Installation Prerequisites

Node.js 20.10 or Later

The SaaS Kit requires Node.js version 20.10.0 or later. We recommend using the latest LTS version.

Check if Node.js is installed:

node --version

Install Node.js:

1. Using Official Installer:
   • Download from nodejs.org
   • Choose the LTS (Long Term Support) version
   • Run the installer and follow the prompts

Bun may also work, but we cannot promise full compatibility.

2. Using nvm (Recommended for developers):
   # Install nvm (macOS/Linux)
   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.3/install.sh | bash
   # Install latest LTS Node.js
   nvm install --lts
   nvm use --lts

Verify installation:

node --version
npm --version

pnpm Package Manager

This project uses pnpm instead of npm or yarn for better performance and disk space efficiency.

Install pnpm globally:

npm install -g pnpm

Verify installation:

pnpm --version

Why pnpm?

• Faster - Up to 2x faster than npm
• Efficient - Saves disk space with content-addressable storage
• Strict - Better dependency management
• Monorepo support - Excellent for our Turborepo setup

PostgreSQL 16 or Later

You need a running PostgreSQL instance.

We recommend using the provided Docker compose file to run the database and the Mailer testing service.

If you have Docker up and running on your machine, you can run the following command to start the Postgres database and the Mailer testing service:

pnpm run compose:dev:up

This will spin up:

• Postgres: a PostgreSQL 17 instance
• Mailpit: a service for testing emails locally

Git

Required for cloning the repository and version control.

Check if Git is installed:

git --version

Docker Desktop/Orbstack

Useful for running PostgreSQL and other services in containers.

Download:

• macOS/Windows: docker.com/products/docker-desktop
• Linux: Follow Docker Engine installation

On MacOS, we recommend using Orbstack instead of Docker Desktop. It is a lighter alternative that is faster and more efficient.

Download:

• macOS: orbstack.dev

Database Management Tools

To inspect and manage your database:

Drizzle Studio (Recommended - Built-in):

# Run after installation is complete
pnpm --filter "@kit/database" drizzle:studio

Email Service (Optional for Local Development)

Some emails will be logged to the console for local development. However, we recommend setting up an email testing service like Mailpit to test email features (invitations, password reset).

This is also required for full end-to-end testing of the kit - since it relies on emails being sent and received.

We recommend using Mailpit to test emails locally. This will be run automatically when you start the provided Docker compose file.

Verification Checklist

Before proceeding, verify you have:

• [ ] Node.js 20.x or later installed
• [ ] pnpm installed globally
• [ ] PostgreSQL 16+ running (local, Docker or hosted)
• [ ] Git installed and configured

Next: Clone Repository →