1. Getting started with development

This guide will help you get started on your journey of developing apps for SICON.OS by setting up your development environment and working with a code repository. Below are the steps to get started:

Prerequisite

Before you begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites installed on your system:

Docker Installed and Running:
Docker allows you to create, deploy, and run applications in containers. Containers provide a consistent environment for your application, making it easier to develop and deploy across different systems. To install Docker, follow the instructions for your operating system at Docker's official website.
Node.js Installed:
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that allows you to build scalable and efficient server-side applications. It comes with a package manager called npm (Node Package Manager) that you'll use to manage your project's dependencies. To install Node.js, visit the Node.js website and download the appropriate installer for your operating system.
Code Editor (e.g., Visual Studio Code) Installed:
A code editor is essential for writing, editing, and managing your code files. While you can choose any code editor that you're comfortable with, we recommend using Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for its robust features, extensions, and community support. You can download VS Code from the official website.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

Once you have the prerequisites installed, follow these steps to set up your development environment and work with the downloaded source code:

1. Verify Installation

Open a terminal or command prompt and run the following commands to verify that Docker, Node.js, and npm are installed correctly:

SH

docker --version
node -v
npm -v

You should see version numbers for Docker, Node.js, and npm, indicating that they are installed and accessible from the command line.

2. Getting the source code

1. Clone the Repository

Using Git:

If you prefer to use Git to clone the repository, open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where you want to download the repository. Then, use the "clone" command to download the repository from its source.

SH

git clone https://gitlab.sicon.eco/external/template.git

2. Download the ZIP Archive

Using ZIP Archive:

If you prefer to download a ZIP archive, visit the repository on https://gitlab.service.sicon.eco/external/template , click the "Download" button, and select the type of archive you want to download. Save the archive to a directory of your choice and extract its contents.

4. Open the Repository in Your Code Editor

Open your code editor (e.g., Visual Studio Code) and use the "Open Folder" option to navigate to the directory where you cloned or extracted the repository.

5. App Configuration

Open a terminal or command prompt and go to the root of the project folder which you cloned or downloaded in Step 2 and run the following commands

BASH

npm install

Now to configure the app and it’s dependencies, run the below command

BASH

npm run config

Following are the config steps which require your inputs

Prompt	Description
`Enter the vendor name`	Vendor name to your app, for eg. your company name
`Enter the container name`	Container name can be an unique name for your app which is unique in the group of each vendor
`What do you want to use in the project?`	Select all the services you require for your project. There is no limit on combinations, you can select or deselect any service.
`Enter the port number for <service_name>`	For each of the service selected in the above step a port number is to be defined. Services across a single app cannot share the same port. For eg. if Frontend is to be configured with port 80 then the other service cannot take port 80 and vice versa.

Continue with next step: 2. Deploy your app to your local SICON.OS installation