Prerequisites
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”Claude Code is the only thing you need for this course. But some labs use additional tools that make specific tasks easier.
Required
Section titled “Required”| Tool | What It’s For | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Everything in this course | Installation guide |
| Claude Code Licence | Access to Claude Code | Anthropic pricing |
Important: A Claude Code licence is required for all labs. This is separate from any API credits you might use for external services. Visit Anthropic’s pricing page to see current plans and choose one that fits your usage.
Getting the Course Code
Section titled “Getting the Course Code”You’ll need the course materials to run the labs. Two options:
Option 1: Download via command line (Recommended)
Open your terminal and run:
curl -L https://github.com/highlandhodl/coengineers-course/archive/refs/tags/v1.0.0.zip -o coengineers-course.zip && unzip coengineers-course.zipOption 2: Download as ZIP
Download the course materials from the releases page and extract to a folder on your computer.
Strongly Recommended
Section titled “Strongly Recommended”Obsidian (Themes 1-2)
Section titled “Obsidian (Themes 1-2)”A free note-taking app that works beautifully with markdown files. This course focuses on building an Obsidian-based productivity system.
- Used in: All of Theme 1 and most of Theme 2
- Cost: Free
- Get it: obsidian.md
- Why: Obsidian provides the foundation for your digital workspace
You can complete the course without Obsidian, but the workflows we build are designed specifically for it. If you use another tool (Notion, Roam, LogSeq), you can adapt the principles, but the slash commands assume Obsidian’s folder structure.
Optional Tools by Theme
Section titled “Optional Tools by Theme”Theme 3: Document Creation
Section titled “Theme 3: Document Creation”Claude Code’s document skills (docx, xlsx, pptx) work out of the box. You’ll need compatible viewers to open the output:
| Skill | Output Format | Free Viewers |
|---|---|---|
| docx | Word document | Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice |
| xlsx | Excel spreadsheet | Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc |
| pptx | PowerPoint | Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, LibreOffice |
Most computers already have at least one of these installed. If not, LibreOffice is completely free.
Theme 4: External APIs
Section titled “Theme 4: External APIs”Theme 4 labs integrate with external APIs. An API licence is optional - you only need it if you want to complete the Theme 4 labs that connect to external services.
| Service | Lab | Free Tier | What You’ll Need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma | Lab 16 | Yes | Free account + API key |
| Google AI Studio (Gemini) | Lab 17 | Yes | Google account |
| ElevenLabs | Lab 18 | Limited | Free account + API key |
| Make.com | Labs 4.4 | Yes | Free account |
You don’t need accounts for these right now. We’ll tell you exactly what you need at the start of each lab. Themes 1-3 work without any external API access - you can complete most of the course with just your Claude Code licence.
What You DON’T Need
Section titled “What You DON’T Need”Let’s be clear about what you can skip:
No coding experience We’re not teaching you to code. We’re teaching you to use an AI assistant that can code for you. Big difference.
No prior AI knowledge You don’t need to understand how large language models work. You just need to know how to talk to Claude Code.
No expensive subscriptions Everything in this course uses free or freemium tools. The only cost is your Claude Code usage (API credits), which is minimal for these labs.
No perfect setup You don’t need a powerful computer, specific operating system, or fancy development environment. A basic Mac or Windows machine is fine.
No computer science degree This course is designed for non-technical people. If you can use a terminal and follow instructions, you’re qualified.
Technical Requirements
Section titled “Technical Requirements”Minimum:
- Mac (10.15+), Windows (10+), or Linux
- 4GB RAM
- Internet connection
- 1GB free disk space
Recommended:
- 8GB RAM (for running multiple apps)
- Decent internet (for API calls)
- External monitor (helpful but not required)
Mindset Requirements
Section titled “Mindset Requirements”More important than technical requirements:
Growth mindset You’ll make mistakes. Commands will fail. Files will go in the wrong place. That’s how you learn.
Willingness to experiment The best way to learn Claude Code is to try things. Break things. Fix things. Repeat.
Comfort with iteration Your first prompt won’t be perfect. Your second won’t be either. That’s fine. Getting better is the goal.
Patience with yourself This is new territory. Give yourself permission to be a beginner.
Time Requirements
Section titled “Time Requirements”Each lab takes around 50 minutes to complete if you follow along with the examples.
If you want to experiment and customise for your own workflows, add another 10-20 minutes per lab.
Total course time commitment:
- Minimum: 7-10 hours (20 labs × 20-30 minutes)
- Realistic: 12-15 hours (including experimentation)
- If you go deep: 20-30 hours (customising every workflow)
You can spread this over weeks or months. There’s no rush.
Don’t Have Something?
Section titled “Don’t Have Something?”No worries. Each lab stands alone. If you don’t have a particular tool:
- Skip that lab and come back later when you’re ready
- Review the FAQ - common alternatives are documented
- Adapt the approach for the tools you do have
- Experiment - the principles work across different tools
The principles work regardless of the specific tools.
Ready to Start?
Section titled “Ready to Start?”You’ve got Claude Code installed. You understand what you need (and don’t need). Time to build something.
Head to Module 1 Overview to begin building your digital workspace.
Or check the Cheat Sheet for a quick reference of commands you’ll use throughout the course.