Your IDE

What this is

An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is the app where you write, edit, and run your code.

In Vibe Coding, the IDE does three jobs at once: file editor, terminal, and AI assistant.

Why it matters

The IDE is your main workspace for the entire session. If you are not comfortable opening files, running the terminal, and reading AI suggestions inside it, the session will feel chaotic.

Understanding the IDE before the session means you spend time building, not troubleshooting the tool.

What to do

Choose your IDE

KD classes use either Antigravity or Cursor. Both are AI coding editors built on VS Code.

Follow your tutor's recommendation for the session. Do not install both and switch mid-session.

What the IDE looks like

A typical IDE has four areas:

Left sidebar    -> file explorer (your project files)
Main area       -> the file you are editing
Bottom panel    -> the integrated terminal
Right panel     -> AI chat or suggestions (Antigravity/Cursor specific)

Learn to find these four areas before the session starts.

Open a project folder

Always open the project folder, not a single file.

In Antigravity or Cursor:

1. Go to File → Open Folder.
2. Select the folder where your project lives.
3. The left sidebar should now show your project files.

If the sidebar shows only one file, you opened a file instead of a folder. Close and reopen the folder.

Use the integrated terminal

The terminal is where you run commands like npm install and npm run dev.

Open it with:

• Windows / Linux: Ctrl + `` `` ` (backtick)
• Mac: Cmd + `` `` ` (backtick)

Or go to Terminal → New Terminal in the menu.

The terminal should open at the bottom of the IDE, already inside your project folder. Check the path shown — it should end with your project folder name.

If it is in the wrong folder, use cd to navigate:

cd path/to/your-project

Use the AI assistant

Antigravity and Cursor have a built-in AI chat panel. This is where you paste prompts during the session.

Key habits:

• Always read the AI's response before accepting it.
• If the AI suggests a change, understand what it does before applying it.
• Use the AI to explain code, not just generate it.

Ask the AI to explain what it just wrote:

Explain what this code does in simple terms.

Extensions

For Antigravity or Cursor, you usually do not need extra extensions — the AI features are built in.

If your tutor asks you to install an extension, search for the exact name they give you. Do not install extensions you do not recognise.

Before the session checklist

IDE is installed and opens without errors.
Project folder is open in the IDE (not just a single file).
Integrated terminal is visible and inside the project folder.
node -v and git --version both return version numbers in the terminal.
AI chat panel is accessible.

Common mistakes

• Opening a single file instead of the project folder.
• Using the system terminal (outside the IDE) instead of the integrated terminal.
• Accepting AI suggestions without reading them.
• Installing extensions mid-session that break the setup.
• Closing the terminal panel while the dev server is running.