> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://prostack.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Get started with ProStack in minutes

This guide will walk you through the process of setting up ProStack on your local development environment.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following tools installed:

* **Node.js** (version 18 or higher)
* **Bun** (recommended for faster installation and development)
* **PostgreSQL** (version 14 or higher)
* **Git**

## Clone the Repository

Start by cloning the ProStack repository to your local machine or using it as a template for your new project.

## Install Dependencies

ProStack uses Bun for dependency management and as a JavaScript runtime. While npm is supported, we recommend using Bun for the best performance:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Using Bun (Recommended) theme={null}
  # Install Bun if you don't have it
  curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

  # Install dependencies
  bun install
  ```

  ```bash Using npm theme={null}
  npm install
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Set Up Environment Variables

ProStack requires several environment variables to function correctly. We provide example configuration files to help you get started:

1. Copy the example environment file:

```bash theme={null}
cp .env.example .env
```

2. Open the `.env` file in your code editor and update the values as needed:

```plaintext theme={null}
# Basic configuration
NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/prostack"

# Authentication secrets - generate with: openssl rand -hex 32
BETTER_AUTH_SECRET="generated-secret-here"

# API keys for external services
RESEND_API_KEY="re_123456789" # Get from resend.com
OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-123456789" # Get from platform.openai.com
```

Refer to the [Environment Variables](/configuration/environment-variables) section for detailed information about each variable.

## Database Setup

ProStack uses PostgreSQL as its database. Follow these steps to set up your database:

1. Install PostgreSQL if you haven't already:
   * **macOS**: `brew install postgresql@16 && brew services start postgresql@16`
   * **Ubuntu**: `sudo apt install postgresql-16`
   * **Windows**: Download installer from postgresql.org

2. Create a PostgreSQL database:

```sql theme={null}
CREATE DATABASE prostack;
```

3. Update the `DATABASE_URL` in your `.env` file with your PostgreSQL credentials.

4. Run the database migrations to create the necessary tables:

```bash theme={null}
bun run db:push
```

## Start the Development Server

Once you've completed the setup, you can start the development server:

```bash theme={null}
bun run dev
```

Your ProStack application should now be running at [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000).

## Next Steps

Now that you have ProStack up and running, here are some next steps to consider:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Environment Setup" icon="gear" href="/environment-setup">
    Learn about advanced configuration options
  </Card>

  <Card title="Local Development" icon="code" href="/development/local-development">
    Development workflow and best practices
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="lock" href="/features/authentication">
    Understand the authentication system
  </Card>

  <Card title="Database Management" icon="database" href="/development/database-management">
    Learn how to work with the database
  </Card>
</CardGroup>