Setup

Get your app running in 5 minutes!

Prerequisites

Make sure you have these installed:

  • Node.js – Version 22.x or higher (includes npm).
  • Git – For version control.
  • Cursor or VSCode – For editing your code.

Setup in 5 Minutes

1. Clone the Repository

You have three ways to get a copy:

  1. Fork + Clone Fork the repo on GitHub, then clone your fork:
    Terminal
    git clone https://github.com/your-username/shipahead-template.git your-project-name
    
  2. Use Template Click Use this template on the ShipAhead repo to create a new repository, then clone it.
  3. Direct Clone
    Terminal
    git clone https://github.com/Tom-Han-Org/shipahead-template.git your-project-name
    cd your-project-name
    

2. Install Dependencies

Run this to install everything the project needs:

Terminal
npm install

3. Configure Your Project

  • Environment Variables Copy the example file and update it with your settings (database URLs, API keys, etc.):
    Terminal
    mv .env.example .env
    

    Open .env in a text editor and fill in your values.
  • App Configuration Customize your app name, feature toggles, and other settings in shared/config.ts.

4. Run the Development Server

Start your app locally:

Terminal
npm run dev

Visit http://localhost:3000 – your app is live! 🎉

Pull Updates

Keep your project in sync with the latest ShipAhead changes:

Terminal
git remote add upstream https://github.com/Tom-Han-Org/shipahead-template.git
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main

Tip: If there are merge conflicts, review and resolve them manually.