1. Install the tools
Node, pnpm and git — about 20 minutes, once per computer. Your AI assistant walks you through each install, then you create a free Cloudflare account.
You need four things. Three go on your computer; the fourth is a free account.
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| Node (version 22 or newer) | Runs the code |
| pnpm | Installs the pieces the project depends on |
| git | Tracks your changes and delivers updates |
| A Cloudflare account | Where your site will live |
Let your assistant do it
This stage assumes the project folder is already on your computer and already open in an AI assistant. If it is not, do getting the code onto your computer first — it takes about fifteen minutes and this stage cannot start without it.
With the folder open, paste this, changing the last line to match your computer:
I have just downloaded a project and I am not a developer. Walk me through installing Node 22 or newer, pnpm, and git on my computer, one step at a time. Tell me the exact commands to run and what each one does. After each step, check it worked before moving on. My computer is macOS.
Then create a free account at dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up.
Done when
Your assistant confirms all three tools report a version number, and you can sign in to the Cloudflare dashboard.
If a command fails
Paste the whole error back to your assistant. Installation problems are almost always a missing prerequisite or a permissions issue, and both have standard fixes it knows.