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Before we start building, let’s get your tools ready. This page walks you through each step.
You will need: a laptop with internet access. No coding experience is required — we will guide you through every step.

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Step-by-Step Setup

1

Download Wispr Flow (optional)

This step is optional. Wispr Flow lets you speak instead of type — handy if you prefer talking over typing. Skip this step if you’d rather type your prompts.
Sign up using this invite link to get a free month of Pro: https://wisprflow.ai/r?CHAN115Both you and the tutorial author benefit — you get a free month of Pro, and they get a free month when you dictate 2,000 words!
  1. Sign up at wisprflow.ai/r?CHAN115
  2. Download and install the app for your operating system
  3. Configure settings — enable these options for the best experience:
    • Experimental > Command Mode — Enable advanced voice commands
    • Press Enter Command — Automatically press enter when you say “press enter”
    • Bulk Import — Import snippets and dictionary items
Wispr Flow is a voice-to-text tool that lets you dictate instead of type. It works in any application, including your terminal. Instead of typing a long prompt to Gemini CLI, you can just say it out loud. This is especially useful if you find typing slow or tiring.
2

Install Node.js

Node.js is a free tool that lets you run Gemini CLI on your computer.
  1. Go to nodejs.org
  2. Click the big green LTS button to download the installer
  3. Open the downloaded .msi file
  4. Click Next through all the screens — the default settings are fine
  5. Click Install, then Finish
Open your terminal (see the next step) and type:
node --version
You should see a version number like v22.x.x. If you see an error, try closing and reopening your terminal, then run the command again.
3

Learn to open your terminal

The terminal is a program where you type commands. It looks like a dark window with text — this is completely normal. Don’t be intimidated!
  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard
  2. Type PowerShell
  3. Click Windows PowerShell in the search results
You’ll see a dark blue window with a blinking cursor. That’s your terminal!
The terminal is where you’ll type commands to install tools and talk to Gemini CLI. You’ll be using it a lot in this tutorial — keep it open!
Later in this tutorial, you’ll need to open a terminal inside your project folder. Here’s how:Windows: Open the folder in File Explorer. Click the address bar at the top, type powershell, and press Enter. A terminal opens right in that folder.macOS: Open Finder and navigate to the folder. Right-click the folder and select “Open Terminal at Folder”. If you don’t see this option, you can open Terminal normally and type cd (with a space), then drag the folder into the Terminal window and press Enter.
4

Install and test Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI is Google’s free AI coding assistant. It runs in your terminal and writes code based on your descriptions.Open your terminal and type:
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
Wait for the installation to finish. Then start it by typing:
gemini
The first time you run it, Gemini CLI will ask you to sign in:
  • Choose “Sign in with Google”
  • A browser window will open — sign in with your Google account
  • Come back to the terminal when it says you’re connected
Free tier: 60 requests per minute, 1,000 requests per day — more than enough for this tutorial and everyday use.
This means Node.js isn’t installed correctly. Go back to Step 2 and reinstall Node.js. After reinstalling, close your terminal completely and open a new one before trying again.
Windows: Close PowerShell and reopen it by right-clicking and choosing “Run as Administrator”. Then try the install command again.macOS: Add sudo before the command:
sudo npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
Enter your computer password when prompted (you won’t see characters as you type — that’s normal).

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Verify Your Setup

Before moving on, check that everything is ready:
Run node --version in your terminal. You should see a version number.
You can open a terminal window and type commands.
Run gemini in your terminal. It starts up and shows a prompt where you can type.
Gemini CLI is connected to your Google account.
If you installed it, you can dictate text in any application.
All set? Head to Set up GitHub to create your GitHub account and install the tools you need for deployment.