[Docs] Add documentation for local development

[paramsiddharth]

Add documentation for local development

The documentation and wiki currently lack sufficient content on setting up local development environments on Linux, Macintosh, and especially Windows. We have come across several bugs in Codespaces recently, which makes it not the best choice for development.

Although the bootstrap script makes things convenient for Homebrew users, the convenience we desire doesn't necessarily have to be a bootstrapping script but giving the contributors the ability to understand what dependencies and configuration they need to have to develop the application locally. Hence, we need to have documentation on setting up local development environments.

Notes

• We need multiple guides each for Windows, Linux (guides for multiple distros would be great), and Macintosh.
• We need to take into account the infeasibility of having to figure out configurations for the environment variables, .env and the auth_config.json on one's own, and therefore should carefully document each of the configurations needed (including the optional ones) in great detail.
• Adding documentation on how to use the existing docker-compose.yml file inside the repository would do great to users with Docker on their system, because they won't need to install the dependencies in their own environment and still develop.
• Until #432 gets resolved, we need to document a convenient technique to manually set the environment variables for the database, too.
• Until #430 gets resolved, we need to document the fact that running the npm scripts directly won't work on CMD on Windows, too.

[paramsiddharth]

• [ ] #467

[smgraywood]

Started here for MacOS: https://github.com/ProgramEquity/amplify/wiki/Local-Setup

[paramsiddharth]

@smgraywood Good job, Sarah! Here's a suggestion: Try to use block-level codeblocks instead of inline codeblocks.

For example,

Instead of run $ echo 123

run `$echo 123`

Use

echo 123

```shell
echo 123

[smgraywood]

@smgraywood Good job, Sarah! Here's a suggestion: Try to use block-level codeblocks instead of inline codeblocks.

For example,

Instead of run $ echo 123

run `$echo 123`

Use

echo 123

```shell
echo 123

Hey @paramsiddharth is this more what you were thinking? https://github.com/ProgramEquity/amplify/wiki/Local-Setup

[paramsiddharth]

Hey @paramsiddharth is this more what you were thinking? ProgramEquity/amplify/wiki/Local-Setup

Hi @smgraywood ! I meant, I was asking you to use block-level codeblocks than inline codeblocks. :)

If you need an explanation you can text me.

[smgraywood]

Hey @paramsiddharth is this more what you were thinking? ProgramEquity/amplify/wiki/Local-Setup

Hi @smgraywood ! I meant, I was asking you to use block-level codeblocks than inline codeblocks. :)

If you need an explanation you can text me.

I added the "``" instead of the single "" is it still not showing up as a code block rather than inline?

[paramsiddharth]

@smgraywood You're almost correct — Follow this link to see a change I just made to understand how to do it correctly: https://github.com/ProgramEquity/amplify/wiki/Local-Setup/_compare/8ad3ae1afe949b8e3056d2fa2602e3da9865d408...8c9a5835a7562813b8080282b5190d6c994b2afb

[smgraywood]

@smgraywood You're almost correct — Follow this link to see a change I just made to understand how to do it correctly: https://github.com/ProgramEquity/amplify/wiki/Local-Setup/_compare/8ad3ae1afe949b8e3056d2fa2602e3da9865d408...8c9a5835a7562813b8080282b5190d6c994b2afb

Ok it should now be updated correctly.

[paramsiddharth]

@smgraywood If you look carefully, when the code blocks are rendered, there is a tiny copy-to-clipboard button on the right.

Whenever we add block-level code-blocks to documentation, we want them to be in a manner such that what gets copied can be simply pasted in the console/IDE by the user and used.

What's happening right now is it is copying run $ npm install instead of npm install, so I'd recommend you remove the run $ part and add that phrase as an instruction prior to the code-blocks.

Another interesting fact about Markdown code-blocks — You can add syntax-highlighting by adding the file-type/extension after the first 3 backquotes. An example is below: Code:

```js
console.log('Sum:', 1 + 2); // Comment

Rendered:
```js
console.log('Sum:', 1 + 2); // Comment

For command-line blocks, you can use shell or bash in place of js as in the above example.

[SAUMILDHANKAR]

@paramsiddharth: Hi Param, the current local setup wiki for windows really helped me in setting up my local environment and I wanted to share the points that I am planning to add as below. Would really appreciate your feedback on this. Thank you.

1. Make sure the node version installed on your local windows machine is compatible with package.json file. Different versions are available here.
2. In your local branch's package.json file, replace

   "dev:backend": "PORT=5000 nodemon -w ./server server/server.js",

   with

   "dev:backend": "cross-env PORT=5000 nodemon -w ./server server/server.js",

3. In your local branch's amplify/server/db/util.js file, add:

   require('dotenv').config()

4. In your .env file, add:

   POSTGRES_DB: postgres
   POSTGRES_USER: postgres
   POSTGRES_PASSWORD: postgres
   POSTGRES_PORT: 5433