DEV Community: CodeSetupLab

How to Get JetBrains Air & Run Claude Code / AI Agents for FREE (Windows Guide)

CodeSetupLab — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:40:21 +0000

Whether you want to build entire applications from scratch or refactor legacy codebases, running autonomous AI agents is the new standard. The brand-new JetBrains Air agentic development environment has officially dropped for Windows! Think of it as a dedicated IDE space built entirely around running autonomous AI agents (like Claude Agent, Gemini, and Junie).

If you want to see the full setup process in action, you can watch the complete video guide right here:

While JetBrains heavily pushes their paid commercial options, you can easily use the Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) model, standard OAuth, or your active educational profile to run these high-powered coding loops entirely for free.

Here is exactly how to set it up for zero cost on Windows.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Installation & Free Setup

Step 1: Download the Installer

Head over to the official download page (air.dev). Grab the Windows installer executable. Choose the standard x64 version, or select the ARM64 option if you are running on an ARM-based Windows device.

Step 2: Run the Setup Wizard

Double-click the downloaded installation file.
Follow the prompt to choose your preferred installation directory.
Check the box to Create a desktop shortcut and click Install.
Once completed, launch the application using the desktop shortcut.

Step 3: Unlocking Free Agent Access (BYOK & License Methods)

When you launch Air for the first time, a Connect your agents window will pop up. To bypass standard commercial subscriptions and use the platform for free, configure it using one of these methods:

🎒 METHOD A: THE ALL-ACCESS FREE STUDENT PACK (RECOMMENDED)
If you have an active university email address, an ISIC card, or a GitHub Student Developer Pack, you can log in directly using your JetBrains Account linked to the Free JetBrains Student Pack. This natively grants you 100% full, unlimited free access to all four built-in agents (including Claude Agent and Junie) at no cost.

🤖 METHOD B: GEMINI / GOOGLE ECOSYSTEM (NO KEY REQUIRED)
Click on the Gemini CLI option and select your standard Google account. Your default web browser will open automatically. Simply sign in, click Allow, and you will be redirected back to the app with active base free agent credits.

🔑 METHOD C: CLAUDE / ANTHROPIC KEYS (BYOK)
Close the initial sign-in pop-up to access the main workspace. Head over to Settings (Ctrl + ,), navigate to Account | AI Providers, and paste your personal free-tier Anthropic API key. This hooks up the Claude Agent natively using your own developer quotas instead of a JetBrains AI Pro subscription.

💻 Running Your First Autonomous Coding Task

Once configured, click Open to load an existing project directory from your PC, or clone a project directly from a Git repository.

Open the Chat agent window on the right side of the interface.
Select your preferred free agent from the dropdown (e.g., Gemini or Claude).
In the input bar, type out a prompt describing what you want built. For example:


text
   Create an index.html file with a clean layout and title it Code Setup Lab

How to Install Docker Desktop on Windows in 99 Seconds! (2026 Guide)

CodeSetupLab — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 18:43:55 +0000

Setting up your development environment shouldn't take all day. If you are looking for a fast, no-fluff guide to get Docker Desktop up and running on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 machine, this is the only guide you need.

Watch the full step-by-step video installation in 99 seconds:

Quick Installation Summary

If you prefer to follow along with the text, here are the exact steps covered in the video to complete a clean installation:

1. Download the Installer

Open your browser and head over to the official Docker website by searching for "Docker Download".
Select the standard Windows installer (or the ARM version if you are running an ARM-based machine).

2. Run the Configuration Wizard

Once downloaded, double-click the installer executable file.
Leave the default settings checked (ensuring WSL 2 components are enabled) and click OK.
The installation process will begin immediately. Once finished, click Close.

3. Accept the Terms & Verify

Open Docker Desktop from your desktop shortcut and click Accept on the Service Agreement.
To ensure the Docker Engine is running perfectly, open your Command Prompt (CMD) and type the following command:


bash
docker --version

How to Download & Install Git on Windows 11/10 (Step-by-Step)

CodeSetupLab — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 18:55:24 +0000

If you are setting up a new development environment or just getting started with version control, installing Git is your absolute first step.

In this quick tutorial, we'll walk through how to download the right installer, navigate the setup wizard and verify that Git is correctly configured in your Command Prompt (CMD) or Git Bash.

Prefer a Video Guide?

If you'd rather see these steps executed in real-time, check out the complete step-by-step video tutorial here:

Step 1: Download the Official Git Installer

First, head over to the official Git website to grab the latest 64-bit standalone installer for Windows:

Download Git for Windows

Click on the "Click here to download" link or select the Git for Windows/x64 Setup to download the executable (.exe) file.

