package manager for Mac (like an app store for developers)
Direct Download: Traditional installer files

Pro Tips

Install tools in the exact order listed - they depend on each other!
Restart your terminal/command prompt after each installation
When in doubt, choose the “recommended” option for your platform

1. Git

Why do you need it?

The primary reason is to share files and collaborate with others. We'll spend a lot of time working together on code, and Git is the foundation that this collaboration is built on.

Official Resources

Download: https://git-scm.com/downloads
Learn Git: https://learngitbranching.js.org/ (interactive tutorial - highly recommended!)
Documentation: https://git-scm.com/doc

Windows Installation

Option A — Direct Download (Recommended for beginners)

Go to https://git-scm.com/download/win
The download should start automatically (it detects your Windows version)
Run the downloaded installer
Important setup choices (don't just click “Next” everywhere!):
- ✅ Check “Git Bash Here” - this adds a right-click option to open Git terminal
- ✅ Check “Git GUI Here” - visual interface if you want it
- Default editor: Choose Visual Studio Code (we'll install it next!)
- PATH environment: Choose “Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software”
- Line ending conversions: Choose “Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings”

Option B — Using Chocolatey

First, you need Chocolatey (a package manager):

What is Chocolatey: https://chocolatey.org/
Installation guide: https://chocolatey.org/install

# Run in PowerShell or CMD as Administrator
choco install git

Option C — Using Winget (Built into Windows 10/11)

# Run in PowerShell or Command Prompt
winget install --id Git.Git

macOS Installation

Option A — Using Homebrew (Recommended)

First, install Homebrew if you haven't already:

What is Homebrew: https://brew.sh/
Installation: https://docs.brew.sh/Installation

# Open Terminal and run:
brew install git

Option B — Direct Download

Visit https://git-scm.com/download/mac
Download the installer for your macOS version
Run the installer and follow the prompts

Test Your Installation

Open a new terminal/command prompt and type:

git --version

You should see something like git version 2.41.0. The exact numbers don't matter - you just want to see it's installed!

Troubleshooting

“Command not found”:

Restart your terminal completely
On Windows, try Git Bash instead of Command Prompt
Check if the installation actually completed

Permission errors on Mac:

You might need to install Xcode Command Line Tools: xcode-select --install

Option C — Using Winget (Built into Windows 10/11)

2. Create Your GitHub Account

Why GitHub?

In the course we'll use GitHub for Issues and Pull Requests, in addition to GitHub's Copilot features.

Official Resources

Sign up: https://github.com/signup
Learning resources: https://docs.github.com/en/get-started
GitHub Skills: https://skills.github.com/ (interactive learning)

Step-by-Step Account Creation

Go to GitHub: https://github.com/signup
Enter your email: You'll get important notifications here
Create a strong password:
- Mix of letters, numbers, and symbols
- At least 8 characters long
Choose your username:
- This becomes part of your developer identity
- Use your real name or a professional handle (avoid nicknames)
Complete verification: GitHub will test if you're human (not a robot)
Email preferences: Choose if you want product updates (you can change this later)
Verify your email: Check your inbox and click the verification link
You're in! Sign in at https://github.com/login

Next Steps (Optional but recommended)

Add a profile picture: Makes you look more professional
Fill out your bio: Write a sentence about what you're learning
Set up two-factor authentication: Keeps your account secure
Star some repositories: Bookmark projects you find interesting

3. GitHub CLI - Terminal Superpowers

Why the GitHub CLI?

The GitHub CLI (Command Line Interface) lets you do GitHub things right from your terminal without opening a web browser. We'll use it to automate the creation of issues and PRs.

Official Resources

Download: https://cli.github.com/
Documentation: https://cli.github.com/manual/
Quick start: https://docs.github.com/en/github-cli/github-cli/quickstart

Windows Installation

Option A — Direct Download (Recommended for beginners)

Visit https://github.com/cli/cli/releases/latest
Look for the file ending in .msi (Windows Installer)
Download and run it
Follow the setup wizard (default options are fine)

Option B — Using Chocolatey

# Run in PowerShell as Administrator
choco install gh

Option C — Using Winget

# Run in PowerShell or Command Prompt
winget install --id GitHub.cli

macOS Installation

Option A — Using Homebrew (Recommended)

# Open Terminal and run:
brew install gh

Option B — Direct Download

Visit https://cli.github.com/
Download the macOS installer
Run the installer and follow prompts

Test Your Installation

gh --version

You should see version information for GitHub CLI.

