Installation & Setup
Get the AquaGen Web Application running on your machine. The happy path is three steps — clone → install → start — and takes about 5 minutes after your tools are in place.
Every npm/Nx script (build, create/integrate libraries, deploy) is documented in the Commands Reference. Keep it open in a second tab.
Prerequisites
| Software | Recommended | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js | 20.x LTS (18+ required) | JavaScript runtime |
| npm | 10.x (ships with Node) | Package manager |
| Git | Latest | Version control |
| VS Code | Latest | Recommended editor |
Verify your versions:
node --version # v18+ (20.x LTS recommended)
npm --version # 10.x
git --version # 2.x
Step 1: Clone the repository
You need access to Fluxgentech/aquagen_web_appp first — ask your onboarding buddy or lead if
you don't have it.
git clone <repository-url> aquagen_web_appp
cd aquagen_web_appp
Top-level layout you'll see:
aquagen_web_appp/
├── apps/ # application shells (production, demo, and standalone apps)
├── libs/ # feature libraries — where most code lives
├── docs/ # these docs
├── package.json
└── nx.json
Step 2: Install dependencies
npm install
This installs everything in package.json (~1,300 packages) and sets up the Nx workspace
cache. It usually takes 2–5 minutes on a first run.
- Don't use
sudo. If you hit permission errors, fix your npm permissions instead. - If it fails partway, delete
node_modules/andpackage-lock.json, then runnpm installagain.
Step 3: Start the app
npm start
This runs nx serve production — a Rspack dev server with hot reload on
http://localhost:4200. Open that URL and you should reach the
AquaGen login screen.
That's it — you're running AquaGen locally.
Configuration & secrets
The app's API endpoints and auth (Azure MSAL) are already configured in the repo — you do
not set up your own Firebase project or Azure AD app to run it locally. If a feature needs
an environment-specific value or secret, ask your lead rather than guessing; there is no
.env convention to fill in for a standard local run.
Common issues
Port 4200 already in use
lsof -ti:4200 | xargs kill -9 # free the port
# or run on another port:
npx nx serve production --port=4300
Module not found after pulling changes
npx nx reset # clear the Nx cache
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json && npm install
Build runs out of memory
export NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=8192"
npm run build
Optional: editor setup
- Install the ESLint and Prettier VS Code extensions and enable format on save.
- Install the Nx Console extension for a UI over Nx commands and the project graph.
- Add React DevTools to your browser for component debugging.
Quick reference
npm install # install dependencies
npm start # dev server on http://localhost:4200
npm run build # production build
npx nx test <project> # run a project's tests (no root `npm test`)
npx nx lint <project> # lint a project
npx nx graph # visualize app/library dependencies
See the full Commands Reference for the rest.
Next steps
Your environment is ready. Everyone continues with the same track next:
- Architecture → Practice — the guided, hands-on tour of the monorepo, routing, state, components, API layer, and conventions (it lives in the Architecture section).
- Reference as needed: Architecture Diagrams and the Commands Reference.
Return to Start Here any time to re-check your path.