Local setup overview
Quick start for running THE HCLAB on your machine.
THE HCLAB is a Next.js application backed by PostgreSQL. Local development follows a standard pattern: install dependencies, configure environment variables, sync the database schema, and start the dev server.
Quick start
npm install
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env — at minimum set DATABASE_URL and AUTH_SECRET
npx prisma generate
npx prisma db push
npm run db:seed # optional — categories, admin user, sample content
npm run dev
Open http://localhost:3000.
Default admin account
After seeding, sign in at /login:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
lab@thehclab.com |
|
| Password | ADMIN_PASSWORD from .env (default hclab-admin) |
Researchers can use researcher@thehclab.com with RESEARCHER_PASSWORD (defaults to the admin password).
What to read next
- Prerequisites — Node, Postgres, and tooling
- Environment — required and optional variables
- Database — schema sync, seed, and Studio
- Development workflow — scripts, linting, and common tasks
- Local E2E testing plan — manual QA runbook before release
Admin panels
| Panel | URL | Access |
|---|---|---|
| CMS & dashboard | /admin |
Admin, Editor, Contributor |
| Research ops | /admin/research |
Admin, Editor, Contributor, Researcher |
| Documentation | /docs |
Public |