Quickstart

This guide will help you get Zoo Arcadia running on your machine in just a few minutes. Choose between Docker (recommended) or local setup.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

PHP 7.4+ (PHP 8.x recommended)
Composer - PHP dependency manager
Node.js and npm (includes npx)
MySQL/MariaDB - Database server
Docker Desktop (optional, for Docker setup)

Quick Setup Options

Docker (Recommended)
Local Setup

Docker provides the fastest and most consistent setup experience.

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/dumitrusf/zoo-Arcadia.git
cd zoo-ARCADIA

Switch to Docker configuration

.\switch-to-docker.bat

This script automatically updates your .env file with Docker database credentials:

DB_HOST=db
DB_USER=zoo_user
DB_PASS=zoo_password

Build and start containers

docker-compose up -d --build

This command will:

Build the PHP/Apache container
Start MariaDB 11.4 database
Initialize the database with seed data
Compile assets automatically

Verify the installation

Check that all containers are running:

docker-compose ps

View logs if needed:

docker-compose logs -f web

Access the application

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://localhost:8080

Docker Management Commands

docker-compose down

Set up Zoo Arcadia directly on your local machine without Docker.

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/dumitrusf/zoo-Arcadia.git
cd zoo-ARCADIA

Install dependencies

Install PHP dependencies:

composer install

Install Node.js dependencies:

npm install

Switch to local configuration

.\switch-to-local.bat

This updates your .env file with local database settings:

DB_HOST=localhost
DB_USER=root
DB_PASS=root
DB_NAME=zoo_arcadia

Deploy the database

.\deploy_database.bat

This command recreates the database from scratch, removing any existing data.

Compile assets

Build CSS and JavaScript files:

npx gulp buildCss && npx gulp buildJs

Start the development server

php -S localhost:3001 -t public public/index.php

Access the application

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://localhost:3001

Database Configuration

Zoo Arcadia uses environment variables for database configuration. The .env file is automatically managed by the switch scripts.

DB_HOST=db
DB_NAME=zoo_arcadia
DB_USER=zoo_user
DB_PASS=zoo_password

Default Credentials

Default user credentials are created during database seeding. Check the database/06_seed_data.sql file for the complete list of seeded users and their roles (Admin, Veterinary, Employee, Accountant).

The application includes the following role types:

Admin - Full system access
Veterinary - Animal health and reports management
Employee - Limited actions (maintenance, feeding)
Accountant - Financial management

Asset Compilation

Zoo Arcadia uses Gulp to compile SCSS and JavaScript files.

npx gulp buildCss && npx gulp buildJs

The development mode includes:

File watching for automatic recompilation
BrowserSync for live reload
Source maps for debugging

Next Steps

Now that you have Zoo Arcadia running:

Explore the front-end pages (animals, habitats, services)
Access the back-office with appropriate credentials
Review the Installation Guide for detailed configuration options
Check the project structure in README.md

Common Issues

Port already in use

If port 8080 (Docker) or 3001 (local) is already in use, you can:

Stop the conflicting service
Change the port in docker-compose.yml (Docker) or use a different port with php -S localhost:PORT

Composer SSL certificate error (Windows)

See the Installation Guide for detailed troubleshooting steps.

Database connection failed

Verify your .env file settings match your environment:

For Docker: ensure containers are running with docker-compose ps
For Local: ensure MySQL/MariaDB service is running

Get Started

Architecture

Core Features

User Guides

Development

Prerequisites

Quick Setup Options

Docker Management Commands

Database Configuration

Default Credentials

Asset Compilation

Next Steps

Common Issues

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Architecture

Core Features

User Guides

Development

​Prerequisites

​Quick Setup Options

​Docker Management Commands

​Database Configuration

​Default Credentials

​Asset Compilation

​Next Steps

​Common Issues

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Prerequisites

Quick Setup Options

Docker Management Commands

Database Configuration

Default Credentials

Asset Compilation

Next Steps

Common Issues