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Gladys Barasa
Gladys Barasa

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My First article on Dev Community

Setting Up Git, Python, WSL, Docker & GitHub SSH on Windows"

  • Setting up a modern development environment on Windows can feel like a maze—between Git, Python, WSL, Docker, and SSH keys, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But hey don't give up
  • In this step-by-step guide, I’ll walk you through everything I did to set up a powerful and efficient development workflow on Windows that’s ready for serious coding, DevOps, and cross-platform development.

** Tools We’ll Set Up:**
-Git
-Python 3.10+
-Text Editor (VS Code or PyCharm)
-WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
-Docker
-GitHub SSH Authentication

1. Install Git

Git is essential for version control and working with GitHub.

Steps:

  • Download Git from git-scm.com
  • Run the installer (use default options)
  • Restart your terminal Verify:

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2.Install Python 3.10+

Steps:
Download Python 3.10+ from: https://www.python.org/downloads/
During setup:
Check “Add Python to PATH”
Click Install Now
Verify:

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3. Choose a Code Editor

I chose *PyCharm * for my workflow
-Download: https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/download/

-Choose Community Edition (Free)

-Install

4.Install WSL (Linux for Windows)

  • WSL lets you run Linux commands and tools directly on Windows. Steps:
  • Ensure the PC has virtualization enabled
  • Open PowerShell as Administrator
    Run:
    wsl --install

  • This installs Ubuntu by default

  • Restart your PC

Verify:
wsl --version

5. Install Docker

Docker lets you run containers for development and testing.

Steps:

Verify:

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6. Configure Git with GitHub via SSH

Step A: Generate SSH Key

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Press Enter to accept the default file location

Step B: Start ssh-agent and add your key

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Step C: Add the Key to GitHub

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  • Copy the output
  • Go to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG Keys → New SSH Key
  • Paste and save

Step D: Test SSH Connection

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Setting all this up may seem like a lot, but now I’ve built a powerful, environment right on my Windows machine. This setup is ideal for backend development, Python scripting, and DevOps workflows.

Your thoughts??

Top comments (3)

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nevodavid profile image
Nevo David

Nice, always hits home seeing full setups broken down step by step. Been there, done that - it really does save hours of head scratching.

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chrisachinga profile image
c a

great!

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gladdoh profile image
Gladys Barasa

Thanks