Are you eager to dive into the exciting world of web development, create stunning websites, and bring your coding ideas to life? Whether you're a complete beginner or have some programming experience, taking those first steps can be both thrilling and a bit overwhelming. The good news is that you're in the right place!
In this beginner-friendly guide, I'll walk you through the essential steps to set up your computer for web development. Starting from square one, I will walk you through the process of setting up your computer from installing a code editor to mastering the command line, configuring your development environment, and getting your hands dirty with JavaScript, and some of its Frameworks like VueJS or React. In the end, you'll gain all the necessary tools and knowledge to embark on this journey with confidence. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, having the right tools and environment is essential for a smooth development experience, and this tutorial is the right place for you to start.
Install Code Editor
Before you begin any web development, you will need a code editor. It provides an environment optimized for writing, editing and reviewing code.
Personally, I recommended using a code editor like Visual Studio Code (VSCode) it is free and provides an optimal development experience. You can download and install VS Code from their official website but some other code editors that fulfill this requirement include :
- WebStorm (Not Free)
- Sublime Text (Free)
- Atom (Free)
Command Line Mastery
The terminal or command line lets you interact with the underlying operating system of your computer. Think of the command line as a way to have a direct conversation with the computer by typing in text-based commands.
If you're using a code editor like VS Code or WebStorm, there's already a built-in terminal, so you won't have to do too much to start using the command line.
However, with a code editor like Sublime Text or Atom, you'll have to use your computers built in command line interface / terminal. You can follow the Quick Guide to Using Command Line tutorial to access it.
For our tutorial, we are using the VS Code on Mac. To access the terminal , click Terminal in the menu bar and create a New Terminal or you can use the keys CTRL+Return+`
A terminal window, will open up below and there you can begin typing in commands.
Set Up Version Control
Version control, is the practice of tracking and managing changes made to your code. It keeps track of every change in your code and if you make a mistake, it is easier to backtrack and make comparisons to what you had before.
Whether you're a beginner or seasoned developer, version control is an important aspect of development. For this tutorial we will be using Git as our version control system. Git is a popular version control system, not to be confused with GitHub, an online platform that utilizes Git for Version Control.
To begin,
- Download and install Git from the official website: Git - Downloads
- Create a Github Account, if you don't have one
- Verify that Git is installed, using this command on your command-line
git --version
- Configure Git using the following commands :
git config --global user.name "YOUR_USERNAME" git config --global user.email "YOUR_EMAIL"
Replace the "YOUR_USERNAME" and "YOUR_EMAIL" with the information you used on your GitHub account
To initialize your project with git, you can run the command
git init
For More Information on Git and Version Control, you can check this out.
Install Homebrew (For Mac Users)
Homebrew is a package management system that simplifies software installation on Apple OS, macOS and Linux. The Brew home page has an easy command to quickly begin Homebrew installation on your computer.
Install NodeJS, NPM and Yarn
Next, we will have to install Node.js . Node.js is a runtime environment that allows you to run JavaScript code on the server-side.
For Mac Users you can run the following commands to install node after installing Homebrew :
brew install node
Once, node is installed, install yarn using the following commands on Mac/Linux :
sudo npm install --global yarn
For Windows or Other Operating systems, you can follow the Node Installation Instructions and Yarn Installation Guide
Conclusion
After wrapping up this tutorial, you finally have the tools you need to explore the vast world of web development. You can create some cool and fun projects by following some of my other tutorials now that you have everything setup like the Re-Create the Opening of Marvel's Secret Invasion Website Tutorial using VueJS and Vuetify or you can learn gain familiarity with a whole new Development Framework using the Quick Start Guide to a Vue 3, Vuetify 3 Project
Remember that learning and growth in this field are ongoing. Embrace challenges, seek knowledge, and don't hesitate to experiment and build. The path ahead will be filled with exciting projects, problem-solving, and opportunities to turn your creative ideas into digital reality. Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the incredible adventure that is web development. Welcome aboard, and may your code always run smoothly! Happy coding!
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