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Getting Started

Use this guide to run AuctioHub locally and verify core workflows.

Prerequisites​

  • Node.js 20.x LTS (recommended)
  • npm 10+ (or your team-approved package manager)
  • PostgreSQL 14+
  • Git
  • Stripe test account credentials
  • Google OAuth credentials for local callback testing

Local Setup​

1. Clone And Install​

git clone <repository-url>
cd docs.auctiohub
npm install

2. Create Environment File​

Create .env.local in the project root.

NODE_ENV=development
NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=<long-random-secret>

GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=<google-client-id>
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET=<google-client-secret>

DATABASE_URL=postgresql://<user>:<password>@<host>:5432/<db>
DATABASE_SSL=false

CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=<cloud-name>
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=<api-key>
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=<api-secret>

STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=<stripe-secret>
STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET=<stripe-webhook-secret>
NEXT_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=<stripe-publishable>

ADMIN_EMAILS=admin1@example.com,admin2@example.com

3. Initialize Database​

Run your schema and setup scripts in this order:

npm run db:schema
npm run db:setup
npm run db:migrate

If your repository uses different script names, use the equivalents defined in package.json.

4. Start The App​

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000.

First Smoke Test Checklist​

Validate the following routes and behaviors:

  • Home page loads with featured content.
  • Category browsing and auction detail pages open.
  • Sign-in succeeds with Google auth.
  • User dashboard is accessible for signed-in users.
  • Admin dashboard is blocked for non-admin users.
  • Admin dashboard is accessible for configured admin accounts.
  • Bid submission rejects values not greater than current price.
  • Winner can access payment flow; non-winner cannot.

Common Setup Issues​

  • OAuth callback mismatch: verify NEXTAUTH_URL and Google redirect URI.
  • Database connection error: verify DATABASE_URL and SSL flag.
  • Missing media or upload failures: verify Cloudinary variables.
  • Payment test failures: verify Stripe secret and webhook secret values.