Dev Container

Spindle Starter includes a Dev Container configuration, so you can get a fully working development environment with zero local setup. This works with GitHub Codespaces, VS Code Dev Containers, or any editor that supports the devcontainer spec.

What You Get

The Dev Container provides:

• Node.js 22 pre-installed
• Dependencies installed automatically on creation (npm install)
• Port 4321 forwarded — the dev server opens in your browser automatically
• VS Code extensions — ESLint and Prettier pre-configured

Using GitHub Codespaces

The fastest way to get started — no local installation needed at all.

1. Go to the spindle-starter repository
2. Click Use this template → Create a new repository
3. Name your repository (e.g. my-story) and create it
4. On your new repository, click the green Code button
5. Switch to the Codespaces tab
6. Click Create codespace on main

GitHub will build the container, install dependencies, and open VS Code in your browser. Once it's ready:

npm start

The dev server starts and Codespaces automatically opens it in a new browser tab.

WARNING

Don't create a codespace directly on the spindle-starter template repository — your changes would only exist in that ephemeral codespace with no repository to push to. Always create your own repository first.

Using VS Code Locally

If you prefer working locally but want the containerized environment:

Prerequisites

• Docker installed and running
• VS Code with the Dev Containers extension

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   npx degit rohal12/spindle-starter my-story
   cd my-story

2. Open the folder in VS Code:

   code .

3. VS Code will detect the .devcontainer/ folder and show a notification: "Reopen in Container" — click it. Or use the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and select Dev Containers: Reopen in Container.

4. Wait for the container to build and dependencies to install, then:

   npm start

The dev server starts on port 4321, which is automatically forwarded to your local machine.

Configuration

The Dev Container is configured in .devcontainer/devcontainer.json:

Setting	Value	Purpose
image	mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/javascript-node:22	Node.js 22 base image
postCreateCommand	npm install	Installs dependencies when the container is created
forwardPorts	[4321]	Forwards the dev server port
extensions	ESLint, Prettier	Pre-installs useful VS Code extensions

You can customize this file to add more extensions, environment variables, or other tools you need.