Pre-Workshop Setup

Complete these steps 2-3 days before the workshop.

Required Account Signups

1. Workato Developer Edition

  • URL: workato.com/sandbox
  • Cost: Free
  • Approval Time: 24-48 hours
  • Required Permissions: Full workspace access

2. Salesforce Developer Edition

  • URL: developer.salesforce.com/signup
  • Cost: Free
  • Approval Time: Instant
  • Action: Verify you can log in before workshop day
  • Important: Note your username (e.g., yourname@yourcompany.com.devorg) — you’ll need it for CLI authentication
  • URL: dashboard.stripe.com/register
  • Cost: Free
  • Purpose: Payment processing features (checkout, refunds)
  • Why it matters: Without Stripe, payment-related recipes won’t function and you’ll miss key parts of the workshop experience
  • Important Setup Steps:
    1. For new accounts, Stripe’s onboarding asks you to register a business
    2. Click “Skip for now” (twice)
    3. Choose the “Sandbox” option
    4. Never use a Live Stripe account for the workshop

4. Email Account with Alias Support

  • Purpose: You’ll create separate Guest and Manager accounts using email aliases (e.g., yourname+guest@gmail.com, yourname+manager@gmail.com)
  • Gmail works out of the box — the + suffix routes to your main inbox
  • Outlook/Hotmail also supports + aliases
  • Action: Verify alias delivery works by sending yourself a test email to yourname+test@yourdomain.com before workshop day

Local Environment Requirements

Required Software

Software Minimum Version Check Command Install
Homebrew (macOS/Linux) Any brew --version /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Scoop (Windows) Any scoop --version irm get.scoop.sh \| iex
Node.js 20.x (LTS) node --version See platform-specific instructions below
Git Any recent git --version  
make Any make --version  
Workato CLI (wk) Any wk version See below

Install the Workato CLI

The wk CLI must be installed before the workshop. The setup script will check for it but cannot install it automatically.

macOS / Linux 

brew install workato-devs/tap/wk

Windows 

scoop bucket add workato-devs https://github.com/workato-devs/scoop-bucket
scoop install wk

Verify it’s installed: wk version

Install Node.js

macOS / Linux 

brew install node@20

Windows

Windows users: install Node.js 20 specifically. Scoop’s default nodejs (v26) and nodejs-lts (v24) packages are too new — native modules like bcrypt and better-sqlite3 don’t ship prebuilt Windows binaries for these versions, and compilation requires Visual Studio Build Tools. Node 20 has prebuilt binaries that work out of the box.

scoop bucket add versions
scoop install versions/nodejs20

If you have other Node versions installed via Scoop, make Node 20 the active version:

scoop reset nodejs20

Verify: node --version should show v20.x.x

Windows: Native Module Build Dependencies (Optional)

If you need Node 22+ on Windows, you must install the native build toolchain:

scoop install python
scoop install extras/vcredist2022

Then install Visual Studio Build Tools with the “Desktop development with C++” workload. Without these, npm install will silently fail on native modules (bcrypt, better-sqlite3).

  • VS Code or preferred IDE
  • Terminal access (iTerm2, Terminal.app, Windows Terminal)

Optional (Enhanced Experience)

MCP Desktop Client

Another way to test MCP functionality is with a desktop client that connects directly to your MCP servers:

Configuration instructions are provided in Unit 1 as an alternative way to test your MCP servers.

Testing Multiple Personas with Gmail Aliases

The Dewy Hotel app provides both manager and guest login experiences. To test both personas using a single Gmail account, use the + alias feature:

Persona Email Format Example
Guest yourname+guest@gmail.com john.doe+guest@gmail.com
Manager yourname+manager@gmail.com john.doe+manager@gmail.com

All emails go to your main inbox. Register each alias as a separate contact in Salesforce with the appropriate contact type (Guest or Manager).

Pre-Workshop Email Template

Send 1 week before the workshop:

Subject: MCP Workshop - Setup Checklist (Action Required)

Hi [Name],

Please complete these steps before the workshop on [Date]:

1. Sign up for Workato Developer Edition
   https://workato.com/sandbox
   Note: Approval may take 24-48 hours

2. Sign up for Salesforce Developer Edition
   https://developer.salesforce.com/signup
   Note: Instant approval, but verify you can log in

3. Sign up for Stripe Developer Account (Highly Recommended)
   https://dashboard.stripe.com/register
   Note: Skip business registration, choose Sandbox mode

4. Verify your email supports aliases:
   - Send a test email to yourname+test@gmail.com
   - You'll use +guest and +manager aliases during the workshop

5. Install the Workato CLI:
   - macOS/Linux: brew install workato-devs/tap/wk
   - Windows: scoop install wk
   - Verify: wk version

6. Verify your local environment:
   - Node.js 20+: `node --version`
   - Git: `git --version`

7. Ensure you have an IDE installed:
   - Recommended: VS Code (https://code.visualstudio.com)
   - Any code editor that supports TypeScript will work

If you encounter any issues, reply to this email and we'll help troubleshoot before the workshop.

See you there!

Day-Before Checklist

  • Workato Developer Edition approved and accessible
  • Salesforce Developer Edition login working (note your username!)
  • Stripe Developer Account created (Sandbox mode)
  • Email alias delivery verified (e.g., yourname+test@gmail.com)
  • Homebrew (macOS/Linux) or Scoop (Windows) installed
  • Workato CLI installed (wk version)
  • Node.js 20+ installed (node --version) — Windows: must be v20.x specifically
  • Git installed (git --version)
  • make installed (make --version)
  • IDE installed (VS Code recommended)
  • Laptop charged / power adapter packed