Skip to main content

Installation

Set up a local Chive development environment.

System Requirements​

  • Node.js 22 or later
  • Docker and Docker Compose
  • pnpm 9 or later
  • Git

Clone the Repository​

git clone https://github.com/chive-pub/chive.git
cd chive

Install Dependencies​

pnpm install

Start Infrastructure​

The development stack requires PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, Neo4j, and Redis. Start these services with Docker Compose:

docker compose up -d

Wait for all services to become healthy:

docker compose ps

Run Database Migrations​

Apply the database schema:

pnpm db:migrate

Start Development Server​

Run the backend and frontend in development mode:

pnpm dev

The API server runs on http://localhost:4000 and the web interface on http://localhost:3000.

Verify Installation​

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser. You should see the Chive homepage.

Optional: Seed Test Data​

For development, you may want sample preprints:

pnpm seed:dev

This creates test users and preprints for local testing.

Common Issues​

Port Conflicts​

If ports 5432, 9200, 7474, or 6379 are in use, modify docker-compose.yml to use different ports.

Elasticsearch Memory​

Elasticsearch requires at least 2GB of memory. If it fails to start, increase Docker's memory allocation.

Neo4j Authentication​

The development Neo4j instance uses authentication. Credentials are in .env.development.

Next Steps​