3.0: Setup & Download

• Time to Complete: 5 minutes
• Prerequisites: Course files downloaded, Google account

What is Nano Banana?

Nano Banana teaches you to generate professional images using Gemini 3 Pro Preview (codenamed “Nano Banana Pro”) - Google’s most advanced image generation model. But this isn’t just a course about prompting an image generator.

This is a Cursor course.

You’ll learn to build a complete image generation workflow where Cursor:

• Runs your generations - Execute image requests directly from your terminal
• Batches multiple images - Generate variants and iterations in parallel
• Manages your files - Organize outputs, name them intelligently, track versions
• Builds your style library - Create and maintain reusable style definitions
• Iterates with you - Refine prompts, adjust parameters, and improve results conversationally

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to create:

• Persona portraits and lifestyle shots
• Journey maps and user flow visualizations
• Wireframes and device mockups
• Architecture diagrams and strategy frameworks
• Marketing assets and launch graphics

Key insight: You’re not just learning to generate images - you’re building a professional creative pipeline powered by Cursor that compounds over time. The workflow matters as much as the output.

Already Have the Course Files?

Nano Banana is included in the main course download! If you’ve already downloaded and set up the course (Module 0), you’re ready to go.

To start Nano Banana:

1. Open your cursor-pm-course folder in Cursor
2. Open Composer (Cmd+I or Ctrl+I)
3. Type /start-3-1-1 and press Enter

The module will guide you through getting your Gemini API key and generating your first image.

Need to Download the Course?

If you haven’t downloaded the course files yet:

📥 Download Course Files

See the Opening the Course Folder guide for detailed setup instructions.

Before You Start Module 3

You’ll need:

• Course files downloaded and opened in Cursor
• A Google account
• A payment method for Google Cloud billing

About cost: Gemini 3 Pro charges ~$0.10 per image. The entire module costs less than $5 total. The first lesson will walk you through setting up billing.

What You’ll Learn

Module 3.1: Introduction to Image Generation

• 3.1.1: Welcome & First Generation - Set up your API key and generate your first image
• 3.1.2: Understanding the Basics - Parameters, aspect ratios, resolution, iteration
• 3.1.3: Consistency & Style - Golden Rules of prompting, reference images, variants
• 3.1.4: Building Your Style Database - Create a reusable library of styles

Module 3.2: PM Use Cases

• 3.2.1: Users & Product Visuals - Personas, journey maps, wireframes, mockups
• 3.2.2: Strategy & Architecture - Diagrams, matrices, roadmaps
• 3.2.3: Marketing & Launch Assets - App store graphics, ads, announcements

Troubleshooting

Slash commands don’t appear

Make sure you’re running Cursor from the cursor-pm-course folder (not a subfolder). The slash commands only work when Cursor has access to the .cursor/commands/ directory.

”Module not found” error

You may have an older version of the course. Download the latest version to get all modules including Nano Banana.

What’s Next?

Type: /start-3-1-1 in Composer

The AI will guide you through:

• Getting your Gemini API key
• Setting up billing
• Generating your first image

The entire setup takes about 5 minutes, and you’ll have your first AI-generated image before you know it.

About This Course

Created by Carl Vellotti. Nano Banana is part of the Cursor for Product Managers course. Check out The Full Stack PM for more PM builder content.

Source Repository: github.com/carlvellotti/cursor-pm-course