# Prerequisites

Ready to dive into Aspire? Before you begin, make sure your development environment is set up with a few essential tools. This guide walks you through everything you need to start building and running Aspire solutions with confidence.

1. #### Install your language runtime

    Aspire's C# AppHost is built on .NET, a free, open-source, cross-platform framework for building modern apps and cloud services. You'll need the [.NET 10.0 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0) installed—no prior C# experience is required.
**Important:** The .NET 10.0 SDK is required for C# AppHosts. However, Aspire can run applications targeting .NET 8.0 or later.

    Follow the [installation instructions](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0) for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux) to complete the setup.

    Aspire's TypeScript AppHost requires [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) 20 or later (LTS recommended) and a compatible package manager. The following package managers are supported: **npm** (included with Node.js), **pnpm**, **Yarn**, and **Bun**. The Aspire CLI auto-detects the active toolchain from your `package.json` `packageManager` field or from lockfiles in your project directory or parent directories.

    Follow the [Node.js installation instructions](https://nodejs.org/) for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux) to complete the setup. If you use an alternative package manager, install it separately:

    - [pnpm](https://pnpm.io/installation)
    - [Yarn](https://yarnpkg.com/getting-started/install)
    - [Bun](https://bun.sh/docs/installation)

1. #### Install an OCI-compliant container runtime

    <ContainerRuntimeChoices
      ariaLabel="Container runtime choices"
      intro="Choose one runtime for local container support. Docker Desktop is the recommended default for most Aspire developers."
      choices={[
        {
          id: 'docker',
          title: 'Docker Desktop',
          href: 'https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop',
          linkLabel: 'Install Docker Desktop',
          statusLabel: 'Recommended default',
          description:
            'A familiar and widely supported environment for building and running containers.',
        },
        {
          id: 'podman',
          title: 'Podman',
          href: 'https://podman.io/',
          linkLabel: 'Install Podman',
          statusLabel: 'Supported alternative',
          description:
            'An open-source, daemonless runtime for building and running Open Container Initiative (OCI) containers.',
        },
        {
          id: 'rancher',
          title: 'Rancher Desktop',
          href: 'https://rancherdesktop.io/',
          linkLabel: 'Learn about Rancher Desktop',
          statusLabel: 'Community reported',
          description:
            'Reported by users as a successful alternative, especially when configured to use the Docker CLI. Rancher Desktop is not an officially supported or regularly tested Aspire scenario.',
        },
      ]}
      podmanSetup={{
        heading: 'Use Podman with Aspire',
        body: 'After installing Podman, set ASPIRE_CONTAINER_RUNTIME to podman.',
        bashTitle: 'Set Podman runtime',
        powershellTitle: 'Set Podman runtime',
      }}
    />

    :::tip[Choose one runtime]{icon='approve-check-circle'}
    Install one option from the tabs above. For most users, choose **Docker Desktop**; don't install Podman or Rancher Desktop unless you specifically want to use one of them instead.
    :::

1. #### Install an integrated development environment (IDE)

    Aspire supports multiple IDEs and code editors. You can choose the one that best fits your workflow:

    :::note[Visual Studio Code]{icon="vscode"}
    We recommend [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) for the best experience—a lightweight, cross-platform code editor with excellent Aspire support. Install the following extensions to get started:

    [Aspire extension](/get-started/aspire-vscode-extension/) for Aspire-specific commands and features.
    :::

    Additionally, install the [C# extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-dotnettools.csharp) for C# language support.

    Aspire also works well with:

    - [Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/): A full-featured IDE for C# development with debugging, IntelliSense, and Git support.
    - [JetBrains Rider](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/23289--net-aspire): A powerful, cross-platform C# IDE with advanced features like code analysis, refactoring, and debugging.

    Visual Studio Code with the Aspire extension is the recommended environment for TypeScript AppHosts.

    #### Consider alternatives to local installation (Optional)

If you prefer not to install the prerequisites on your local machine, you can develop Aspire solutions using cloud-based options like [GitHub Codespaces](/get-started/github-codespaces/) or [Dev Containers](/get-started/dev-containers/). These options allow you to work in a cloud-based environment, eliminating the need for local installations, but may not provide the same performance as local installations.

The Aspire team maintains a GitHub Codespaces (with preconfigured Dev Container) configuration to help you get started quickly:

<CodespacesButton owner='microsoft' repo='aspire-devcontainer'  />