For production, use the versioned Docker installation below; Node.js and pnpm are not required on that host. Source development needs Node.js 20+, pnpm 9+, and Docker.

Development with Node.js and Docker

git clone https://github.com/patrickschiller/openclockwork.git
cd openclockwork

pnpm install
cp .env.example .env
docker compose up -d db
pnpm prisma generate
pnpm prisma migrate deploy
pnpm db:create-admin
pnpm nx run-many -t serve -p api,web

Open http://localhost:4200. Vite proxies API calls to http://localhost:3000. The interface uses a supported browser language, falling back to English. Use the language menu on the login screen or in the application header to choose English or German; your choice is saved.

The bootstrap command is for an empty employee table and asks you to choose Solo or Team. Keep an existing .env and its database identity when returning to an existing checkout; do not rerun initial setup or copy over its secrets.

Full local Docker stack

To try Solo and Team side by side with isolated local databases, follow the local Docker test guide (German). The separate QR/PIN terminal test stack uses port 18082. Read the PIN and audit operations guide before enabling PIN in production. RFID remains a separate future increment.

cp .env.dev.example .env.dev

docker compose \
  -f docker-compose.dev.yml \
  --env-file .env.dev \
  up -d --build

| Service | URL | Host mapping | | ---------- | ----------------------- | --------------------------- | | Web/PWA | http://localhost:8080 | 8080:8080 | | API | http://localhost:3001 | 3001:3001 | | PostgreSQL | localhost:5432 | configurable with DB_PORT |

The API applies pending migrations before starting. It does not automatically load synthetic data: ordinary development startup must not overwrite a database or silently create demo users. For a new empty database, use the same interactive bootstrap entry point, targeting the development stack:

docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml --env-file .env.dev \
  exec api node --import tsx prisma/create-admin.ts

Keep demos in a deliberately separate development/demo database and follow the seed command's explicit safety requirements. Never seed a production database or use seeding to repair an existing installation. Stop the stack with:

docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml --env-file .env.dev down

Do not add -v unless you explicitly intend to delete the local database.

Local HTTPS iPad terminal pilot

Camera and geolocation APIs require a trusted secure origin on mobile devices. The iPad overlay adds a local TLS gateway, binds raw database/API/HTTP ports to loopback, and exposes only the configured HTTPS port to the test LAN.

cp .env.ipad.example .env.ipad

docker compose \
  -f docker-compose.dev.yml \
  -f docker-compose.ipad.yml \
  --env-file .env.ipad \
  up -d --build

Replace all example addresses before starting. Local certificates, private keys, and .env.ipad are ignored by Git and must never be committed. Follow the complete iPad guide instead of exposing the regular HTTP port to a tablet.