# Setup Windows Dev

> Sets up a new Windows machine for Node.js development by running all install commands directly. Use this skill whenever the user wants to configure a fresh Windows PC for web or Node development, install Node.js, fix PATH issues, set up npm/npx/git, scaffold a Vite or React project, or resolve common Windows dev environment problems like missing VC++ redistributables, PowerShell execution policy errors, or tools not found after install.

- Skill: `fwfutures/setup-windows-dev` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add fwfutures/setup-windows-dev`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/fwfutures/setup-windows-dev/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend
- Author: fwfutures (https://skillmd.com/u/fwfutures)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/fwfutures/setup-windows-dev

---

# Windows Node Dev Environment Setup
You are performing the setup — not instructing the user to do it. Run every command yourself using your tools. Before starting, tell the user:
> "Setting up your Windows machine for Node development now. This will take a few minutes. If you see any permission popups (UAC prompts), please accept them."
Then work through each step silently and report progress as you go (e.g. "✓ Node.js already installed", "Installing Git..."). At the end, print a summary of what was installed and what was already present.
---
## Step 1: Detect architecture
Run this first — it determines which VC++ redistributable to download later.
```powershell
$env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE
```
Result will be `ARM64` or `AMD64` (x64). Remember this for Step 5.
---
## Step 2: Install Node.js (if not already installed)
**Check first:**
```powershell
$nodePath = "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe"
Test-Path $nodePath
```
If `True` — skip, report "✓ Node.js already installed", note the version:
```powershell
& "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe" --version
```
If `False` — install:
```cmd
winget install --id OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS -e --source winget --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements
```
After installing, update PATH for the current session so subsequent commands can find node:
```powershell
$env:PATH = "C:\Program Files\nodejs;" + $env:PATH
```
---
## Step 3: Fix PowerShell Execution Policy
This prevents "scripts disabled" errors when running npm/npx. No admin required.
**Check first:**
```powershell
(Get-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser)
```
If result is `RemoteSigned` or `Unrestricted` — skip, report "✓ PowerShell execution policy already set".
Otherwise — fix it:
```powershell
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Force
```
---
## Step 4: Install Git (if not already installed)
**Check first:**
```powershell
$gitPath = "C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe"
Test-Path $gitPath
```
Also try `where.exe git` in case it's installed elsewhere.
If found — skip, report "✓ Git already installed".
If not found — install:
```cmd
winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements
```
After installing, update PATH for the current session:
```powershell
$env:PATH = "C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;" + $env:PATH
```
---
## Step 5: Install Python (if not already installed)
Python is needed by many JS toolchains, skill frameworks, and build scripts.
**Check first:**
```powershell
where.exe python 2>$null
```
If found — skip, report "✓ Python already installed".
If not found — install:
```cmd
winget install --id Python.Python.3.12 -e --source winget --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements
```
Python adds itself to the user PATH. Update for the current session — check which path was created:
```powershell
$arm64 = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\Python\Python312-arm64"
$x64   = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\Python\Python312"
if (Test-Path $arm64) { $env:PATH = "$arm64;$arm64\Scripts;" + $env:PATH }
elseif (Test-Path $x64) { $env:PATH = "$x64;$x64\Scripts;" + $env:PATH }
```
---
## Step 6: Install Visual C++ Redistributable (if not already installed)
Required on both ARM64 and x64 for native Node addons (Rollup, etc.). Without it you'll see `Required DLL was not found` errors.
**Check first** — look for the registry key that the VC++ redist install leaves:
```powershell
$vcKey = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VisualStudio\14.0\VC\Runtimes"
# ARM64
$arm64Installed = Test-Path "$vcKey\arm64"
# x64
$x64Installed   = Test-Path "$vcKey\x64"
```
If already installed for the correct architecture — skip, report "✓ VC++ Redistributable already installed".
If not installed — download and install silently (this triggers a UAC prompt — the user was warned at the start):
For **ARM64**:
```powershell
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.arm64.exe" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\vc_redist.arm64.exe"
Start-Process -FilePath "$env:TEMP\vc_redist.arm64.exe" -ArgumentList '/install','/quiet','/norestart' -Wait
```
For **x64**:
```powershell
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\vc_redist.x64.exe"
Start-Process -FilePath "$env:TEMP\vc_redist.x64.exe" -ArgumentList '/install','/quiet','/norestart' -Wait
```
---
## Step 7: Verify everything works
Run these and capture output to include in the final summary:
```powershell
$nodePath = "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe"
if (Test-Path $nodePath) { & $nodePath --version }
$npmPath = "C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.cmd"
if (Test-Path $npmPath) { & $npmPath --version }
$gitPath = "C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe"
if (Test-Path $gitPath) { & $gitPath --version }
python --version 2>$null
```
---
## Step 8: Print final summary
After all steps complete, print a clear summary like:
```
Setup complete! Here's what happened:
✓ Node.js v24.x.x  (already installed)
✓ npm 11.x.x       (already installed)
✓ PowerShell policy set to RemoteSigned
✓ Git 2.x.x        (newly installed)
✓ Python 3.12.x    (newly installed)
✓ VC++ Redistributable ARM64  (newly installed)
Open a new terminal and you're ready to go.
To start a React project: npm create vite@latest my-app -- --template react
```
Adjust based on what was actually installed vs. already present.
---
## Important notes
- Always run commands yourself — never ask the user to run them.
- Always check before installing. If something is already installed, skip it and say so.
- Use `npm.cmd` instead of `npm` when invoking npm from within a shell that may not have the `.ps1` execution policy fixed yet.
- The session PATH must be updated after each install (`$env:PATH = ...`) so that subsequent steps can find the newly installed tools — the system PATH change only takes effect in new terminals, not the current one.
- If a winget install fails (e.g. already installed via a different mechanism), check with `where.exe` or `Test-Path` before treating it as an error.