Authenticate with GitHub

After installation, you need to connect it to your GitHub account:

gh auth login

Follow the prompts:

Choose “GitHub.com”
Choose “HTTPS” for Git protocol
Authenticate via web browser (easiest)
Give it a descriptive name like “My Development Machine”

Try Your First Command

# Create a new repository (you'll be prompted for details)
gh repo create my-first-repo --public

# Or view your repositories
gh repo list

Troubleshooting

Authentication fails:

Make sure you're logged into GitHub in your browser
Try gh auth logout then gh auth login again

Command not found:

Restart your terminal
Check that installation completed successfully

4. Visual Studio Code

Why Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code is where we will live for most of the course.

Official Resources

Download: https://code.visualstudio.com/
Getting started: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs
Tips and tricks: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/tips-and-tricks

Windows Installation

Direct Download (Recommended)

Visit https://code.visualstudio.com/
Click “Download for Windows”
Run the downloaded installer
Important setup choices:
- ✅ Check “Add ‘Open with Code’ action to Windows Explorer file context menu”
- ✅ Check “Add ‘Open with Code’ action to Windows Explorer directory context menu”
- ✅ Check “Register Code as an editor for supported file types”
- ✅ Check “Add to PATH” (enables code command in terminal)

Using Package Managers:

# Chocolatey
choco install vscode

# Winget
winget install -e --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

macOS Installation

Direct Download (Recommended)

Visit https://code.visualstudio.com/
Click “Download for Mac”
Open the downloaded ZIP file
Drag “Visual Studio Code.app” to your Applications folder
Enable command line:
- Open VS Code
- Press Cmd+Shift+P to open Command Palette
- Type “Shell Command: Install ‘code’ command in PATH”
- Select it and press Enter

Using Homebrew:

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Verification

Open VS Code from your applications
Open a terminal and run:
```
code --version
```
You should see version information

Essential First Steps

Once VS Code is installed:

Install essential extensions (we'll do this automatically with Copilot next)
Explore the interface:
- Activity Bar (left side) - switch between views
- Side Bar - file explorer, search, etc.
- Editor Group - where your code goes
- Panel (bottom) - terminal, problems, output
- Status Bar (very bottom) - file info, git branch, etc.
Learn key shortcuts:
- Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) - Command Palette (your best friend!)
- Ctrl+` (Windows) or Cmd+` (Mac) - Toggle integrated terminal
- Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) - Quick file open

Useful Key binding

This key binding opens markdown files in a side-by-side preview and copies the editor to a new window for easier review. Add this to your keybindings.json file:

{
  "key": "ctrl+shift+alt+x",
  "command": "extension.multiCommand.execute",
  "args": {
    "sequence": [
      "markdown.showPreviewToSide",
      "workbench.action.copyEditorToNewWindow"
    ]
  },
  "when": "editorLangId == markdown || resourceExtname == .mdc"
}

To add this key binding:

Open VS Code
Press Ctrl+K Ctrl+S (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+K Cmd+S (Mac) to open Key bindings
Click the “Open Keybindings (JSON)” icon in the top right
Add the above object to the array in keybindings.json

This requires the multiCommand extension and triggers when editing Markdown files (editorLangId == markdown) or files with the .mdc extension (Marp markdown files).

5. GitHub Copilot Extension

Why do you need it?

Copilot is the interface between you and the power of AI in your coding workflow. It helps you write code faster, learn new languages, and get unstuck when you're facing a problem. It's like having an expert programmer sitting next to you, ready to help at any moment.

Copilot helps by:

Writing code for you - describe what you want, and it writes it
Completing your thoughts - start typing and Copilot finishes the code
Explaining code - ask it to explain any code you don't understand
Debugging help - it can spot and fix common errors
Learning accelerator - see how an expert would solve problems

Note: GitHub Copilot is free for students and open-source contributors but requires a subscription for most users. There's a free trial available!

Why Visual Studio Code?

Visual Studio Code is where we will live for most of the course.

Information: https://github.com/features/copilot
Pricing: https://github.com/features/copilot#pricing
Getting started: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/quickstart
Student benefits: https://education.github.com/ (free Copilot!)

Get GitHub Copilot Access

For Students:

Verify your student status at https://education.github.com/
Apply for GitHub Student Developer Pack
Once approved, Copilot is included free!

