Getting Started
This page covers the shortest path from a fresh clone to a running app. For prerequisite details, troubleshooting, and the manual setup in full, see Installation.
With Docker
The recommended path. It needs Docker Engine with the Compose v2 plugin, and nothing else.
git clone https://github.com/Promethys/ignite.git
cd ignite
cp .env.example .env
docker compose -f compose.dev.yaml up -d --buildThat builds the images, installs both dependency sets, generates your application key, migrates and seeds the database, and starts the app with hot reload. Visit http://localhost:8080 and sign in with admin@example.com / password.
Why .env comes first
Compose needs the file on disk to create the database service and to inject variables into the containers. Both happen before any container exists, so copying it is a genuine first step rather than something the startup script could handle. Installation explains what does and does not end up inside the image.
Without Docker
Prerequisites, in short: PHP 8.5+, Node.js 22+, Composer, and a PostgreSQL database.
1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Promethys/ignite.git
cd ignite2. Install dependencies
composer install
npm install3. Set up your environment
cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate4. Configure your database
Ignite uses PostgreSQL by default. Set the DB_* variables in .env and create the database. See Installation for connection details and Windows-specific notes.
5. Run migrations and seed
php artisan migrate --seedThis creates the schema and, local/dev only (never in production), a default admin account (admin@example.com / password).
6. Start the app
composer devThis runs the Laravel server, the queue worker, and the Vite dev server concurrently. Visit http://localhost:8000.
Next steps
- Installation for detailed setup options and troubleshooting
- Self-Hosting to run your own instance for real
- Configuration for environment variables and app settings
- Goal Types to learn how goals, entries, and milestones work