# Starting a dev environment

To begin development, you must do three things:

1. Install the `vagrant-hostmanager` plugin: `vagrant plugin install vagrant-hostmanager`

2. Install the `vagrant-bindfs` plugin: `vagrant plugin install vagrant-bindfs`

3. Create the directory `pony.fm.files` in the repository's parent directory

4. Run `vagrant up` from the folder in which you cloned the repository

5. Run `vagrant ssh`, `cd /vagrant`, and `php artisan poni:setup`.

6. Follow the instructions in the "Asset pipeline" section below to set that up.

Once everything is up and running, you'll be able to access the site at [http://ponyfm-dev.poni/](http://ponyfm-dev.poni/). You can access the MySQL database by logging into **192.168.33.11:3306** with the username **homestead** and the password **secret**. Pony.fm's database is named **homestead**.

# Asset pipeline

Pony.fm uses [gulp](http://gulpjs.com/) to mange its asset pipeline.

**Important:** Run `npm` and `gulp` from your host machine and not within the VM. You must first have it installed globally:

    npm install -g gulp

And then install all of the required local packages by invoking:

    npm install

Finally, build all of the scripts by executing:

    gulp build

During development, you should make a point to run "gulp watch". You can do this simply by executing:

    gulp watch

This will watch and compile the `.less` and `.coffee` files in real time.

# Configuring the servers

Pony.fm uses nginx, php-fpm, redis, and MySQL. You can modify the configuration of these services by locating the appropriate config file in the `vagrant` folder. Once modified, you must reload the configuration by running the appropriate shell script (`reload-config.sh`) or bat files (`reload-config.bat` and `reload-config.vmware.bat`). These scripts simply tell Vagrant to run `copy-and-restart-config.sh` on the VM.

If you need to change any other configuration file on the VM - copy the entire file over into the vagrant folder, make your changes, and update the `copy-and-restart-config.sh` script to copy the modified config back into the proper folder. All potential configuration requirements should be represented in the `vagrant` folder **and never only on the VM itself** as changes will not be preserved.

**NOTE:** currently, Redis's configuration is not reloaded by the `copy-and-restart-config.sh`