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Developer Initial Setup

Welcome to FindU! This guide will help you set up your development environment and get you coding in minutes.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:
  • Git (v2.30+)
  • Node.js (v18+ LTS recommended)
  • npm or yarn
  • Supabase CLI (optional, for database work)
  • Claude Code (optional, for AI-assisted development)
Pro tip: If you’re on macOS, you can install most prerequisites using Homebrew:
brew install git node supabase/tap/supabase

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Quick Start

The fastest way to get started is using our automated setup script: 
# Clone the dev-tools repository
git clone https://github.com/findu-app/dev-tools.git

# Run the setup script
cd dev-tools
./scripts/setup.sh
This script will:
  1. Clone all FindU repositories
  2. Install dependencies for each project
  3. Create your .env.local configuration
  4. Set up pre-commit hooks
  5. Configure MCP for Claude Code (if installed)

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What Gets Installed

After running the setup script, you’ll have: 
~/findu/
├── dev-tools/          # Developer tools and scripts
├── ios_app/           # iOS mobile app
├── web_app/           # React dashboard
├── supabase/          # Database & edge functions
├── school_matching/   # ML matching engine
├── data_scraping/     # Data collection scripts
├── docs/              # Documentation (this site!)
├── .env.local         # Your environment config
└── findu              # CLI wrapper

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Environment Configuration

The setup script creates a .env.local file in your findu root directory. This file controls which environment you’re working with (development or production).
Never commit .env.local to version control! It contains sensitive credentials.
To switch environments: 
# Switch to development
./findu env switch dev

# Switch to production (be careful!)
./findu env switch prod

# Check current environment
./findu env status

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Next Steps

Environment Config

Learn about environment variables and configuration

CLI Reference

Master the findu CLI commands

Workflow Guide

Common development workflows and best practices

Team Resources

Access team resources and onboarding materials

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

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Getting Help

  • Slack: Join #dev-help for quick questions
  • GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
  • Documentation: You’re already here! 🎉
Ready to start building? Head to the workflow guide to learn common development patterns.