Claude Dev Setup (macOS)

A hands-off setup wizard for the Claude Code development environment on macOS. It walks you through installing everything you need to start coding with Claude - VS Code, Git, GitHub CLI, and the Claude Code extension - then configures your workspace so you're ready to go.

Download (Easiest)

1. Download the latest ZIP from the Releases page
2. Double-click the ZIP to extract it
3. Open claude-dev-setup-macos.app
4. If macOS says the app "can't be opened": right-click the app, select Open, then click Open in the dialog. You only have to do this once.

Note: The current build is for Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4). If you have an older Intel Mac, follow the "Build from Source" instructions below instead.

Build from Source (Step by Step)

This is for anyone on a Mac, even if you've never used a terminal before.

Step 1: Open Terminal

Press Command + Space, type Terminal, and hit Enter. A window with a text prompt will appear. This is where you'll type the commands below.

Step 2: Install Node.js (if you don't have it)

Node.js is the tool that builds this app. Check if you already have it:

node --version

If you see a version number (like v20.11.0), skip to Step 3.

If you see "command not found", install Node.js:

1. Go to https://nodejs.org
2. Download the LTS version (the big green button)
3. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the installer
4. Close and reopen Terminal, then run node --version again to confirm it worked

Step 3: Download this project

Copy and paste this into Terminal and press Enter:

git clone https://github.com/justin-nevins/claude-dev-setup-macos.git

"git: command not found"? That's okay - this app will install Git for you later. For now, download the project as a ZIP instead:

1. Go to https://github.com/justin-nevins/claude-dev-setup-macos
2. Click the green Code button, then Download ZIP
3. Double-click the ZIP to extract it
4. In Terminal, type cd (with a space after it), then drag the extracted folder into the Terminal window and press Enter

If git clone worked, navigate into the folder:

cd claude-dev-setup-macos

Step 4: Install dependencies

npm install

This downloads everything the app needs. It may take a minute or two.

Step 5: Build and run

To build the app:

npm run make

The finished app will be at:

out/make/zip/darwin/x64/claude-dev-setup-macos-darwin-x64-1.0.0.zip

Double-click the ZIP to extract it, then open claude-dev-setup-macos.app.

"App can't be opened" warning? Right-click the app, select Open, then click Open in the dialog. macOS shows this for apps downloaded outside the App Store. You only have to do this once.

Or, to run it directly without building a ZIP (good for testing):

npm start

What the App Does

Once you open it, the wizard walks you through each step. You just click buttons - it handles the rest:

1. Checks your system - Sees what's already installed
2. Installs missing tools - VS Code, Git, GitHub CLI, Claude Code extension
3. Creates accounts - Walks you through signing up for Claude and GitHub (if needed)
4. Configures Git - Sets your name and email so your code commits are tagged to you
5. Sets up your workspace - Creates a projects folder and connects cloud storage for notes

What Gets Installed

Tool	What it is	Why you need it
VS Code	A code editor	Where you write and edit code
Git	Version control	Tracks changes to your code so you can undo mistakes
GitHub CLI	Command-line access to GitHub	Lets you push code to GitHub from Terminal
Claude Code Extension	AI coding assistant	Claude inside your editor, helping you write code

The app also configures Git with your name/email, sets up a projects folder, and optionally connects cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) for session notes.

Requirements

• macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
• Intel or Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4)
• Internet connection

Test Mode

Want to try the app without it actually installing anything? Useful if you just want to see how it works:

npm test

Troubleshooting

"npm: command not found" - You need to install Node.js first (see Step 2 above).

"git: command not found" - Download the project as a ZIP from GitHub instead of using git clone (see the note in Step 3).

Build fails with permission errors - Try sudo npm run make and enter your Mac password when prompted.

App won't open - Right-click the app, select Open, then click Open in the dialog.

Project Structure

claude-dev-setup-macos/
├── package.json
├── src/
│   ├── main/
│   │   ├── main.js           # Electron main process
│   │   ├── preload.js        # Secure IPC bridge
│   │   ├── installers.js     # macOS software installation (Homebrew)
│   │   └── config.js         # Git/folder configuration
│   └── renderer/
│       ├── index.html        # UI markup
│       ├── styles.css        # Styling
│       └── app.js            # UI logic
└── assets/
    └── icons/
        ├── icon.svg          # Source icon
        └── icon.png          # macOS app icon

License

MIT