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Lesson 2: Cursor, Claude Code, Virtual Environments, and Requirements Documentation

Set up your complete development environment with Cursor IDE, Claude Code, and Python virtual environments for professional development workflow.

Lesson Objectives

  • Download and install Cursor IDE (based on VS Code)
  • Download and install Node.js (Windows installer recommended)
  • Use npm (Node Package Manager) to install Claude Code
  • Install Git if not already installed (needed for cloning repos)
  • Clone the private repository created in Lesson 1 into Cursor
  • Configure Cursor's terminal layout for coding + AI chat workflow
  • Create and activate a Python virtual environment (venv)
  • Install all project dependencies using: pip install -r requirements.txt
  • Confirm that Claude Code runs correctly inside the terminal (not chat)
  • Verify that the project is set up with the correct Python version (3.13)

Watch: Development Environment Setup Tutorial

Cursor, Claude Code, Virtual Environments, and Requirements Documentation - Notes

1. Installations

Cursor IDE
  • Download from cursor.com.
  • Based on VS Code, open-source and easy to use.
Node.js
  • Use the Windows installer (or Mac installer if on Mac).
  • Needed for running Claude Code through npm.
Claude Code
  • Installed via npm in the terminal:
  • npm install -g claude-code
  • Runs inside the terminal, not the chat window.
Git
  • Required for cloning repositories.
  • Download/install for Windows or Mac from git-scm.com.

2. Cloning the Repository

  • Use the repository URL saved from Lesson 1.
  • In Cursor: File → Clone Repository → paste URL.
  • Choose a folder (e.g., Desktop/Python).
  • Opens the repo as a project.

3. Cursor Setup

Rearrange layout:

  • Move terminal to the bottom for easy access.
  • Keep chat on the side.
  • Multiple terminals can be open and switched between.

4. Virtual Environment (venv)

Create virtual environment in terminal:

python -m venv venv

Activate it (Windows example):

.\venv\Scripts\activate

Activated venv shows (venv) before terminal prompt.

5. Installing Requirements

Install dependencies with:

pip install -r requirements.txt

This installs all packages listed in the requirements.txt file into the virtual environment.

6. Verifications

  • Check Python version (should be 3.13).
  • Confirm virtual environment is active.
  • Run claude in terminal to test Claude Code installation.
  • Ensure all requirements are installed successfully.

Lesson 2 Recap

You now have Cursor, Node.js, Git, and Claude Code installed. You cloned your repo into Cursor, set up a Python virtual environment, and installed all project dependencies. The workspace is ready for coding with AI assistance.

Back to Lesson 1 Continue to Lesson 3