Guide developers through setting up development environments with proper tools, dependencies, and configurations

Environment Setup Guide Overview Help developers set up complete development environments from scratch. This skill provides step by step guidance for installing tools, configuring dependencies, setting up environment variables, and verifying the setup works correctly. When to Use This Skill Use when starting a new project and need to set up the development environment Use when onboarding new team members to a project Use when switching to a new machine or operating system Use when troubleshooting environment related issues Use when documenting setup instructions for a project Use when creating development environment documentation How It Works Step 1: Identify Requirements I'll help you determine what needs to be installed: Programming language and version (Node.js, Python, Go, etc.) Package managers (npm, pip, cargo, etc.) Database systems (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, etc.) Development tools (Git, Docker, IDE extensions, etc.) Environment variables and configuration files Step 2: Check Current Setup Before installing anything, I'll help you check what's already installed: Step 3: Provide Installation Instructions I'll give platform specific installation commands: macOS: Using Homebrew Linux: Using apt, yum, or package manager Windows: Using Chocolatey, Scoop, or direct installers Step 4: Configure the Environment Help set up: Environment variables (.env files) Configuration files (.gitconfig, .npmrc, etc.) IDE settings (VS Code, IntelliJ, etc.) Shell configuration (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.) Step 5: Verify Installation Provide verification steps to ensure everything works: Run version checks Test basic commands Verify database connections Check environment variables are loaded Examples Example 1: Node.js Project Setup Example 2: Python Project Setup Example 3: Docker Development Environment Best Practices ✅ Do This Document Everything Write clear setup instructions Use Version Managers nvm for Node, pyenv for Python Create .env.example Show required environment variables Test on Clean System Verify instructions work from scratch Include Troubleshooting Document common issues and solutions Use Docker For consistent environments across machines Pin Versions Specify exact versions in package files Automate Setup Create setup scripts when possible Check Prerequisites List required tools before starting Provide Verification Steps Help users confirm setup works ❌ Don't Do This Don't Assume Tools Installed Always check and provide install instructions Don't Skip Environment Variables Document all required variables Don't Use Sudo with npm Fix permissions instead Don't Forget Platform Differences Provide OS specific instructions Don't Leave Out Verification Always include test steps Don't Use Global Installs Prefer local/virtual environments Don't Ignore Errors Document how to handle common errors Don't Skip Database Setup Include database initialization steps Common Pitfalls Problem: "Command not found" after installation Symptoms: Installed tool but terminal doesn't recognize it Solution: Restart terminal or source shell config Check PATH environment variable Verify installation location Problem: Permission errors with npm/pip Symptoms: "EACCES" or "Permission denied" errors Solution: Don't use sudo Fix npm permissions or use nvm Use virtual environments for Python Problem: Port already in use Symptoms: "Port 3000 is already in use" Solution: Find and kill process using the port Use a different port Problem: Database connection fails Symptoms: "Connection refused" or "Authentication failed" Solution: Verify database is running Check connection string Verify credentials Setup Script Template Create a setup.sh script to automate setup: Related Skills @brainstorming Plan environment requirements before setup @systematic debugging Debug environment issues @doc coauthoring Create setup documentation @git pushing Set up Git configuration Additional Resources [Node.js Installation Guide](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) [Python Virtual Environments](https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/venv.html) [Docker Documentation](https://docs.docker.com/get started/) [Homebrew (macOS)](https://brew.sh/) [Chocolatey (Windows)](https://chocolatey.org/) [nvm (Node Version Manager)](https://github.com/nvm sh/nvm) [pyenv (Python Version Manager)](https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv) Pro Tip: Create a setup.sh or setup.ps1 script to automate the entire setup process. Test it on a clean system to ensure it works! Limitations Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above. Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment specific validation, testing, or expert review. Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

environment-setup-guide