Week 1 • Module 1

Session 1: IDE Setup & GitHub

Getting your development environment ready

Today we're setting up your GitHub account, applying for the Student Developer Pack, and configuring VS Code. GitHub approval takes about 72 hours, so complete this early!

1. Create a GitHub Account

If you don't already have one, sign up at github.com/signup.

2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Required before applying for the Student Developer Pack.

  1. Go to github.com/settings/security
  2. Enable two-factor authentication
  3. Use an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator) or SMS

3. Add Your Name & Address to Billing

This helps verify your identity — no payment info required.

  1. Go to github.com/settings/billing/payment_information
  2. Add your name as it appears on your student ID
  3. For address, you can use the university address:
    Wellman Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720

4. Apply for GitHub Student Developer Pack

The Student Developer Pack gives you free access to GitHub Copilot and other tools.

Apply at: education.github.com/pack

Berkeley-Specific Tips

  • School: Select "UC Berkeley" from the list
  • Email: Use your @berkeley.edu address
  • Location: You must enable location sharing when prompted. Without it, the form may ask for a @cs.berkeley.edu email (which most students don't have).
  • Browser: Use Firefox or Chrome — Safari blocks location by default and is tricky to configure.
  • Student ID photo: The form mentions "dated ID" but Berkeley IDs don't have dates. That's fine — as long as your billing info name matches your ID, you'll be approved.
⏱ Approval takes ~72 hours. Submit your application today!

5. Accept GitHub Classroom Invitation

When you accept the classroom invitation, a private repository is created just for you in our course organization. This is where you'll push all your work.

The invitation link will be provided by your instructor during class.

6. Install VS Code

Download from code.visualstudio.com and install for your operating system.

Install GitHub Copilot Extension

Once your Student Developer Pack is approved:

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) to open Extensions
  3. Search for "GitHub Copilot"
  4. Click Install
  5. Sign in with your GitHub account when prompted
Important: Activate your Copilot Coupon

After your academic benefits are verified, you must explicitly accept the Copilot coupon:

  1. Go to github.com/settings/education/benefits
  2. Click the link to redeem your coupon (usually github.com/github-copilot/free_signup)
  3. Restart VS Code. "Premium models" should now appear in the Copilot Chat model list.

7. Python Setup (Optional Pre-Work)

We'll do this together in class, but if you'd like a head start:

  1. Download Miniforge from github.com/conda-forge/miniforge
  2. Follow the installation instructions for your OS

Don't worry if you run into issues — we'll troubleshoot together.

Before You Leave

  • ☑️ GitHub account created
  • ☑️ Two-factor authentication enabled
  • ☑️ Name and address added to billing
  • ☑️ Student Developer Pack application submitted
  • ☑️ GitHub Classroom invitation accepted
  • ☑️ VS Code installed

Next session: We'll start working with real climate data. Make sure your Copilot access is approved!

Continue to Session 2 →