For Everyone Else:

Go to https://github.com/features/copilot
Click “Start free trial”
Enter payment details (won't be charged during trial)
You get 30 days free, then it's $10/month

Windows Installation

Open VS Code (make sure it's running)
Open Extensions view:
- Click the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar (left side)
- Or press Ctrl+Shift+X
Search for GitHub Copilot:
- Type “GitHub Copilot” in the search box
- Look for the official one by “GitHub” (should be the first result)
Install the extension:
- Click “Install” button
- It might install additional recommended extensions (that's good!)
Sign in to GitHub:
- You'll see a sign-in prompt
- Click “Sign in to GitHub”
- Authorize VS Code to access your GitHub account

5. GitHub Copilot Extension

Why do you need it?

Copilot helps by:

Writing code for you - describe what you want, and it writes it
Completing your thoughts - start typing and Copilot finishes the code
Explaining code - ask it to explain any code you don't understand
Debugging help - it can spot and fix common errors
Learning accelerator - see how an expert would solve problems

Note: GitHub Copilot is free for students and open-source contributors but requires a subscription for most users. There's a free trial available!

🔗 Official Resources

Information: https://github.com/features/copilot
Pricing: https://github.com/features/copilot#pricing
Getting started: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/quickstart
Student benefits: https://education.github.com/ (free Copilot!)

Get GitHub Copilot Access

For Students:

Verify your student status at https://education.github.com/
Apply for GitHub Student Developer Pack
Once approved, Copilot is included free!

For Everyone Else:

Go to https://github.com/features/copilot
Click “Start free trial”
Enter payment details (won't be charged during trial)
You get 30 days free, then it's $10/month

Windows Installation

Open VS Code (make sure it's running)
Open Extensions view:
- Click the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar (left side)
- Or press Ctrl+Shift+X
Search for GitHub Copilot:
- Type “GitHub Copilot” in the search box
- Look for the official one by “GitHub” (should be the first result)
Install the extension:
- Click “Install” button
- It might install additional recommended extensions (that's good!)
Sign in to GitHub:
- You'll see a sign-in prompt
- Click “Sign in to GitHub”
- Authorize VS Code to access your GitHub account

macOS Installation

Open VS Code
Open Extensions view:
- Press Cmd+Shift+X
- Or click the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar
Search and install:
- Search for “GitHub Copilot”
- Click “Install” on the official GitHub Copilot extension
Authenticate:
- Follow the prompts to sign in to GitHub
- Authorize the connection

Verification

Create a new file: Make a new file with a programming language extension (like test.js or test.py)

Try a simple prompt:

// Function to calculate the area of a circle

Watch the magic: Copilot should suggest code! Press Tab to accept suggestions.

Learning to Use Copilot

Best Practices:

Write descriptive comments - Copilot reads them and generates relevant code
Start with function signatures - define what you want, let Copilot fill it in
Use natural language - describe what you want in plain English
Review suggestions - Copilot is smart but not perfect, always double-check code

Common Shortcuts:

Tab - Accept current suggestion
Alt+] (Windows) or Opt+] (Mac) - Next suggestion
Alt+[ (Windows) or Opt+[ (Mac) - Previous suggestion
Esc - Dismiss suggestions

Troubleshooting

Not seeing suggestions:

Check that you're signed into GitHub
Make sure your Copilot subscription is active
Try reloading VS Code (Ctrl+R or Cmd+R)

Suggestions are poor quality:

Write more descriptive comments
Provide more context in your code
Try typing a bit more before expecting suggestions

6. GitHub Copilot CLI

Why the GitHub Copilot CLI?

In the course we use GH CLI to automate AI operations.