Step 2: Run the Git Setup Wizard

Open the downloaded installer. While the default settings work perfectly for 95% of developers, keep an eye out for these key options during the wizard:

Choosing the default editor: You can select VS Code, Notepad++, or leave it on Vim depending on your preference.
Adjusting your PATH environment: Ensure "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software" is selected. This makes sure you can run Git commands from CMD, PowerShell, or any IDE terminal.
Choosing the SSH executable: Leave it on bundled OpenSSH.

Click Install and let the setup finish.

Step 3: Verify Your Installation

Once the installation is complete, let's verify that your system recognizes Git.

Open your Command Prompt (CMD), PowerShell, or Git Bash and run the following command:


bash
git --version

How to Install Code::Blocks on Windows Without Compiler Errors (2026 Guide)

CodeSetupLab — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:39:27 +0000

If you are a student or a beginner starting out with C or C++, Code::Blocks is one of the best light, free IDEs available. However, if you head over to their official website, the download page can be incredibly confusing.

Tons of developers end up downloading the wrong file layout. Then, the moment they try to run a basic program, they are hit with a massive wall of compile errors because the IDE can't find a compiler.

In this quick guide, we’ll walk through the right way to install Code::Blocks pre-bundled with the MinGW GCC compiler and test it with a classic "Hello World" script.

Watch the 2-Minute Video Tutorial

If you prefer a step-by-step visual walkthrough, check out the full quick video tutorial directly inside the player below:

Step 1: Navigate to the Right Binary Release

Open your browser, search for "Code Blocks download", and click on the official downloads link.
Click on the Binary Release option.
Scroll down carefully until you see the setup filenames.

The Golden Rule: You must download the installer that has mingw-setup in the name (for example, codeblocks-25.03mingw-setup.exe). This specific version packages the essential GCC compiler alongside the text editor layout so it functions out of the box.

Click the link for sourceforge.net to trigger the automatic download.

Step 2: Running the Installation Wizard

Open the downloaded setup executable and accept the prompt to bring up the installation wizard.
Click Next, click I Agree on the licensing terms and advance.
Choose your desired target destination folder (keeping the standard installation directory path is highly recommended) and hit Install.
Once the loading bar finishes processing, click Yes when prompted to launch Code::Blocks immediately.

Step 3: Setting the Default GCC Compiler

On your first startup launch, Code::Blocks will explicitly ask you to configure your compiler configurations.

Select the GNU GCC Compiler option from the auto-detected list.
Click to set it as your default toolchain for C/C++ files and select OK.

Step 4: Testing Your Setup (Hello World)

Let’s make sure your compiler configuration works seamlessly:

Click File > New > Empty File.
Press Ctrl + S to save the file immediately to your desktop, making sure to name it with a .cpp or .c extension.
Paste a basic test script inside:


cpp
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    std::cout << "Hello World!" << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

How to Install Python 3.14.6 on Windows 11 / 10 (Quick & Easy Guide)

CodeSetupLab — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:00:05 +0000

Setting up a fresh development environment can sometimes feel like a chore, but getting the latest version of Python up and running on Windows doesn't have to take more than a couple of minutes.

Whether you are starting your first coding project or updating your machine for a new backend, here is the quick, step-by-step walkthrough to install Python 3.14.6 properly on Windows 11 or Windows 10.

Step-by-Step Video Tutorial

Quick Installation Guide

1. Download the Installer

Go to the official python.org website.
Download the latest stable Windows installer for Python 3.14.6.

2. Run the Setup (Crucial Step!)

Double-click the downloaded .exe file.
CRITICAL: Before clicking anything else, look at the bottom of the window and check the box that says "Add python.exe to PATH". If you skip this, your terminal won't recognize Python commands later!
Click Install Now.

3. Verify the Installation

Open your Command Prompt (cmd) or PowerShell and type the following commands to ensure everything is configured properly:


bash
# Check Python Version
python --version

# Check pip (Python Package Manager) Version
pip --version

[Boost]

CodeSetupLab — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 19:50:56 +0000

CodeSetupLab

Jun 21

React JS Install Guide: Step by Step React + Vite Setup (Latest Version)

#react #vite #beginners #webdev

1 min read

React JS Install Guide: Step by Step React + Vite Setup (Latest Version)

CodeSetupLab — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 19:41:52 +0000

Setting up a new React project shouldn't come with a wall of dependency errors or unnecessary bloat. In this quick guide, we’re installing Node.js and using Vite to spin up a blazing-fast, modern React development environment in under four minutes.

If you prefer a visual, step-by-step walkthrough showing the exact configuration and setup live, check out the companion video below:

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

1. Download and Install Node.js

Before installing React, you need Node.js on your system.

Head to the official website and download the installer for your operating system (e.g., Windows).
Run the installation wizard, accept the license agreements, keep the default installation folder, and click Install.

2. Initialize Your React App with Vite

Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows) and run the following command to initialize your project template:


bash
npm create vite@latest my-app -- --template react