You do not need to hand-type every line of code in this course. You direct a coding agent, then read and verify what it produced. That only works if the agent is installed and you can open a real project folder before Week 1.

Pick one (not both required)

Most engineers in this cohort use Cursor. Claude Code is equally valid. If you already use one daily, stick with it. If you are starting fresh, Cursor is usually the gentler on-ramp because you can see the code as it changes.

Option A: Install Cursor

1. 1

   Download

   Go to cursor.com/download. The site detects your OS (Mac, Windows, or Linux). Download the installer.

2. 2

   Install

   Mac: open the `.dmg` and drag Cursor to Applications. Windows: run the `.exe` installer. Linux: use the apt/yum packages from the quickstart if you can; otherwise use the AppImage (on Ubuntu you may need `libfuse2` or `libfuse2t64` on 24.04+).

3. 3

   Sign in and open a folder

   Launch Cursor, create or sign in to your account, then File → Open Folder and choose an empty folder (e.g. `~/ai-eng-bootcamp`). This folder is your workspace for pre-course setup.

4. 4

   Open Agent

   Open Agent with Cmd+I (Mac) or Ctrl+I (Windows/Linux). Type: `Say hello and confirm you can see this project folder.` You should get a reply referencing your workspace. (Chat is Cmd+L / Ctrl+L if you prefer ask-only mode.)

5. 5

   Optional: terminal command

   In Cursor, open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P), run Shell Command: Install 'cursor' command in PATH, so you can type `cursor .` from a terminal later.

Option B: Install Claude Code

1. 1

   Check you have a paid Anthropic account

   Claude Code requires a Claude Pro (or Max) subscription, or API billing. The free claude.ai tier does not include Claude Code. Sign up at claude.ai if needed.

2. 2

   Install (native installer - recommended)

   Mac / Linux / WSL: run `curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash` in Terminal. Windows PowerShell: run `irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex`. Windows CMD: run `curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd`. See the Claude Code quickstart if any step fails.

3. 3

   Verify the install

   Open a new terminal window and run `claude --version`. If you see `claude: command not found`, add `~/.local/bin` to your PATH (Mac/Linux) or follow the PATH fix in the terminal guide. On Windows, install Git for Windows if Claude Code asks for Git Bash.

4. 4

   Start your first session

   Create a folder for the course (`mkdir ~/ai-eng-bootcamp && cd ~/ai-eng-bootcamp`), then run `claude`. On first launch you will be prompted to log in to your Anthropic account in the browser.

5. 5

   Confirm it works

   After login, ask: `Confirm you can see this directory and list the files here.` Claude Code should respond and show it is operating inside your project folder.

Using Claude Code inside Cursor (optional)

Some students run Claude Code in Cursor's integrated terminal (View → Terminal, or Ctrl+` on Windows/Linux) - editor on screen, agent in the terminal below. That is a great setup if you want both. Install Cursor, then run `claude` from its terminal. You can also install the Claude Code extension from the Extensions panel; if it does not appear in Cursor's marketplace, use the Install for Cursor link in Anthropic's docs or run via terminal only.