Getting technical
For anyone new to code: pick the right AI tool, use a terminal and git, run a real project, and ship without leaking secrets.
Start: Pick the right toolAbout Start here
Getting technical is the starting pack for people new to code who want to build with AI tools. You learn to pick the right kind of tool, find your way around a terminal, read errors and use git as a safety net. Then you get a real project running, open a pull request, and keep secrets out of git, chats and the browser.
Best for: Anyone starting to build with AI who has never used a terminal, git or pull requests.
Good for
- Choosing the right kind of AI tool for a task
- Moving around a project with pwd, ls and cd
- Saving checkpoints with git so you can undo an agent's work
- Running a cloned project from its README and package.json
Where people slip
- Pasting errors that contain passwords or keys into a chat
- Committing .env.local or other files that hold secrets
- Putting a secret in a NEXT_PUBLIC_ variable, which ships it to the browser
- Saying yes to an agent command that goes past the task
Do I need to know how to code to start?
No. This pack assumes no background. You learn the few terminal and git skills you need to work safely with a coding agent.
Why does git matter when I build with AI?
Git saves checkpoints of your project. If an agent breaks something, you can see what changed with git diff and undo a file with git restore. Commit before you let an agent make big changes.
What is a pull request?
A request to merge your branch into another one, like main. You pick the base and compare branches, describe the change, and others review it before it's merged. A draft pull request shows it isn't ready yet.
What do I do if I committed a secret?
Rotate it, which revokes the old key and gives you a new one. Then remove it from your commits. If the file is still tracked, untrack it with git rm --cached and add it to .gitignore.
Checked against Start here's own docs on 2026-11-06.
Find your way around
Pick the right AI tool, move around a terminal and turn an error into a useful question.
0 of 3 lessons completeSave work and run real projects
Checkpoint agent work with git, undo a bad change and get a cloned project running.
0 of 2 lessons complete