Quick Start & Setup
Relevant source files
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The GoHighLevel Clone is a comprehensive marketing automation platform built using a modern full-stack architecture. The project follows Domain-Driven Design (DDD) principles and the TRUST 5 quality framework (Tested, Readable, Unified, Secured, Trackable) to ensure enterprise-grade scalability and maintainability.
This guide provides the necessary steps to set up the environment, install dependencies, and run the platform both locally for development and via Docker for production-ready deployment. The platform features a Python/FastAPI backend and a Next.js 14 frontend, supported by PostgreSQL and Redis.
Sources: README.md:12-25, DOCUMENTATION_SUMMARY.md:13-25
System Prerequisites
Before beginning the installation, ensure your environment meets the following technical requirements:
| Component | Minimum Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Python | 3.12+ | Backend runtime |
| Node.js | 20.x+ | Frontend runtime |
| Docker | Latest | Containerized deployment |
| PostgreSQL | 16+ | Primary relational database |
| Redis | 7+ | Caching and rate limiting |
Sources: README.md:43-51, DDD_IMPLEMENTATION_REPORT_SPEC_FRN_001.md:48-55
Local Development Setup
The project is structured as a monorepo containing distinct backend/ and frontend/ directories. Each requires independent configuration.
1. Repository Initialization
git clone https://github.com/softvibeslab/ghlvibes.git
cd ghlvibes
Sources: README.md:55-58
2. Backend Configuration
The backend uses FastAPI and SQLAlchemy with Alembic for migrations.
cd backend
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -e .
cp .env.example .env
# Update .env with database credentials
alembic upgrade head
uvicorn src.main:app --reload --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
The API documentation becomes available at http://localhost:8000/docs once the server is running.
Sources: README.md:60-80, DOCUMENTATION_SUMMARY.md:120-130
3. Frontend Configuration
The frontend is built with Next.js 14 using the App Router.
cd frontend
npm install
cp .env.example .env.local
# Update .env.local with NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL
npm run dev
The frontend application is accessible at http://localhost:3000.
Sources: README.md:84-97, frontend/QUICK_REFERENCE.md:310-315
Docker Deployment
For a unified environment, Docker Compose manages the orchestration of the backend, frontend, database, and cache.
This diagram represents the service interaction within the Docker environment.
Sources: README.md:101-115, DOCUMENTATION_SUMMARY.md:160-170
Orchestration Commands
| Command | Action |
|---|---|
docker-compose up -d | Build and start all services in detached mode |
docker-compose logs -f | Follow logs from all containers |
docker-compose down | Stop and remove containers |
docker-compose down -v | Stop containers and wipe persistent volumes |
Sources: README.md:101-115, README.md:215-225
Development Workflow & Verification
The project employs a SPEC-First DDD methodology, ensuring that features are planned as specifications before implementation.
Quality Verification
To ensure the installation is successful and meets the TRUST 5 standards, run the following verification suites:
# Backend Health Check
curl http://localhost:8000/health
# Run Backend Tests
cd backend
pytest tests/ -v --cov=src
# Run Frontend Tests
cd frontend
npm run test
Sources: README.md:118-124, COMPREHENSIVE_TESTING_REPORT.md:210-225
Architecture Data Flow
The following sequence diagram illustrates the standard request-response flow for a client interacting with the platform.
Summary
Setting up the GoHighLevel Clone involves configuring a Python 3.12+ backend and a Next.js 14+ frontend. Developers can choose between granular local setup for active coding or Docker Compose for rapid environment replication. Successful installation can be verified via the built-in health endpoints and the comprehensive pytest and Vitest testing suites.
Sources: README.md:280-295, FRONTEND_IMPLEMENTATION_SUMMARY.md:460-475