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Setup your development environment

Learn how to update your docs locally and deploy them to the web.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • Node.js 18+ installed
  • A text editor (VS Code recommended)
  • Git for version control
Download and install Node.js from nodejs.org. We recommend using the LTS version.Verify your installation:
node --version
npm --version
Install Git from git-scm.com and configure your identity:
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Clone the repository

Start by cloning the FlashMind repository:
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/flash.git
cd flash

Install dependencies

Install the required dependencies using npm:
npm install

Environment setup

1

Create environment file

Copy the example environment file:
cp .env.example .env.local
2

Configure Convex

Set up your Convex backend:
npx convex dev
This will prompt you to create a new Convex project.
3

Configure Clerk

Add your Clerk keys to .env.local:
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_clerk_publishable_key
CLERK_SECRET_KEY=your_clerk_secret_key

Start development

Run the development server:
npm run dev
The development command runs both the Next.js frontend and Convex backend in parallel.
Open http://localhost:3000 to see your application running.

Create your first deck

1

Sign up

Navigate to the sign-up page and create your account using Clerk authentication.
2

Create a deck

Click “Create Deck” and give it a name and description.
3

Add cards

Start adding flashcards to your deck with questions and answers.
4

Start studying

Begin your first study session and experience the spaced repetition algorithm.

Next steps

Learn about Features

Understand how FlashMind’s spaced repetition works

Understand the Code

Learn about FlashMind’s architecture and codebase

Customize your experience

Learn how to customize and extend FlashMind

Deploy to production

Get your FlashMind instance ready for production