Set up your Mac, learn the Terminal and Git, and write your first Python.

1. 1.Step 1 · Check your Mac

   Apple menu → About This Mac. You should see Chip: Apple M5 and macOS Tahoe 26. Install updates and keep ≥30 GB of disk space free.

2. 2.Step 2 · Open the Terminal

   ⌘ + Space, type Terminal, press Return. The text ending in % is the prompt.

   $ pwd

   $ ls

   $ mkdir -p ~/code && cd ~/code

   $ open .
3. 3.Step 3 · Install Apple’s Command Line Tools

   Gives you Git and compilers. A pop-up appears: click Install and wait (10–30 min).

   $ xcode-select --install
4. 4.Step 4 · Install Homebrew

   The Mac ‘app store’ for developer tools. Run the official command from brew.sh, then the ‘Next steps’ lines it prints.

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

   $ brew --version
5. 5.Check you’re done

   Done when brew --version prints a version.

Companion video

Git Tutorial for Beginners: Command-Line FundamentalsCorey Schafer · Mon–Tue

1. 1.Step 5 · Install uv, Git, GitHub CLI and VS Code

   uv manages Python versions and packages; gh logs you in to GitHub; VS Code is the editor.

   $ brew install uv git gh

   $ brew install --cask visual-studio-code
2. 2.Step 6 · Install Python with uv

   Python 3.12 is a safe choice for PyTorch, MLX and most AI libraries.

   $ uv python install 3.12

   $ uv run --python 3.12 python --version
3. 3.Step 7 · Create your project and virtual environment

   uv init creates pyproject.toml; uv add installs a package and records it in uv.lock.

   $ mkdir -p ~/code/ai-21-weeks && cd ~/code/ai-21-weeks

   $ uv init --python 3.12

   $ uv add requests pytest python-dotenv

   $ uv run python hello.py
4. 4.Check you’re done

   Done when uv run python hello.py prints your line.

1. 1.Step 8 · Set up VS Code (AI autocomplete off for Weeks 1–4)

   Install the code command in PATH, the Python and Jupyter extensions, and choose the .venv interpreter. Disable any AI autocomplete until Week 5.

   $ code .
2. 2.Step 9 · Connect Git and GitHub

   Choose GitHub.com → HTTPS → ‘Login with a web browser’ when gh asks.

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

   $ git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

   $ gh auth login
3. 3.Create the repo ai-engineer and push hello.py

   Make the repo on GitHub from the Terminal, then push your first file.

   $ cd ~/code/ai-21-weeks

   $ git init && git add hello.py && git commit -m "First commit"

   $ gh repo create ai-engineer --public --source=. --push
4. 4.Check you’re done

   Done when GitHub shows the commit.

Companion video

Python Tutorial: UV – A Faster, All-in-One Package Manager to Replace Pip and VenvCorey Schafer · Wed

1. 1.Work through: Missing Semester 2026 – Intro to the Shell

   notes, ≈40 min

   Open (opens in a new tab)
2. 2.Work through: Missing Semester 2026 – Version Control and Git

   first half, ≈30 min

   Open (opens in a new tab)
3. 3.Do

   Type along with the notes; keep notes/shell.md with 15 commands you ran and what each did.

4. 4.Check you’re done

   Done when: notes/shell.md committed.

1. 1.Watch: CS50P Week 0 – Functions, Variables

   lecture + notes, ≈1h15

   Open (opens in a new tab)
2. 2.Do

   Watch with VS Code open and type every example.

3. 3.Check you’re done

   Done when: Examples run locally.

Companion video

CS50P – Lecture 0 – Functions, VariablesCS50 · Fri–Sat

1. 1.Catch up first

   Finish anything unticked from Mon–Fri this week before stretch work.

   Week 1 sessions
2. 2.Then stretch work

   Pro Git ch. 2 §2.1–2.5 (git-scm.com/book) + 3 practice commits; set up Exercism (exercism.org/tracks/python).

   Exercism – Python track (opens in a new tab)git-scm.com/book (opens in a new tab)

1. 1.Start with 20 min revision

   Explain a file path, cd and git commit aloud.

2. 2.Work through: CS50P Problem Set 0

   all problems

   Open (opens in a new tab)
3. 3.Work through: Exercism – Python track

   first 2 exercises

   Open (opens in a new tab)
4. 4.Do

   All of Problem Set 0; 3 variations of each problem (different units or messages); 2 Exercism exercises.

   CS50P Problem Set 0 (opens in a new tab)Exercism – Python track (opens in a new tab)
5. 5.Check you’re done

   Done when: Every Problem Set 0 program matches the spec examples.

6. 6.Commit

   cs50p/ps0/, exercism/

   $ git add cs50p/ps0/ exercism/

   $ git commit -m "Week 1: Problem Set 0 + extra practice"

   $ git push

Companion videos

CS50P – Lecture 0 – Functions, VariablesCS50 · Fri–SatCS50P – Lecture 1 – ConditionalsCS50 · Sat

1. 1.Watch: CS50P Week 1 – Conditionals

   lecture, ≈1h20

   Open (opens in a new tab)
2. 2.Do

   Lecture, then the first 2 problems of Problem Set 1. Last 30 min: weekly review (reviews/week01.md: 3 wins, 3 confusions, 1 to re-learn).

   CS50P Problem Set 1 (opens in a new tab)
3. 3.Check you’re done

   Done when: 2 Problem Set 1 programs pass their examples; review written.

4. 4.Commit

   cs50p/ps1/, reviews/

   $ git add cs50p/ps1/ reviews/

   $ git commit -m "Week 1: Python 2: conditionals + weekly review"

   $ git push
5. 5.Weekly review (last 30 min)

   3 wins, 3 confusions, 1 thing to re-learn – written at the bottom of this page and saved with your progress.

   Open the weekly review

Companion video

CS50P – Lecture 1 – ConditionalsCS50 · Sat