Developer environment bootstrap script

The first week sets the tone for a remote employee’s entire tenure. A structured onboarding process helps new hires feel welcomed, informed, and ready to contribute—while avoiding the confusion and isolation that often plague distributed teams. This step-by-step guide covers exactly what to do each day during a new remote employee’s first week.

Day 1: Welcome and Access Setup

Morning (First 2 Hours)

Start with a personal welcome. Send a greeting from their manager or buddy introducing themselves and outlining what to expect. This message should include:

A warm welcome to the team
The schedule for Day 1
Links to essential tools they’ll need
Contact information for their onboarding buddy

Here’s a template you can adapt:

Subject: Welcome to [Company]! 🖐️

Hi [Name],

Welcome to the team! I'm [Name], your manager, and [Buddy Name] will be your onboarding buddy this week.

Today you'll:
- Set up your accounts (see checklist below)
- Meet the team at our 10am welcome call
- Complete security training (about 30 minutes)

Your access checklist:
- [ ] Set up your company email
- [ ] Join Slack and introduce yourself in #general
- [ ] Log into our project management tool
- [ ] Access the team wiki

Let me know if you hit any snags—I'm here to help!

Best,
[Manager Name]

Midday: Technical Setup

Guide new hires through developer environment setup. Create a reproducible setup script or document that covers:

Required tools and accounts:

Code editor configurations and extensions
Git configuration with proper signing keys
VPN access credentials
Repository access permissions
CI/CD pipeline access

For developer teams, consider providing a bootstrap script:

#!/bin/bash
# Developer environment bootstrap script
# Run: chmod +x setup.sh && ./setup.sh

# Install Homebrew packages
brew install git node python

# Clone essential repositories
git clone git@github.com:company/main-app.git
git clone git@github.com:company/shared-libs.git

# Configure git
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@company.com"

# Install project dependencies
cd main-app && npm install

Afternoon: Team Introduction

Schedule a 30-minute video call where team members briefly introduce themselves. Keep it structured:

Each team member shares their role
One fun fact or something non-work related
How they typically communicate ( Slack, email, video calls)

Day 2: Process and Workflows

Morning: Async Documentation Review

Have new employees review key team documentation. Create a structured reading list:

Team handbook - values, working hours, communication norms
Development workflow - branching strategy, code review process, deployment cadence
Meeting rhythm - standup times, sprint planning, retrospectives
Tools documentation - how to use each platform the team uses

Provide a simple form for notes and questions:

## Documentation Review Notes

### Things I understood well:
-

### Questions I have:
-

### Suggestions for improving docs:
-

Afternoon: Pair Programming Session

Schedule a 60-minute pair programming session with their buddy or a team member. This helps them:

See real-world coding workflows
Understand the codebase structure
Ask questions in real-time
Build a relationship with a team member

Day 3: Hands-On Contribution

Morning: First Task Assignment

Assign a “good first issue”—a small, well-defined task that:

Can be completed in 2-4 hours
Requires touching multiple files
Has clear acceptance criteria
Won’t cause problems if mistakes are made

This could be:

Fixing a typo in documentation
Adding a test case
Refactoring a small function
Updating a dependency

Afternoon: Code Review Experience

Have the new employee submit their first pull request, then conduct a thorough code review that:

Explains the team’s code style
Discusses the review process
Provides constructive feedback
Celebrates what they did well

Day 4: Process Deep Dive

Morning: Attend Key Meetings

Have the new employee observe (and optionally participate in) the team’s standup. This helps them:

Understand how the team communicates
Learn about current projects
Start recognizing team dynamics

If your team uses async standups, review examples together and discuss the format.

Afternoon: Cross-Team Introductions

Schedule brief 15-minute meetings with key stakeholders:

Product manager or owner
Designer (if applicable)
QA team lead
Customer support representative

These help new employees understand how their work fits into the broader picture.

Day 5: Check-In and Goal Setting

Morning: Manager One-on-One

Conduct a 30-minute check-in covering:

How they’re feeling about the onboarding
Any blockers or confusion
Questions about expectations
Initial observations about processes

First Week Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure nothing falls through the cracks:

Onboarding Checklist - Week 1

Day 1:
[ ] Welcome email sent
[ ] Accounts created and tested
[ ] Team introduction meeting completed
[ ] Development environment set up

Day 2:
[ ] Documentation reviewed
[ ] Questions documented
[ ] Pair programming session completed
[ ] Tool access verified

Day 3:
[ ] First task assigned
[ ] Pull request submitted
[ ] Code review completed
[ ] Feedback provided

Day 4:
[ ] Standup attended
[ ] Cross-team meetings completed
[ ] Team communication channels understood

Day 5:
[ ] Manager 1:1 completed
[ ] Week summary document created
[ ] Week 2 goals set
[ ] Feedback collected

Common Onboarding Mistakes to Avoid

Overloading with information. Don’t try to explain everything in the first week. Focus on the essentials and let deeper learning happen over time.

Skipping the human connection. Remote work can feel isolating. Ensure new employees build real relationships with at least 2-3 team members during week one.

Assuming tools are intuitive. What seems obvious to veteran team members may confuse newcomers. Document the “obvious” things.

No clear first task. New employees need something concrete to work on. Without it, they feel useless or like they’re in the way.

Neglecting feedback. Ask how the onboarding is going mid-week, not just at the end. Fix problems while they’re still small.

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