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title: Step 1. Prerequisites for Building an API-Led Solution
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product: Getting Started
keywords: api-led connectivity, anypoint code builder, cloudhub 2.0, prerequisites, mulesoft setup, api-led solution, installation
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# Step 1. Prerequisites for Building an API-Led Solution

> For the full documentation index, see: https://docs.mulesoft.com/llms.txt

Set up your environment before starting the tutorial. You need an Anypoint Platform account,
Anypoint Code Builder, and a REST client such as Postman. Specific permissions are also required for
deployment and, optionally, for AI-assisted API design with MuleSoft Vibes.

- Username and password for your Anypoint Platform organization. If you don’t have Anypoint Platform
  yet, create a Trial organization on Anypoint Platform.

  [Create a Trial organization](https://anypoint.mulesoft.com/login/#/signup)

- [Download and install Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/download)

- To test REST requests, obtain a client such as Postman or Advanced REST Client if you don’t
  already have one. This tutorial uses Postman.

  [Install Postman](https://www.postman.com/downloads/)

  Depending on your platform, you might need to install a different client.

- [Install Anypoint Code Builder](#install-acb)

- Required permissions:

  - **Anypoint Code Builder Developer**

    Allows API spec creation

  - **Exchange Contributor**

    Enables publishing assets to Exchange

  - **Create Applications**

    Allows deployment of applications to CloudHub 2.0

- Optional permissions (for MuleSoft Vibes AI features):

  **MuleSoft Vibes** requires generative AI to be enabled in Access Management. See
  [Enabling or Disabling Generative AI for Anypoint Platform](https://docs.mulesoft.com/access-management/enabling-generative-ai).

  - **Mule Developer Generative AI User**

    Enables MuleSoft Vibes features for AI-generated API specs. If you don’t have this permission,
    you can still complete the tutorial by manually creating your API spec.

## Install Anypoint Code Builder

Install the Anypoint Extension Pack in Visual Studio Code to set up Anypoint Code Builder for
desktop development.

1.  Open Visual Studio Code.

2.  Select **View > Extensions** and search for the **Anypoint Extension Pack**.

    To avoid installation errors, don’t install the individual Anypoint Code Builder extensions that
    are also available separately from Anypoint Extension Pack in Visual Studio Marketplace.

3.  Select **Install**.

    > [!NOTE] Make sure that the Anypoint extensions update automatically by right-clicking each
    > extension to see if **Auto Update All (From Publisher)** is selected. If it’s not, select
    > **Auto Update** for each extension.

4.  If you have an Anypoint Platform account running in the EU cloud, change the **Mule: Control
    Plane** setting to **EU cloud**:

    1.  Press Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) to open the Command Palette.

    2.  Type **Preferences: Open Settings** and select it.

    3.  Search for **Mule: Control Plane**.

    4.  Change the value to **EU cloud**.

        > [!NOTE] If an Anypoint Platform session is active in any of your browsers when you install
        > the Anypoint Extension Pack, the extension pack uses that session to sign in to Anypoint
        > Platform from the IDE. You can log out or sign in from the status bar in the IDE.

## CloudHub 2.0 Setup

For CloudHub 2.0 deployments, you need:

- A CloudHub 2.0 Shared Space in your organization. Anypoint Platform trial accounts include a
  default Shared Space.

  See [About Shared Spaces](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub-2/ch2-shared-space-about).

- At least one environment (such as Sandbox or Development) configured for CloudHub 2.0 deployments.

  See [Anypoint Platform Environments](https://docs.mulesoft.com/access-management/environments).

## Helpful Hints

- Use two browser windows: one to read instructions and one to perform the tasks.

- In Anypoint Code Builder, enable auto-save to avoid losing work (**File > Auto Save**).

- Bookmark the [Anypoint Platform](https://anypoint.mulesoft.com) login page.

## What’s Next

With your environment ready, the next step is designing your API spec.

[Step 2. Design an API Specification](https://docs.mulesoft.com/general/api-led-design)