Ready, Set, Robot!
==================================================

Setting the Stage (Installation & Setup)
----------------------------------------

**Theme:** *Setting the Stage* — before we dive into robotics theory, code, 
and simulation, we ensure everyone has the right tools installed and configured. 
This week focuses on preparing development environments across **Linux**, 
**Windows**, and **macOS**.

.. image:: _static/trajectory.gif
   :alt: Example GIF
   :align: center

Focus
-----

- Install the necessary tools for the workshop:
  - Python 3.x, pip, and virtual environments
  - Git and GitHub setup
  - ROS 2 Humble/Foxy (Linux, Windows/macOS guidance)
  - Gazebo simulator
  - RViz2 visualization tool
  - Text editors/IDEs (VS Code recommended)
- Learn basic command-line usage (Linux, macOS, Windows PowerShell).
- Verify installations with test commands.

Learning Flow
-------------

1. **Theory**
   - Why Linux (Ubuntu) is the preferred OS for robotics.
   - Overview of ROS 2 distributions and system requirements.
   - Differences between Linux, Windows, and macOS setup.

2. **Practical Setup**
   - **Linux**:
     - Install ROS 2 from apt repositories.
     - Install Gazebo and RViz2.
     - Configure environment variables in `.bashrc`.
   - **Windows**:
     - Install Linux on windows using WSL is the best route but we can still run it straight on windows
     - Install Python and VS Code.
     - Install ROS 2 binaries for Windows (optional).
     - Set up PowerShell for GitHub and Python projects.
   - **macOS**:
     - Install Homebrew.
     - Install Python, Git, and dependencies.
     - Guidance for Docker-based ROS 2/Gazebo setup.
   

3. **Verification**
   - Run `ros2 run demo_nodes_cpp talker` and `ros2 run demo_nodes_py listener`.
   - Launch `rviz2` successfully.
   - Run a sample Gazebo world.

4. **Assignment**

   - Install all required tools on your machine.
   - Verify by running ROS 2 talker/listener demo.
   - Push a screenshot of your working RViz2 session to your GitHub repo 
     (with a short README describing your setup steps).

Takeaway
--------

By the end of this week, all students will have a **fully working development environment** 
on Linux, Windows, or macOS. This ensures everyone starts on equal footing, ready to 
focus on learning robotics rather than troubleshooting installations.