Prerequisites

Everything you need set up before starting the workshop

Tools & Software

Make sure you have the following installed:

• Node.js 18+ - https://nodejs.org
• VS Code - https://code.visualstudio.com
• GitHub account - https://github.com, required for GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Copilot enabled in VS Code: sign in to your GitHub account in VS Code via Accounts (bottom-left avatar icon) and make sure Copilot is active. If the Copilot icon isn't visible, open the Extensions panel and install GitHub Copilot from the marketplace.

Verify your Node.js version:

node --version

You should see v18.x.x or higher.

APS Account & Credentials Setup

You need an Autodesk account, an APS subscription, and a Developer Hub, the portal where you create and manage your APS apps.

1. Sign in at aps.autodesk.com

Go to aps.autodesk.com and sign in. If you don't have an account, click Create account and complete the form.

2. Open the Developer Hubs page

After signing in, click the Developer hubs button in the top-right corner. If you haven't set one up yet, you'll see:

"It seems you don't have a hub yet"

3. Get an APS plan

Click View options and sign up for the free tier. No consumption charges apply for the APIs used in this workshop.

4. Create a Developer Hub

Once you have a plan, create the hub from your Autodesk account. You can also follow the official APS tutorial for this step.

1. Go to manage.autodesk.com and sign in with the same account
2. Click Products and Services, then the Hubs tab
3. Click Create hub
4. Select APS Developer Hub as the product
5. Enter a hub name (e.g. devcon-workshop) and click Create & Activate
6. Click your hub name to open the developer portal

5. Create your application credentials

Inside your developer hub:

1. Go to the Applications page
2. Click Create application
3. Enter a name (e.g. devcon-workshop)
4. Select Traditional Web App: this app type supports both 2-legged (server-to-server) and 3-legged (user login) OAuth, so you can reuse one app throughout the entire workshop
5. Click Create
6. Under General Settings, find Callback URLs and add http://localhost:3001/auth/callback. Click Save changes.
7. Under API Access, select the APIs your app needs (at minimum: Data Management, OSS)
8. Click Save changes
9. Copy your Client ID and Client Secret from the app overview and save them. You will need them later to authenticate your MCP server with APS and call its APIs.

Keep your Client ID and Client Secret handy. You'll need them in Chapter 3 when setting up the APS server, and again in Chapter 4 for user authentication.