Developer Mac Setup Guide

This guide walks through installing and configuring the essential tools for Mac development. Complete each section in order, checking off steps as you go. Each tool builds on the previous ones, creating a complete development environment.

Homebrew is the package manager for macOS. It simplifies installing and managing development tools, libraries, and applications through the command line.

Installation

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

The installer will prompt for your password and explain what it will install. Follow the on-screen instructions. After installation completes, you may need to add Homebrew to your PATH:

echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zprofile
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

echo 'eval "$(/usr/local/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zprofile
eval "$(/usr/local/bin/brew shellenv)"

Verification

brew --version

Expected output: Homebrew 4.x.x or higher

Git is the distributed version control system used for tracking changes in source code. It's essential for collaborating on projects and managing your code history.

Installation

brew install git

Configuration

Set your identity for Git commits. Use your real name and the email associated with your GitHub account:

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

git config --global init.defaultBranch main

git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain

Verification

git --version
git config --global --list

Expected: Git version 2.x or higher, and your name/email listed in config

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 engine. It includes npm (Node Package Manager), which manages JavaScript libraries and tools for your projects.

Installation

brew install node

This installs both Node.js and npm. The installation may take a few minutes.

Verification

node --version
npm --version

Expected: Node.js v18.x or higher, npm 9.x or higher

Optional: Update npm

npm install -g npm@latest

SSH keys provide a secure way to authenticate with Git hosting services like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket without entering your password each time.

Generate New SSH Key

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

When prompted, press Enter to accept the default file location (~/.ssh/id_ed25519). Enter a secure passphrase when asked, or press Enter for no passphrase.

Start SSH Agent and Add Key

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Copy Public Key

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Your public key is now copied. Add it to your GitHub account at Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key. Paste the key and give it a descriptive title (e.g., "MacBook Pro").

Verification

ssh -T git@github.com

Expected: "Hi username! You've successfully authenticated..."

Visual Studio Code is a lightweight but powerful source code editor. It includes built-in support for JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, and has a rich extension ecosystem for other languages.

Installation

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Enable Command Line Tool

After installation, launch VS Code and enable the command line tool:

1. Open VS Code from Applications or Spotlight
2. Press ⌘ + Shift + P to open Command Palette
3. Type "shell command" and select Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH
4. Restart your terminal

Verification

code --version

Expected: Version number (e.g., 1.85.0)

Recommended Extensions

Install these extensions via the command line or through VS Code's Extensions panel:

code --install-extension dbaeumer.vscode-eslint
code --install-extension esbenp.prettier-vscode
code --install-extension eamodio.gitlens
code --install-extension ms-vscode.vscode-typescript-next