Dev Setup

Dev Environment Setup

Goal: clone → install → build → run in under 15 minutes. If it takes longer, the setup is broken.

Step 1: Check Prerequisites

Detect the project type from the repo and verify:

| Check | How | |-------|-----| | Runtime version | .node-version, .python-version, .tool-versions, rust-toolchain.toml, build.gradle.kts | | Package manager | package-lock.json (npm), yarn.lock (yarn), pnpm-lock.yaml (pnpm), Pipfile.lock, poetry.lock, Cargo.lock, go.sum | | Required services | docker-compose.yml, README setup section | | Environment vars | .env.example, .env.template |

Step 2: Install Dependencies

# Detect and run the appropriate install command
# npm install / yarn / pnpm install / pip install / cargo build / go mod download

Step 3: Configure Environment

1. Copy .env.example to .env (if exists)
2. Fill in required values (API keys, DB connection strings)
3. Start required services (docker compose up -d if applicable)

Step 4: Verify Build

# Run the project's build command
# Run the project's test suite

Step 5: Verify Dev Server

# Start the dev server and confirm it responds

Git Configuration

git config pull.rebase true          # Clean history
git config push.autoSetupRemote true # Auto-track branches

Common Troubleshooting

| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix | |---------|-------------|-----| | "Module not found" | Missing dependencies | Re-run install command | | Version mismatch | Wrong runtime version | Check version file, use version manager (nvm, pyenv, rustup) | | Build fails | Missing system dependency | Check README, install OS-level packages | | Port in use | Another process | lsof -i :PORT to find and stop it | | Permission denied | File permissions | Check file ownership, avoid sudo for package installs | | Tests fail on fresh clone | Missing env vars or services | Check .env.example and docker-compose.yml |

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: pvnarp
• Source: pvnarp/agent-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.