First Day as a Developer:

#beginners #python #webdev #programming

Setting Up Git, Python, VS Code, WSL & Docker from Scratch

I’m Rebecca Gitau, a curious beginner developer taking her first steps in tech.You can reach out to me on GitHub at @Rebecca-254: https://github.com/Rebecca-254

Today, I installed all the tools I need to get started, and I’m sharing that journey.(What worked and what didn't).

step 1: installed git and git bash

Git, a version control tool that helps track changes in code, was the first tool I installed. It also came with Git Bash, which gives a better command-line experience than the default Windows CMD.

After installing Git from
➡️https://git-scm.com, I opened Git Bash and ran this command to confirm the installation:
➡️git --version
It worked✅ My first success

Step 2: Connected Git to GitHub with SSH

I then connected Git to my GitHub account securely using SSH.
I generated a key pair and added the public key to GitHub under Settings > SSH and GPG Keys.

Step 3: Installed Python 3.10+

downloaded it from
➡️ https://www.python.org.
After installing, I typed python --version in Git Bash — and yes, Python 3.10 showed up.

At one point, Python wasn’t recognized in my terminal. I had to restart the PC and make sure Python was added to the system PATH. That fixed it.

Step 4: Installed Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

I installed VS Code from
➡️https://code.visualstudio.com.

Step 5: Enabled WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

Since I’m using Windows, I installed WSL so I can use Linux tools without needing a separate system.
I ran the command
➡️ wsl --install in PowerShell (Admin), then restarted my PC. Then installed Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store.

Step 6: Installed Docker
Lastly, I installed Docker Desktop from
➡️https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop.
At first, Docker wouldn’t work — until I enabled WSL 2 support in Docker settings and restarted my computer.

Challenges I Faced

Copied the wrong SSH
Docker wouldn’t start until I changed the WSL 2 settings.

What Achieved✅

-Git + GitHub set up using SSH

-Python 3.10+ installed and running

-VS Code ready with extensions

-WSL and Ubuntu installed

-Docker installed and tested

Finally

This wasn’t just about installing tools — it was about starting something meaningful.
I’m excited for the road ahead, and if you’re just getting started too, I hope this post helps make things feel less scary.

Let’s connect and grow together!

— Rebecca

GitHub: https://github.com/Rebecca-254