Embarking on a new software development project can be exciting, but it's crucial to prioritize proper setup over immediately diving into coding to ensure long-term success and maintainability. This includes establishing a code repository with version control, implementing linting tools like ESLint to maintain code quality and uniformity, and using formatting tools such as Prettier to ensure consistent styling. Automated testing is vital to confirm code quality, support refactoring, encourage collaboration, and reduce time spent on debugging, while also enabling continuous integration. By setting up automated workflows for these processes, teams can prevent bypassing essential checks, ultimately improving the velocity and quality of software development. Although writing code is essential, preparation through setup and testing is equally critical to sustaining project momentum and quality throughout its lifecycle.