Install Node.js

This is the most "developer-looking" step in the whole chapter. You'll paste a few commands into the terminal — it looks intimidating, but it's really just copying and pasting. The terminal does the work.

Your app is built with JavaScript, and Node.js lets you run it on your computer.

?Why Node.js and JavaScript?

To install Node.js cleanly, you'll use a small tool called mise (pronounced "meez") — think of it as an installer for developer tools.

Run this in the VS Code terminal:

curl https://mise.run | sh

Follow any prompts shown in the terminal, then press Enter when needed.

If you already use Homebrew, you can use the following command instead:

brew install mise
?Install Homebrew

Restart VS Code so the terminal picks up the new command.

Verify mise is installed:

mise -v

You should see a version number.

mise installed

Install Node.js with mise

Now use mise to install the latest LTS (Long Term Support) version of Node.js:

mise use -g node@lts
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Node.js v24 is the active LTS version.

Next, you need to add the mise activation command to your shell profile.

First, a quick check: this step assumes zsh, the standard Mac shell. Look at your terminal prompt — if the line ends with %, you're good. If it ends with $, your Mac is still on the older bash shell, and this step won't stick until you switch.

?Switch Your Mac to zsh

Once you see the % prompt, run this:

echo 'eval "$(mise activate zsh)"' >> "${ZDOTDIR-$HOME}/.zshrc"
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Run this once. Each run adds another copy of the line to your settings file — harmless, but messy. If you're not sure it worked, move on to the verify step below instead of re-running it.

Then reload your shell profile:

source "${ZDOTDIR-$HOME}/.zshrc"

Verify it worked:

node -v

This should print a version number, like v24.14.1. Your runtime is ready — now let's bring your code down from GitHub.