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#https://www.notion.so/n8n/Frontmatter-432c2b8dff1f43d4b1c8d20075510fe4
contentType: howto
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# Set up your development environment

This document lists the essential dependencies for developing a node, as well as guidance on setting up your editor.

## Requirements

To build and test a node, you need: 

* Node.js and npm. Minimum version Node 18.17.0. You can find instructions on how to install both using nvm (Node Version Manager) for Linux, Mac, and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) [here](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm){:target=_blank class=.external-link}. For Windows users, refer to Microsoft's guide to [Install NodeJS on Windows](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dev-environment/javascript/nodejs-on-windows){:target=_blank class=.external-link}.
* A local instance of n8n. You can install n8n with `npm install n8n -g`, then follow the steps in [Run your node locally](/integrations/creating-nodes/test/run-node-locally.md) to test your node.

You should also have [git](https://git-scm.com/){:target=_blank class=.external-link} installed. This allows you to clone and use the [n8n-node-starter](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n-nodes-starter){:target=_blank class=.external-link}.

## Editor setup

n8n recommends using [VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/){:target=_blank class=.external-link} as your editor.

Install these extensions:

* [ESLint](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=dbaeumer.vscode-eslint){:target=_blank class=.external-link}
* [EditorConfig](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=EditorConfig.EditorConfig){:target=_blank class=.external-link}
* [Prettier](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=esbenp.prettier-vscode){:target=_blank class=.external-link}

By using VS Code and these extensions, you get access to the n8n node linter's warnings as you code.