Setup Guide

ImportantAlert!

The instructions might change, please check this page shortly before the school begins.

Python

Install Python (3.10+), follow guidance on the official website or use your system’s package manager.

Git

Install Git, on Windows foolow this guide, on MacOS this one and on Linux you probably already have it and presumably know what you are doing.

IDE

Install and use an IDE of your choice, preferably Zed or VSCode.

Claude Code

During the school you will be granted access to Claude Code to support you in coding. Before the school starts, please install Claude Code and configure the API key you will be given by the organisers, or if using Zed, add the API key there.

Note

If you already use a different coding assistant or have a Claude subscription, you can use your own settings, we do not require you to use this.

Install Claude Code

Windows

Open PowerShell and run:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Claude Code runs natively on Windows – no WSL, Node.js, or npm required.

NoteOptional

Installing Git for Windows gives Claude Code a Bash shell to use, which some participants find nicer to work in. It’s entirely optional — without it, Claude Code falls back to PowerShell, which works fine.

macOS

Open Terminal and run:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Linux

Open a terminal and run:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

This also applies if you’re using WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) — run this inside your WSL terminal.

Once installed, Claude Code updates itself automatically — no need to repeat this step.
Official install guide is here.

Add your API key

Claude settings file

This method works the same way on every OS, and is the most reliable — it doesn’t depend on which shell or terminal you use, and survives restarts.

Create/edit a file at ~/.claude/settings.json (on Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.claude\settings.json), creating the .claude folder first if it doesn’t exist yet. Add this line in the JSON – replace the placeholder with the key you were given:

{ "env": {
    "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "sk-ant-api03-...",
    "ENABLE_PROMPT_CACHING_1H": "1"
} }

Note that we also change caching to 1h, what saves a bit of tokens on the transfers.

After the training school, simply delete this line from .claude/settings.json.

Environment variable

If you’d rather set an environment variable instead:

Windows

setx ANTHROPIC_API_KEY "sk-ant-api03-REPLACE-ME"

Warning

This command only takes effect in a new terminal window opened after you run it; your current window won’t pick it up.

Note that env. variable written using setx is permanently saved.

macOS

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-api03-REPLACE-ME"

(This assumes the default zsh shell.)

Setting the env. var. this way is not permanent and you need to run this in each new terminal session.

Linux

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-api03-REPLACE-ME"

(This assumes the default bash shell.)

Setting the env. var. this way is not permanent and you need to run this in each new terminal session.

First run

Run in your terminal claude.

Claude Code will detect the key and ask you to approve it once – choose Yes. This choice is remembered, so you won’t be asked again.

NoteVerify it worked

Inside Claude Code, run /status — it should show that you’re authenticating with the API key. If something still looks off, run claude doctor for a self-check.

ImportantAttention

• Never share your key or commit it to a repository.
• The key is time-limited and will stop working after the school.
• Only models Claude Sonnet 5 and Claude Haiku 4.x are available to you.

Docker or Podman

Install Docker or Podman:

Docker

Follow official documentation here. On Windows, Docker is probably easier to install.

Podman

Documentation here.

Accounts

You might need a Google account (to access Google Colab) and a HuggingFace account.