Skip to content

2. Project Setup

Setting up a development project effectively using AI tools and techniques ensures smooth collaboration, high productivity, and adherence to best practices. Below is a detailed guide for initializing your project:

This guide outlines how to set up a development project using AI tools and techniques. A proper setup ensures: - smooth collaboration - high productivity - adherence to best practices

Initial Setup

  1. Choose Project Platform

    • select hosting platform (Azure DevOps, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)
    • agree on Git branching strategy
    • document collaboration guidelines
  2. Configure Repository

    • create GitHub repository manually
    • set branch protection rules

Development Environment

  1. Configure AI-Powered IDE

    • Cursor
      • Install Cursor
      • Add required VS Code extensions
      • Set up language-specific plugins
    • GitHub Coplilot
      • Install GitHub Copliot plugin to VS Code / JetBrains IDE
  2. Configure Privacy Settings - IMPORTANT

    • In ChatGPT -> Settings -> Data Controls -> "Improve the model for everyone" -> toggle off / disable
    • In Cursor -> Settings -> General -> Privacy Mode -> enabled

IMPORTANT: Privacy settings must be enabled. This ensures that data is not persisted on providers servers and it is not used for training models.

  1. Add Required Files
    • copy language-specific rules from programing language rules
    • copy framework-specific rules from framework rules
    • customise IDE rules for team requirements
    • update system prompt for LLM base understanding

Using Repository Documentation

Create directory within the repository to store documentation, such as:

  • product requirements
  • architecture documentation
  • development rules and guidelines (reference IDE rules)

Ensure all documentation is:

  • version controlled
  • accessible to the IDE
  • formatted in markdown

Next Steps

Once your project setup is complete, proceed to the feature development lifecycle:

Functional Requirement - Start by defining what your system should do from a user's perspective, including expected behaviors, UI elements, and testable features.