---
schema_version: "1"
id: afabd8a9cdd9b227c1cc1f5d99e1d14b7406518dccfb2c94b145d53f996aff8b
title: Set Up Your Developer Environment
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/salesforcedx/sfcliplugin/guides/get-started/gs-setup-dev-env.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-cli-plugin/guide/gs-setup-dev-env.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4d7753a2d40550b671bad94f2f943489db3c2011d84961caa6975759304c3137
products:
  - Salesforce CLI Plugin Developer Guide
  - salesforcedx
---
# Set Up Your Developer Environment

Before you generate a new Salesforce plugin, complete these prerequisites.

1. Install or update Node.js.

   To build a Salesforce CLI plugin, you need the latest long-term support (LTS) version of Node.js. See [Download Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) for more information. If you’re new to Node.js development, we suggest that you use nvm (Node Version Manager) to install Node.js. See [this installation script](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#install-script) to install or update nvm.

   To check your Node.js version, run:

   ```bash
   node --version
   ```

   If your node version is earlier than the [current or Active LTS version](https://nodejs.org/en/about/previous-releases), or if you don’t have Node.js installed, run this command to install LTS:

   ```bash
   nvm install –-lts
   ```

   Then run this command to make sure nvm always loads the installed LTS version in new terminals:

   ```bash
   nvm alias "default" "lts/*"
   ```

2. Install the Yarn package manager.

   ```bash
   npm install -g yarn
   ```

3. Install [TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org/) (target es2017.)

   ```bash
   npm install -g typescript
   ```

   Salesforce CLI plugins can use JavaScript instead of TypeScript, but the classes in the Salesforce DX core library are written in TypeScript.

4. Install or update Salesforce CLI using `npm`.

   If you don’t have Salesforce CLI installed on your computer, see [Install Salesforce CLI](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.sfdx_setup.meta/sfdx_setup/sfdx_setup_install_cli.htm#sfdx_setup_install_cli) and follow the instructions in the _Install the CLI with npm_ section. To make sure you're always up to date with Salesforce CLI, run this `npm` command to install the latest version.

   ```bash
   npm install --global @salesforce/cli
   ```

5. Install [Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the Salesforce Extensions pack](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/sfvscode-extensions/guide/install.html) as your IDE. While you can use any IDE, we highly recommend VS Code because it includes tools for developing on the Salesforce platform.