Copilot CLI helps with:

Complex git commands - no more googling git syntax
System administration - file operations, permissions, etc.
Tool usage - command syntax for any CLI tool
Script generation - create bash/PowerShell scripts with AI help

Official Resources

Documentation: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/github-copilot-in-the-cli
Installation guide: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/github-copilot-in-the-cli/installing-github-copilot-in-the-cli

⚙️ Installation (All Platforms)

Prerequisites:

GitHub CLI (installed in step 3) ✅
Active GitHub Copilot subscription ✅

Install the extension:

# This works on Windows, Mac, and Linux
gh extension install github/gh-copilot

Authentication

If you haven't already authenticated GitHub CLI:

gh auth login

Verification

# Ask for help with a git command
gh copilot suggest "undo my last commit"

# Ask for explanations
gh copilot explain "git rebase -i HEAD~3"

How to Use Copilot CLI

Two main commands:

gh copilot suggest - Get command suggestions

gh copilot suggest "create a new git branch"
gh copilot suggest "find all JavaScript files modified in the last week"
gh copilot suggest "compress a folder into a zip file"

gh copilot explain - Explain existing commands

gh copilot explain "git cherry-pick HEAD~2"
gh copilot explain "docker run -it --rm ubuntu"

Pro Tips:

Use natural language - describe what you want to accomplish
Be specific about your operating system if commands differ
Review suggestions before running them (especially destructive operations!)

7. Mob.sh - Team Coding Made Simple

Why Mob.sh?

Mob.sh makes pair programming and team coding sessions incredibly smooth. Instead of awkward screen sharing and “can you type this for me”, mob.sh lets team members seamlessly hand off code changes to each other using git. It's perfect for code reviews, pair programming, and team problem-solving.

Mob.sh enables:

Smooth handoffs - pass code back and forth effortlessly
Multiple contributors - whole team can contribute to one session
No merge conflicts - automatically handles the git complexity
Natural breaks - built-in timer and break reminders

Official Resources

Website: https://mob.sh/
Documentation: https://github.com/remotemobprogramming/mob
Video introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHOVVnRB4h0

Windows Installation

Prerequisite: Git (installed in step 1)

Mob.sh needs a POSIX-compatible shell, so you have several options:

Option A — Using Chocolatey (Easiest)

# Run in PowerShell as Administrator
choco install mob

Option B — Using Git Bash (Comes with Git)

Open Git Bash (right-click in a folder and select “Git Bash Here”)

Secure Installation (inspect script before running):

# Download the install script first
curl -s https://mob.sh/install.sh -o mob-install.sh

# Review the script (ALWAYS do this before running unknown scripts)
cat mob-install.sh

# If the script looks safe, make it executable and run it
chmod +x mob-install.sh
./mob-install.sh

# Clean up
rm mob-install.sh

Verify it worked:
```
mob version
```

Option C — Using WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

If you want to use Linux tools on Windows:

Install WSL:
- Learn more: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/
- Installation guide: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install
```
# Run in PowerShell as Administrator
wsl --install
```
(You'll need to restart your computer)

Inside WSL, install mob:

# Download the install script first
curl -s https://mob.sh/install.sh -o mob-install.sh

# Review the script contents (critical security step)
cat mob-install.sh

# If the script looks safe, make it executable and run it
chmod +x mob-install.sh
./mob-install.sh

# Clean up
rm mob-install.sh

Alternative: Use Linux package managers if available

# For Debian/Ubuntu (if mob is packaged)
# sudo apt update && sudo apt install mob

# Or download binary directly from GitHub releases
# wget https://github.com/remotemobprogramming/mob/releases/latest/download/mob_linux
# sudo mv mob_linux /usr/local/bin/mob
# sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/mob

macOS Installation

Using Homebrew (Recommended):

brew install mob

Verify installation:

mob version

Verification

# Check that mob is working
mob version

# Get help (shows available commands)
mob help

How to Use Mob.sh

Basic workflow (simplified):

Start a mob session (one person):
```
mob start
```
Work on code together
Hand off to next person:
```
mob next
```
**4. Another person takes over:
```
mob start
```
When session is complete:
```
mob done
```

Pro Tips:

Everyone on the team needs mob.sh installed
Work in feature branches, not the main branch
Set a timer for regular handoffs (mob.sh can do this automatically)
Use mob status to see current session info

Troubleshooting

“Command not found” on Windows:

Make sure you're using Git Bash or WSL, not regular Command Prompt
Try restarting your terminal after installation

Permission issues:

On Mac: You might need to run chmod +x $(which mob) after installation
On Windows: Make sure you're running installation commands as Administrator

Optional Tools

These tools are not used in the course but were helpful in preparing the course. You might find them useful.

8. Pandoc (CLI Command) [OPTIONAL]

What is Pandoc?

Pandoc is a powerful command-line tool that converts documents between different formats. Think of it as a universal translator for text files - it can convert Markdown to PDF, Word to HTML, reStructuredText to LaTeX, and hundreds of other combinations.

