If you are joining Track 2 or Track 3 at Build with Gemini and would rather build on your own machine, this page walks you through setting up your laptop before the event.
Both tracks are hands-on builder workshops. On the day of the event, we give you a virtual environment with every tool already installed, so you do not need to do anything before the event.
This page is only for people who would rather build locally in their own development environment.
Set up your local environment
This process takes 45 to 90 minutes and it is important to use a personal laptop. Corporate laptops have VPNs and security policies which break the installers. To start, you will need:
- macOS 13 or later, Linux with glibc 2.28 or later, or Windows 10 build 19044 or later or Windows 11 with WSL2
- 8 GB RAM, 16 GB recommended
- 15 GB free disk
- Homebrew on macOS
- A GitHub account
- Your track number, which is on your registration confirmation
The setup repository is a personal project, not an official Google product. Have a look at the scripts before you run them.
1. Install Antigravity
First, download Antigravity, the agentic development platform we’ll be using for the workshop: antigravity.google/download
Sign in with your own Google account for now. On the day of the lab, you’ll switch to a provided, ephemeral (explore qwicklab) account.
2. Check your machine
Paste this into Antigravity:
Run this: https://github.com/lavinigam-gcp/bwg-lab-setup/blob/main/setup/preflight.sh
This script will assess if your local machine can support the software required for this workshop. It changes nothing on your computer, but returns an assessment:GO, GO WITH CAVEATS, or NO-GO. If you receive a “NO-GO,” it’s best to stop and use the provided virtual environment on the day of the workshop.
3. Clone the setup repo and open that folder
Next, paste this into Antigravity:
git clone https://github.com/lavinigam-gcp/bwg-lab-setup.git ~/novasmart-lab/setup
Open the ~/novasmart-lab/setup folder as a New Project in Antigravity. Antigravity only loads a project's skills when a session starts, and the check in step 6 expects this path.
4. Ask Antigravity to install additional software according to your track
The event will be divided into two workshop tracks. Tell Antigravity to set up your machine for your intended track:
Set up my laptop for the Track 2 lab.
OR:
Set up my laptop for the Track 3 lab.
Antigravity will show you what it intends to change and wait for your approval. Nothing is installed until you approve it. Expect about 850 MB of downloads, including Python 3.14, gcloud, git, uv, Node.js 24, and agents-cli.
If you prefer to run this script instead of having Antigravity run it for you, run the following in a terminal: bash setup/install.sh --track 2 or --track 3.
5. Open your lab folder as a new project in Antigravity, then restart Antigravity
Track 2 | ~/Desktop/Session1
Track 3 | ~/Desktop/build-with-gemini
6. Check you are ready
Ask Antigravity: Am I ready for the lab?
If Antigravity confirms your system is ready, you are fully prepared for the lab and no additional steps are required. The remaining instructions can be followed during the event.
However, if it indicates your system is not ready, please plan to use a provided VM or laptop at the event.
Two warnings before the event are normal: your account does not look like a lab account, and your project is not provisioned. Both will be fixed during the event. If you see any additional errors, see the troubleshooting guide.
If something breaks
TROUBLESHOOTING.md covers every failure we have seen, by operating system.
Prefer to run the commands by hand? manual_setup.md lists every one in order, with the Track 2 and Track 3 steps marked.
And if you run out of road, the virtual environment is waiting for you on the day.
See you there!
