Preparing General Developing Environment

Writing code requires more than just a text editor. You need a terminal that works predictably, tools that install without drama, and a workflow you can rely on every day. This checkpoint walks you through building that foundation — one step at a time — so that every future tool you install and every command you run actually makes sense.

Which OS are you on?

This guide covers Windows and macOS. If you’re already on Linux, you have a Unix-like environment natively and can skip ahead to Getting a comfortable shell.

Windows: ditch PowerShell, use WSL

Windows comes with two built-in shells: Command Prompt and PowerShell. While PowerShell is capable, the developer ecosystem — open-source tools, tutorials, Rust’s own toolchain — overwhelmingly assumes a Unix-like environment. Adapting everything to work on PowerShell is a constant uphill battle, and it’s one you don’t need to fight.

WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is Microsoft’s official solution: a real Linux environment running directly inside Windows, with no virtual machine and no dual-boot required. Once WSL is set up, you get the same shell, the same commands, and the same tools that the rest of this guide uses.

How to install WSL:

1. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click the app → Run as administrator).
2. Run the following command:

wsl --install

3. Restart your computer when prompted.
4. After restart, Ubuntu will finish setting up and ask you to create a Linux username and password. These are separate from your Windows credentials — pick anything you like and remember the password, since you’ll need it when running administrative commands.

From this point on, open your Linux terminal by searching for Ubuntu in the Start menu. All commands in this guide are meant to be run there, not in PowerShell.

Why Ubuntu? wsl --install defaults to Ubuntu, a popular, beginner-friendly Linux distribution. It has a massive community, excellent documentation, and well-maintained packages — a solid default for anyone starting out.

macOS: install Homebrew

macOS is built on Unix, so your terminal and shell are already in good shape. What macOS is missing is a general-purpose package manager — a tool for installing developer software from the command line.

Homebrew fills that gap. It’s the de-facto standard package manager for macOS, used by the vast majority of developers on the platform.

How to install Homebrew:

1. Open Terminal. You can find it at Applications → Utilities → Terminal, or press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, and press Enter.
2. Paste this command and press Enter:

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

3. Follow the on-screen instructions. You’ll likely be asked for your macOS password.
4. If the installer prints a message about adding Homebrew to your PATH, follow those instructions too (it will show you the exact commands to run).

Verify the installation worked:

brew --version
# Expected output: Homebrew 4.x.x

If you see a version number, Homebrew is ready to use.

Getting a comfortable shell

A shell is the program that reads the commands you type and executes them. Think of it as the interpreter between you and your computer.

Most systems default to Bash. It’s reliable, but Zsh (pronounced “Z shell”) is a better daily driver: it has smarter tab-completion, better history search, and a lively plugin ecosystem. On macOS, Zsh is already the default. On WSL/Ubuntu, Bash is the default — but switching takes only two commands.

Switch to Zsh (WSL/Ubuntu only)

First, install Zsh:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install zsh -y

Then make it your default shell:

chsh -s $(which zsh)

Close and reopen your terminal. You’re now running Zsh.

Install oh-my-zsh

oh-my-zsh is a configuration framework for Zsh. It bundles hundreds of plugins, themes, and quality-of-life shortcuts that would take hours to configure by hand.

Install it with:

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

After installation, reopen your terminal and you’ll notice a cleaner, more informative prompt. You’re now set up with a shell that’s genuinely pleasant to work in.

Your shell is the tool you’ll use more than any other. Ten minutes spent setting it up properly will pay dividends every single day.

Using your package manager

A package manager automates the job of finding, downloading, and installing software. Instead of hunting for an installer on a website, you just type one command.

Here’s a quick reference:

Environment	Package manager	Install a package
WSL (Ubuntu)	apt	sudo apt install <package-name>
macOS	brew	brew install <package-name>

On WSL/Ubuntu, it’s good practice to update your local package list before installing anything new:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install <package-name>

On macOS:

brew install <package-name>

You’ll be using these commands constantly throughout this series. They’re worth memorising.

Installing Git

Git is the version control system used by virtually every software project in the world. You’ll need it installed before anything else.

On WSL/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install git -y

On macOS:

brew install git

Confirm it’s installed:

git --version
# Expected output: git version 2.x.x

You’ll learn how to actually use Git — committing code, branching, collaborating — in Introduce to Git.

Choosing a code editor

Your code editor or IDE is where you’ll spend most of your time as a developer. The right choice is personal — different editors suit different people and workflows.

Choose Your Code Editor/IDE covers the main options in detail. If you want a recommendation to get started right now, Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is free, runs on all platforms, and has first-class support for Rust through extensions.

Whatever you choose, install it now so you’re ready to write code in the next checkpoint.

Summary

• Windows: install WSL with wsl --install and do all your development work inside the Ubuntu terminal. PowerShell is not the right tool for this journey.
• macOS: install Homebrew so you have a proper package manager for installing developer tools.
• Shell: switch to Zsh and install oh-my-zsh for a more productive, enjoyable command-line experience.
• Package manager: use apt on WSL/Ubuntu and brew on macOS to install packages with a single command.
• Git: install it now with your package manager. You’ll learn to use it in Introduce to Git.
• Code editor: pick one you’re comfortable with. See Choose Your Code Editor/IDE for guidance.

What’s next

With your environment ready, it’s time to learn your way around it. Introduce to Shell Commands covers the essential commands — ls, cd, touch, and more — that you’ll reach for every single day.