Environment Setup

Get your computer ready for FRC programming. No experience needed.

What You Will Install

Software	What It Does
Java 17	The language your robot code is written in
VSCode + WPILib	The editor where you write code
Git & GitHub Desktop	Tracks changes to your code and shares it with the team

Install Java 17

Java is the programming language you will use to control the robot. Think of it like a translator between your brain and the robot -- you write instructions in Java, and the computer turns them into commands the robot understands.

Windows / macOS

1. Go to Adoptium
2. Download Java 17 (LTS) for your operating system
3. Run the installer and follow the prompts

Linux

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk

# Verify it worked
java -version
# Should show: openjdk version "17.x.x"

What is Java and why Java 17 specifically?

Java is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. It is used for everything from Android apps to bank systems to robot code. FRC uses Java because it runs on the roboRIO (the robot's computer) and WPILib (the FRC library) is written for it.

Why version 17? WPILib is built specifically for Java 17, which is a Long Term Support (LTS) release. This means it will receive updates for many years. Newer versions of Java exist, but WPILib has not been updated to use them yet. Older versions are missing features WPILib needs.

If you already have a different Java version: You can install Java 17 alongside it. Your robot project will use Java 17 even if your computer has other versions installed.

Install VSCode + WPILib

VSCode is the editor where you will write all your robot code. WPILib is the FRC toolkit that adds all the robot-specific features to VSCode.

Download WPILib

1. Go to WPILib GitHub Releases
2. Download the installer for your OS

Windows

1. Run the .exe installer
2. Select "Install VSCode + WPILib"
3. Follow the prompts

macOS

1. Open the .dmg file
2. Drag VSCode to Applications
3. If blocked: go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click "Open Anyway"

Linux

1. Extract the .zip installer
2. Run: sudo ./Install-WPILib.sh

What is WPILib?

WPILib (WPI Library) is the official FRC software library made by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It provides all the building blocks for robot control: motor control, sensors, communication, and the command-based framework.

Analogy: If building a robot program were building a house, WPILib would be the pre-made doors, windows, and plumbing. You could make everything from scratch, but the basics are already provided.

What WPILib gives you:

• Motor controller libraries (SparkMax, TalonFX)
• Sensor libraries (gyros, encoders, cameras)
• Command-based programming framework
• Robot simulation (test without a real robot)
• Dashboard tools (SmartDashboard, Shuffleboard)

Why VSCode and not another editor?

WPILib only works with VSCode because the WPILib extension integrates deeply with it. You cannot use IntelliJ, Eclipse, or any other editor for FRC development.

Why VSCode is good:

• Free on all operating systems
• WPILib extension provides one-click build, deploy, and test
• IntelliSense (autocomplete) for Java
• Built-in terminal and Git support
• Huge library of extensions

Install Git & GitHub Desktop

Git tracks changes to your code (like a save button that remembers every version). GitHub Desktop gives you a visual way to use Git without typing commands.

Install Git

• Windows: Download from git-scm.com and run the installer
• macOS: Run git --version in Terminal (it will prompt you to install if needed)
• Linux: sudo apt install git

Install GitHub Desktop

1. Go to desktop.github.com
2. Download and install for your OS
3. Sign in with your GitHub account (create one at github.com if you do not have one)

What is the difference between Git and GitHub Desktop?

Git is the engine that tracks changes. It runs in the background on your computer.

GitHub Desktop is a visual app that lets you use Git by clicking buttons instead of typing commands.

Think of it like driving a car:

• Git = the engine and transmission (does the actual work)
• GitHub Desktop = the steering wheel and pedals (lets you control it easily)

Both control the same thing -- GitHub Desktop just gives you buttons and menus instead of commands you have to memorize.

Verify Everything Works

1. Open VSCode
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) to open the Command Palette
3. Type "WPILib" -- you should see WPILib commands appear

Clone XbotEdu (Your Practice Project)

XbotEdu is a practice robot project with built-in tests. You can write and test robot code without owning a physical robot.

Using GitHub Desktop (recommended for beginners)

1. Open GitHub Desktop
2. Click File > Clone Repository
3. Go to the URL tab
4. Enter: https://github.com/Team488/XbotEdu.git
5. Choose where to save it on your computer
6. Click Clone

Using the command line (alternative)

git clone https://github.com/Team488/XbotEdu.git
cd XbotEdu

Build and Test

Once you have the project open in VSCode:

1. Open the terminal in VSCode: Terminal > New Terminal
2. Build the project:

   # Windows
   gradlew.bat build
   
   # macOS / Linux
   ./gradlew build

3. Run the tests:

   # Windows
   gradlew.bat test
   
   # macOS / Linux
   ./gradlew test

You should see BUILD SUCCESSFUL in the output.

What does "build" actually do?

Building is the process of turning your Java code into something the robot can run. When you run ./gradlew build, this happens:

1. Download dependencies -- Gradle downloads all the libraries your code needs
2. Compile -- Your .java files are turned into .class files (bytecode)
3. Test -- Any unit tests are run to check for bugs
4. Package -- Everything is bundled into a deployable format

The first build is slowest because it downloads dependencies. Subsequent builds are much faster.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
./gradlew: Permission denied	Run chmod +x gradlew (macOS/Linux)
Java version error	Install Java 17 from Adoptium
VSCode does not show WPILib	Reinstall the WPILib extension from the marketplace
Build fails on first run	Wait for dependencies to download, then try again
GitHub Desktop cannot find repo	Make sure you typed the URL exactly right
"command not found" for git	Restart your terminal after installing Git

Learning Java Resources

You will learn Java in the next module, but here are excellent free resources to bookmark:

Resource	What It Teaches	Best For
Codecademy Learn Java	Interactive coding exercises	Complete beginners
W3Schools Java Tutorial	Quick reference with examples	Looking things up
freeCodeCamp Java Course	4-hour video course	Visual learners
Java for Complete Beginners	Free Udemy course	Step-by-step learners
Oracle Java Tutorials	Official Java documentation	Reference when you get stuck

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Quiz

Q1: Why does FRC use Java 17 specifically?

• [ ] A) It is the newest Java version
• [ ] B) WPILib is built for Java 17
• [ ] C) Java 17 is the only free version
• [ ] D) FRC does not use Java at all

Answer

B) WPILib is built for Java 17

WPILib targets Java 17 because it is a Long Term Support (LTS) release. Newer versions exist but WPILib has not been updated to use them yet.

Q2: What is the difference between Git and GitHub Desktop?

• [ ] A) They are the same thing
• [ ] B) Git is the engine, GitHub Desktop is a visual app to control it
• [ ] C) GitHub Desktop is only for Windows
• [ ] D) Git only works with GitHub Desktop

Answer

B) Git is the engine, GitHub Desktop is a visual app to control it

Git runs in the background and handles version control. GitHub Desktop gives you a visual interface with buttons and menus so you do not need to memorize commands.

Q3: What command runs the tests in XbotEdu?

• [ ] A) ./gradlew build
• [ ] B) ./gradlew test
• [ ] C) ./gradlew run
• [ ] D) ./gradlew compile

Answer

B) ./gradlew test

The test command runs all unit tests in the project. build compiles everything (and also runs tests), but test specifically focuses on running the tests.