Make the starter yours

For this step

The starter is a folder of prompts and templates, not a prebuilt app. There is nothing to run yet.

Its files become the memory of your build. The coach writes your brief, architecture, design, blueprint and Work Cards into them, so a new chat session can pick up exactly where the last one stopped.

For this step

Extract the ZIP, then rename the extracted folder to your project name in lowercase with hyphens, such as campus-event-guide. Rename the outer folder only. Keep START_HERE.md, prompts/, templates/ and work-cards/ exactly as they are.

A short clear folder name matters because some editors and some Windows notifications shorten it, and you want to recognise your project at a glance.

For this step

Opening the folder, rather than a file, is what lets your AI helper see the whole project. When it is open correctly the files panel shows START_HERE.md at the top level, with prompts, templates and work-cards folders under it.

If you only see one file, you opened a file. Use File then Open Folder again. If the editor asks whether you trust the authors, choose yes: it is your folder.

For this step

Your files panel should now show START_HERE.md with the prompts, templates and work-cards folders under it. That is your whole project.

Now install the helper. Open the extensions panel, search Kilo Code, and install it. Kilo Code is a coding agent: it can read your project files, write to them when you allow it, and run commands you approve. That is why this path uses it rather than a chat website, which only ever sees what you paste.

The terminal is a text box that runs commands on your machine. Because you opened the folder rather than a file, it starts inside your project, which is what makes the build commands in a later chapter work. Later, the browser preview will open at a localhost address only your computer can see.

For this step

Run each line in the terminal and press Enter. A version number means the tool is installed. A "not recognised" or "command not found" error means it is not.

node --version
npm --version
git --version

Node runs the project, npm installs the packages it needs, Git saves versions of your work. Install only what errored, using the links beside this step, then open a new terminal and run the checks again.

Then tell Git who you are, once, using the name and email you want attached to your work:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
git config --global --list

For this step

An editor agent cannot think on its own. It sends your request to a model, and the model needs a key that says who is paying. Registering for today's event is what put a key on your profile.

Not at a KD event? Use your own provider key here instead, or skip Kilo Code and use a coding helper you already pay for. Everything after this chapter works the same way as long as your helper can read your project folder and run commands.

For this step

Open your AI helper and paste this exactly:

Read START_HERE.md and prompts/00-run-kdbm-lite-coach.md.

Run the KDBM Lite Coach exactly as instructed.

Planning phase only:
- create or update markdown planning files only
- do not create app code yet
- do not install packages yet
- do not edit project source files yet

Start with the Setup Gate.
Ask me one question at a time.

Never share a password, token or key with the coach, even if a setup question seems to ask for one.

Before you move on

Common mistakes

• Opening a single file instead of the whole folder.
• Renaming files inside the starter instead of the outer folder.
• Installing Node or Git without checking whether they are already there.
• Running the version checks in an old terminal opened before you installed.
• Starting to build while waiting for the trainer.
• Pasting the boot prompt into a chat website that cannot see your folder.
• Sharing a password or key because a setup question seemed to ask for one.