A practice room for anyone who's never opened a terminal or a code editor. Nothing here is a prerequisite for Module 3 — if a terminal and VS Code already feel familiar, skip straight there. Two further optional lessons cover creating an AWS account and deploying a real site, for anyone who wants to go further.
Module 3 covers everything you need, including the terminal, and doesn't depend on anything here. If you're comfortable jumping straight into Module 3's install walkthrough, skip this module entirely.
Lessons in this module
A standalone terminal from the Microsoft Store, with PowerShell set as its default. Windows-only — Mac already has Terminal built in.
Download, install, and find the Extensions panel — a lighter early look at Module 3's setup.
Four commands, a hands-on practice exercise, and the one lesson worth doing if you only do one.
Sign up for Amazon Web Services and stay safely inside the free tier — the prep step for deploying a real site.
Upload a real site to Amazon S3 and get a public link — with optional steps for a custom domain and HTTPS via CloudFront.
Key Concepts
Core terms introduced across this module's five lessons. The lesson where each term is first used is listed so you can return to the source explanation.
| Term | Defined In | Plain English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | Lesson 2.1 | A window where you type text commands to your computer instead of clicking. |
| PowerShell | Lesson 2.1 | Windows' command language, used throughout this module's Windows steps. The "PS" in the prompt means PowerShell. (Mac's built-in Terminal uses zsh instead — no separate install needed.) |
| Default Profile | Lesson 2.1 | The shell a terminal opens by default. On Windows, this module sets it to PowerShell. |
| VS Code | Lesson 2.2 | Visual Studio Code, the free Microsoft text editor this course uses to view and edit files. |
| Extension | Lesson 2.2 | An add-on that gives VS Code new abilities. Module 3 tells you which ones to install. |
| pwd | Lesson 2.3 | Print working directory. Shows which folder you are currently in. |
| cd | Lesson 2.3 | Change directory. Moves you into a folder, or up one level with cd ... |
| AWS | Lesson 2.4 | Amazon Web Services — the cloud platform this module uses to host a real website, with a free tier for small static sites. |
| S3 Bucket | Lesson 2.5 | A storage container in AWS. This module uploads your site's files into one and configures it to serve them as a website. |
| CloudFront | Lesson 2.5 | AWS's content delivery network — wraps your S3 site with HTTPS and serves it fast worldwide. Optional. |
| Microsoft Store | Lesson 2.1 | The official Windows app store. The safe place to install Windows Terminal. (No Mac equivalent needed — Terminal.app is pre-installed.) |
| Windows Terminal | Lesson 2.1 | A standalone terminal app you open on its own, separate from any editor. Windows-only. |
| Integrated Terminal | Lesson 2.1 | The terminal built into VS Code, opened with Ctrl + backtick (same shortcut on Mac). Module 3's default, on both platforms. |
| Prompt | Lesson 2.1 | The text where you type, e.g. PS C:\Users\YourName> on Windows or yourname@Mac ~ % on Mac. It waits until you press Enter. |
| Extensions Shortcut | Lesson 2.2 | Ctrl + Shift + X on Windows, Cmd + Shift + X on Mac — opens the Extensions panel in VS Code. |
| ls | Lesson 2.3 | List. Shows all files and folders in your current location. Identical on Windows (Git Bash/PowerShell) and Mac Terminal. |
| mkdir | Lesson 2.3 | Make directory. Creates a new folder where you currently are. Identical on Windows and Mac. |
| Home Folder | Lesson 2.3 | Your personal top-level folder, reached with cd ~ on both platforms — C:\Users\YourName on Windows, /Users/yourname on Mac. |
| Free Tier | Lesson 2.4 | AWS's 12-month allowance of free usage for new accounts — enough to host a basic static site at no cost. |
| Root User | Lesson 2.4 | The main AWS account identity created at signup, with full control over billing and resources. Keep its password safe. |
| Static Website Hosting | Lesson 2.5 | An S3 bucket setting that serves its files directly as a website instead of just storing them. |
| Bucket Policy | Lesson 2.5 | A JSON permissions document attached to an S3 bucket, telling AWS who is allowed to read or write its files. |
| Route 53 | Lesson 2.5 | AWS's domain name system (DNS) service — connects a domain you already own to your S3 site. Optional. |
| ACM | Lesson 2.5 | AWS Certificate Manager — issues the free HTTPS certificate CloudFront needs for a custom domain. Optional. |
| IAM | Lesson 2.5 | Identity and Access Management — where you create a scoped-down user for automated deployments, instead of using your root account. |
Support Resources
| Resource | Link | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | claude.ai | Sign up and use Claude in your browser |
| Claude Docs | docs.claude.com/docs | Official documentation |
| Claude Support | support.claude.com | Help center and account support |
Up next
Module 3: Claude Code — AI on Your Own Files