# System requirements for this course To fully follow the course, you will need a running `cardano-node` instance on one of the Cardano testnets (preferably `preview`). The `cardano-node` instance is required to actually interact with and test the scripts you build. The other requirement is having an environment for writing and compiling Plutus scripts. Together, these two roughly add up to the following two minimal system requirements: * working memory: 8 GB RAM * disk space: 40 GB would be the minimum, 60-80 GB recommended ### Setting up cardano-node There are many ways to set up a `cardano-node`. This guide favours the use of the guild operators' guide: [https://cardano-community.github.io/guild-operators](https://cardano-community.github.io/guild-operators/). To avoid building the binaries yourself, you can use the already compiled binaries from IOG (found on the `cardano-node` release pages) instead. This is also explained in the guild operators' guide. A short video will be available that follows the instructions as well. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://plutus.hpmeducation.com/the-plutus-environment/system-requirements-for-this-course.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.