When you might need it:

Converting documentation to different formats
Generating PDF reports from Markdown
Converting between markup languages
Academic writing with complex formatting needs

You probably don't need it if:

You're just starting out programming
You don't work with documentation much
Your editor already handles your format conversion needs

Official Resources

Website: https://pandoc.org/
Installation guide: https://pandoc.org/installing.html
Documentation: https://pandoc.org/MANUAL.html
Try it online: https://pandoc.org/try/

Windows Installation

Option A — Direct Download (Recommended)

Visit https://github.com/jgm/pandoc/releases/latest
Look for the Windows installer (.msi file)
Download and run it
Follow the installation wizard (defaults are fine)

Option B — Using Chocolatey

choco install pandoc

Option C — Using Winget

winget install --id JohnMacFarlane.Pandoc

macOS Installation

Option A — Using Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install pandoc

Option B — Direct Download

Visit https://github.com/jgm/pandoc/releases/latest
Download the macOS package (.pkg file)
Run the installer

Verification

pandoc --version

Basic Usage Examples

# Convert Markdown to HTML
pandoc README.md -o README.html

# Convert Markdown to PDF (requires LaTeX)
pandoc document.md -o document.pdf

# Convert with table of contents
pandoc document.md --toc -o document.html

# Use project-specific settings (if this repository has them)
pandoc --defaults=slides-to-pptx input.md -o output.pptx

Learning Resources:

9. Marp CLI (Markdown Variant) [OPTIONAL]

What is Marp CLI?

Marp CLI is a tool for creating beautiful presentations from Markdown files. Instead of wrestling with PowerPoint or Google Slides, you write your presentation content in simple Markdown and Marp converts it to beautiful HTML, PDF, or PowerPoint slides.

When you might need it:

Creating technical presentations for work
Academic presentations with code samples
Quick slide decks from existing documentation
Presentations that need to be version controlled

You probably don't need it if:

You don't give presentations
You're happy with traditional presentation tools
You're just starting your programming journey

Official Resources

Main website: https://marp.app/
CLI documentation: https://github.com/marp-team/marp-cli
Marpit framework: https://marpit.marp.app/ (the engine behind Marp)
Live editor: https://web.marp.app/ (try before installing)

Prerequisites

Node.js is required for Marp CLI:

Download: https://nodejs.org/en/download/
Choose the LTS (Long Term Support) version
npm (Node Package Manager) comes bundled with Node.js

Windows Installation

Step 1: Install Node.js

Option A — Direct Download (Recommended)

Go to https://nodejs.org/en/download/
Download the Windows Installer (.msi)
Run the installer (defaults are fine)
Restart your terminal

Option B — Using Chocolatey

choco install nodejs

Option C — Using Winget

winget install --id OpenJS.NodeJS

Step 2: Install Marp CLI

# Works in Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Git Bash
npm install -g @marp-team/marp-cli

macOS Installation

Step 1: Install Node.js

Option A — Using Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install node

Option B — Direct Download

Visit https://nodejs.org/en/download/
Download the macOS installer (.pkg)
Run the installer

Step 2: Install Marp CLI

npm install -g @marp-team/marp-cli

Verification

# Check Marp version
marp --version

# Check Node.js version
node --version

# Check npm version
npm --version

Basic Usage Examples

Create a simple presentation:

Create a file called slides.md:

---
marp: true
theme: default
---

# My First Presentation

Welcome to Marp!

---

# Slide Two

- Bullet point one
- Bullet point two
- Code works too:

```python
print("Hello, World!")
```

The End

Questions?

Convert to HTML:
```
marp slides.md
```
Convert to PDF:
```
marp slides.md --pdf
```
Convert to PowerPoint:
```
marp slides.md --pptx
```
Watch for changes while editing:
```
marp slides.md --watch
```

Learning Resources:

Marp for VS Code extension (live preview)
Marpit Markdown syntax
Built-in themes

Troubleshooting

npm command not found:

Make sure Node.js installed properly
Restart your terminal completely
Check that Node.js is in your PATH

Permission errors (Mac/Linux):

You might need to use sudo: sudo npm install -g @marp-team/marp-cli
Or configure npm to use a different directory (recommended): npm docs

Marp command not found after installation:

Make sure the global npm bin directory is in your PATH
Try npx @marp-team/marp-cli instead of marp