IDE and Terminal Setup¶
IDE and terminal setup covers the configuration of integrated development environments and command-line tools that researchers need to work effectively with AI coding assistants.
Context & Background¶
AI coding tools typically operate within a development environment — either an IDE like VS Code or Cursor, or a terminal-based tool like Claude Code. Proper setup is essential for productive AI-assisted coding.
Key components include:
- IDE choice: VS Code (with extensions), Cursor (AI-native), JetBrains (for specific languages)
- Terminal familiarity: Basic command-line navigation for tools like Claude Code
- Extension ecosystem: AI plugins, language support, git integration
- Configuration: Settings files, keybindings, workspace organization
Practical Implications¶
- Start with VS Code: It has the broadest extension ecosystem and AI tool support
- Learn basic terminal commands:
cd,ls,git— enough to navigate projects - Configure your environment once: Invest time in setup to avoid repeated friction
- Use Cursor for AI-heavy work: Its native AI integration can be more seamless than VS Code extensions