Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and answers about the Introductive Full-Stack Agentic Coding Lab.

General Questions

1. Q: I downloaded the assets from a chapter. What should I do with them?
   • A: Extract the assets and place them in the appropriate location based on your chosen tool. For tool-specific folders (.claude, .github), copy the contents into your project. For configuration files like .mcp.json, place them at the project root. For Copilot MCPs, add them globally. Always overwrite or merge with existing content as instructed in each chapter.
2. Q: Where should the agent harness folder (.github, .claude) be located in the fullstack-onlineshop project?
   • A: The agent harness folder should be at the root of your project. See the structure below (Claude users can find more details here):

   /fullstack-onlineshop/
       .claude/           # or .opencode / .github
       docker/
       onlineshopapi/
       onlineshopui/
       README.md
       .gitignore
       .mcp.json          # if using Claude
       opencode.json      # if using OpenCode

3. Q: How often should I commit my changes?
   • A: Commit as frequently as possible. Break your work into logical chunks and commit after completing each one. Write descriptive commit messages that clearly explain what changed and why.
4. Q: Can I use Podman instead of Docker?
   • A: Yes, Podman is officially supported as an alternative to Docker.
5. Q: Where should I host my GitHub repository for this lab?
   • A: Create a public repository under your personal GitHub account so the lab assistant can access and review your progress.
6. Q: Do I need to run my agent harness through WSL?
   • A: No, running through WSL is optional. It's provided as a suggestion but not required.
7. Q: Can I use a different agentic harness (e.g., Cursor, Antigravity, Gemini CLI)?
   • A: Yes, you may use any LLM-based agentic harness. However, the lab provides support only for Claude Code and Copilot CLI. If you choose another tool, you'll need to troubleshoot any issues independently.
8. Q: What is the minimum requirement to complete this lab?
   • A: You must complete through Chapter 6 (Small Feature Development) and have a working repository with all implementations from previous chapters functioning correctly.
9. Q: What should I log my time to (PSP)?
   • A: Consult the lab assistant, who will direct you to the appropriate person for timekeeping information.
10. Q: I didn't finish my planned work today. Can I continue on subsequent days?
    • A: Yes, LLM model access is typically provided for 2-5 days after the lab session. You must complete all work within this timeframe.
11. Q: Can I use my LLM access for projects outside this lab?
    • A: No, the provided access is exclusively for lab work.
12. Q: Is my usage being tracked?
    • A: Overall costs are monitored. The expected budget for lab completion is reasonable, and you shouldn't exceed it with normal usage.
13. Q: I don't know how to install a required tool. What should I do?
    • A: Ask the lab instructor for assistance, search online documentation, or consult an LLM agent harness for guidance.
14. Q: Can I provide feedback about this lab?
    • A: Yes, you can share feedback directly with the lab instructor or submit it through a feedback form which will be provided.
15. Q: I'm experiencing SSL/TLS issues when accessing or installing tools. How do I fix this?
    • A: This is typically caused by ZScaler or the company VPN. Try disabling the VPN/ZScaler, switching to a non-corporate network, or configuring environment variables to point to the ZScaler certificate.

Content Questions

1. Q: Do we use agents in this lab? What's the difference between agents and other tools?
   • A: No, this lab focuses on skills, MCP, and context files. Agents are not used. For a detailed explanation of the difference, refer to this brief.
2. Q: I finished the lab. Where can I find examples of what to add to my own projects?
   • A: To be announced.