Mac Dev Setup

01

HOMEBREW

Homebrew is the package manager for macOS. It lets you install development tools and applications from the command line. Think of it as an app store for developers.

INSTALL COMMAND

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

The script will explain what it will do and prompt you before proceeding. Press RETURN to continue and enter your password when asked.

VERIFY INSTALLATION

brew --version

Expected output: Homebrew 4.x.x or similar

If the version appears, Homebrew is installed correctly

02

GIT CONFIGURATION

Git tracks changes in your code. Configure it with your name and email so your commits are properly attributed. This identity appears in your project history.

SET YOUR NAME

git config --global user.name "Your Name"

Replace "Your Name" with your actual name

SET YOUR EMAIL

git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Use the email associated with your GitHub or GitLab account

VERIFY CONFIGURATION

git config --global --list

Expected output includes: user.name=Your Name and user.email=your.email@example.com

03

NODE.JS & NPM

Node.js lets you run JavaScript outside the browser. npm (Node Package Manager) comes with it and manages JavaScript libraries. Essential for modern web development.

INSTALL NODE.JS

brew install node

This installs both Node.js and npm

VERIFY NODE INSTALLATION

node --version

Expected output: v20.x.x or similar

VERIFY NPM INSTALLATION

npm --version

Expected output: 10.x.x or similar

Both commands should return version numbers

04

SSH KEYS

SSH keys provide secure authentication to services like GitHub and GitLab without entering your password repeatedly. You generate a key pair: one private (stays on your Mac) and one public (uploaded to services).

GENERATE SSH KEY

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your.email@example.com"

Press RETURN to accept the default file location. When prompted for a passphrase, you can press RETURN for no passphrase or enter one for extra security.

START SSH AGENT

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

Expected output: Agent pid [number]

ADD KEY TO AGENT

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

COPY PUBLIC KEY

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Your public key is now in your clipboard, ready to paste into GitHub/GitLab settings

Add the copied key to your GitHub account: Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key

05

VS CODE

Visual Studio Code is a powerful code editor with built-in Git support, extensions, and debugging tools. It's become the standard editor for many developers.

INSTALL VS CODE

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

The --cask flag installs graphical applications

ADD CODE COMMAND TO PATH

code --version

Expected output: Version number like 1.x.x

If this fails, open VS Code, press ⌘⇧P, type "shell command", and select "Install 'code' command in PATH"

Now you can open any folder in VS Code with code . from Terminal

06

VERIFICATION

Run a final check to confirm all tools are installed and working correctly. Each command should return version information without errors.

RUN ALL CHECKS

brew --version && \
git --version && \
node --version && \
npm --version && \
code --version

All five commands should output version numbers

TEST SSH CONNECTION (GITHUB)

ssh -T git@github.com

Expected output: Hi [username]! You've successfully authenticated...

The first time you connect, you'll be asked to verify the fingerprint. Type yes to continue.

If all checks pass, your development environment is ready

07

SETUP COMPLETE

Your Mac is now configured for development. You have a package manager (Homebrew), version control (Git), a JavaScript runtime (Node.js), secure authentication (SSH), and a code editor (VS Code).

NEXT STEPS

Explore VS Code extensions for your specific tech stack
Clone a repository using git clone to test your setup
Install additional tools with Homebrew as needed
Customize your Terminal and shell (consider zsh themes or oh-my-zsh)
Set up your preferred code formatting and linting tools

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