Resources → AI Project Builder → Development Setup

Development Setup — Tools & AI Assistants

Set up professional development tools with AI assistance. From beginner-friendly editors to powerful IDEs with GitHub Copilot.

💬 Setup Help

Having trouble with installation or setup? Ask for help with any development tool or configuration.

Choose Your Development Environment

Your development environment is where you'll write code and manage projects. Think of it like choosing between a simple notebook and a fully-equipped office - both can work, but the right choice depends on what you're building.

🚀 VS Code (Recommended for Beginners)

Free • Cross-platform • Beginner-friendly

Visual Studio Code is like a smart text editor that grows with you. It starts simple but can become incredibly powerful with extensions.

✅ Best for: Web development, Python, JavaScript, learning to code
⚠️ Limitations: Not ideal for large enterprise applications or mobile development

Quick Setup Guide

  1. Download from code.visualstudio.com
  2. Install with default settings
  3. Install GitHub Copilot extension
  4. Sign in with GitHub account
  5. Test with a simple "Hello World" file

🏢 Visual Studio (For Windows Software)

Free Community Edition • Windows-focused • Full-featured

Visual Studio is like having a complete software factory. It's powerful but can be overwhelming for beginners.

✅ Best for: Windows desktop apps, C#/.NET development, large projects
⚠️ Limitations: Windows only, larger download, steeper learning curve

Quick Setup Guide

  1. Download Visual Studio Community from visualstudio.microsoft.com
  2. Choose workloads (start with ".NET desktop development")
  3. Install GitHub Copilot extension
  4. Configure GitHub integration
  5. Create your first project template

📝 Alternative: Notepad++ (Ultra Simple)

Free • Lightweight • No AI integration

Notepad++ is like a enhanced typewriter - simple, fast, but limited. Good for quick edits but not for full projects.

✅ Best for: Quick file editing, learning syntax, older computers
⚠️ Limitations: No built-in AI assistance, limited project management features

GitHub Copilot: Your AI Programming Assistant

GitHub Copilot is like having an experienced programmer sitting next to you, suggesting code as you type. It's the most important tool for AI-powered development.

💡 Code Suggestions

Type comments describing what you want, get working code suggestions instantly.

🔧 Error Fixing

Copilot can spot bugs and suggest fixes before you even run your code.

📚 Learning Tool

See different ways to solve problems and learn coding patterns naturally.

⚡ Speed Boost

Write code 10x faster by accepting and modifying AI suggestions.

GitHub Copilot Setup

  1. Create GitHub Account: Go to github.com and sign up
  2. Subscribe to Copilot: $10/month or free with GitHub Student Pack
  3. Install Extension: Add GitHub Copilot to VS Code or Visual Studio
  4. Authenticate: Sign in through the extension
  5. Test It: Create a new file and type "# Function to calculate tip"

    

  


  

    
Essential Extensions & Add-ons

    
Extensions are like apps for your development environment. Here are the must-haves that work perfectly with AI assistance:


    

      

        
🤖 GitHub Copilot

        
AI code completion and suggestions. Essential for AI-powered development.

      

      
      

        
🎨 Live Server

        
Instantly preview web pages as you build them. Perfect for website projects.

      

      
      

        
🐍 Python Extension

        
Full Python support with debugging, linting, and code formatting.

      

      
      

        
🌐 HTML/CSS/JS Pack

        
Syntax highlighting and IntelliSense for web development languages.

      

      
      

        
🔍 GitLens

        
Supercharged Git capabilities - see who changed what and when.

      

      
      

        
🎭 Prettier

        
Automatically format your code to look professional and consistent.

      

    


    

      
      
      

    

  


  

    
Your Complete Development Setup Checklist

    
    

      
🎯 Ready-to-Code Checklist

      
    
        
  1. ✅ IDE Installed: VS Code or Visual Studio Community running
    2. 
        
  2. ✅ GitHub Account: Created and verified
    3. 
        
  3. ✅ GitHub Copilot: Subscribed and authenticated
    4. 
        
  4. ✅ Essential Extensions: Installed for your project type
    5. 
        
  5. ✅ Test Project: Created a "Hello World" file successfully
    6. 
        
  6. ✅ AI Assistant Working: Copilot suggesting code from comments
    7. 
      

    


    
Once you've completed this checklist, you're ready to choose your first project type:


    

      

        
🌐 Website Project

        
Build responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript using AI assistance.

      

      
      

        
💻 Software Project

        
Create desktop applications, automation scripts, and command-line tools.

      

      
      

        
📱 Mobile App Project

        
Develop mobile applications using cross-platform frameworks and AI.

      

      
      

        
🔄 Back to Main Guide

        
Return to the main AI Project Builder for the complete framework.

      

    

  


  

    
Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues