Skip to main content
This page covers everything you need to install Karma LMS locally, from prerequisites through running the development server, along with a reference for Angular CLI commands and common troubleshooting steps.

​
Prerequisites

Confirm the following tools are available on your system before proceeding.
RequirementMinimum versionNotes
Node.js18.xLTS recommended. Download from nodejs.org.
npmBundled with Node.jsAlternatively, use yarn or pnpm.
Angular CLI20.xInstalled globally via npm.
GitAny recent versionRequired to clone the repository.
To check your current versions: 
node --version
npm --version
ng version
git --version

​
Full installation

1

Clone the repository

Clone the Karma LMS repository from GitHub to your local machine.
git clone https://github.com/GEMS-INNOVATIONS/gems-lms-web.git
2

Navigate to the project directory

Move into the cloned project folder.
cd gems-lms-web
All subsequent commands should be run from this directory.
3

Install dependencies

Install all project dependencies defined in package.json.
npm install
This downloads Angular packages and all third-party libraries into the node_modules/ directory. The first install may take a minute or two depending on your network speed.
4

Start the development server

Start the Angular development server with live reload.
ng serve
The CLI compiles the application and starts a local HTTP server. When compilation finishes you will see output similar to:
✔ Compiled successfully.
Watch mode enabled. Watching for file changes...
  ➜  Local:   http://localhost:4200/
To run the server on a different port, use the --port flag:
ng serve --port 4201
This is useful when port 4200 is already occupied by another process.
5

Open the application in your browser

Navigate to the following URL in your browser:
http://localhost:4200
The Karma LMS interface will load. The server watches all source files and automatically recompiles and reloads the browser on every save.

​
Angular CLI command reference

The following Angular CLI commands are available in this project. Run them from the gems-lms-web directory.
CommandDescription
ng serveStarts the local development server with live reload at http://localhost:4200.
ng buildCompiles the application into static output files in dist/.
ng testRuns unit tests using Karma and Jasmine. Watches for file changes by default.
ng generateScaffolds new Angular building blocks (components, services, modules, pipes, etc.).
ng e2eRuns end-to-end tests. Requires a configured e2e test runner such as Cypress or Playwright.
For a production-optimized build, pass the --configuration production flag to ng build. This enables ahead-of-time (AOT) compilation, tree-shaking, and output minification.
ng build --configuration production
Production build output is written to dist/gems-lms-web/ and is ready to be served by any static file server or CDN.

​
Troubleshooting

If you see an error such as Port 4200 is already in use, another process is occupying the default Angular port. You have two options:Option 1: Start the server on a different port.
ng serve --port 4201
Option 2: Find and stop the process using port 4200.
# macOS / Linux
lsof -ti tcp:4200 | xargs kill

# Windows (PowerShell)
Get-Process -Id (Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 4200).OwningProcess | Stop-Process
Then re-run ng serve.
If the development server fails to start with module-not-found errors, the node_modules/ directory may be missing or out of date. Run a clean install:
# Remove existing node_modules and lock file, then reinstall
rm -rf node_modules
npm install
If you are using yarn or pnpm, substitute the corresponding install command. This is also the recommended fix after switching branches that have different dependency versions.
The global Angular CLI version and the version required by the project must be compatible. A mismatch can cause build errors or unexpected behavior.Check the versions:
# Global CLI version
ng version

# Project's required version (in package.json)
cat package.json | grep "@angular/cli"
If the versions differ significantly, update the global CLI to match the project:
npm install -g @angular/cli@20
Alternatively, use npx to run the project-local version of the CLI without affecting your global install:
npx ng serve

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us