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ShelfWise is a full-featured inventory management system built with Laravel 12, React, and Inertia.js. This guide will help you set up a local development environment quickly.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:
  • PHP 8.2 or higher
  • Composer
  • Node.js 18+ and npm
  • SQLite (default) or MySQL/PostgreSQL

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Installation

1

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/your-org/shelfwise.git
cd shelfwise
2

Install PHP dependencies

composer install
This installs Laravel 12, Inertia.js, Laravel Fortify for authentication, and other backend dependencies.
3

Install JavaScript dependencies

npm install
This installs React 19, TypeScript, TailwindCSS 4, and frontend build tools.
4

Set up environment

Copy the example environment file and generate an application key:
cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate
5

Create database

ShelfWise uses SQLite by default. Create the database file:
touch database/database.sqlite
To use MySQL or PostgreSQL instead, update the DB_CONNECTION and related settings in your .env file.
6

Run migrations

Set up the database schema:
php artisan migrate
This creates tables for tenants, users, shops, products, orders, and more.
7

Start the development server

composer dev
This command starts three concurrent processes:
  • Laravel development server (http://localhost:8000)
  • Queue worker for background jobs
  • Vite dev server for hot module replacement
The composer dev script uses concurrently to run multiple processes. You can also run them separately in different terminals if needed.

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Access the Application

Once the development server is running, open your browser to: 
http://localhost:8000
You’ll be greeted with the onboarding flow to create your first tenant account.

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Create Your First Tenant

ShelfWise is a multi-tenant application. Each business operates as a separate tenant with isolated data.
1

Register as tenant owner

Fill in your business details:
  • Business name
  • Owner email
  • Password
  • Business type (retail, wholesale, etc.)
2

Set up your first shop

After registration, you’ll create your first shop location:
  • Shop name
  • Shop type (retail store, warehouse, etc.)
  • Currency settings
  • Tax/VAT configuration
3

Start adding inventory

You’re ready to:
  • Add products and variants
  • Create purchase orders
  • Process sales orders
  • Track stock movements

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Quick Commands Reference

# Start all services (recommended)
composer dev

# Or start individually
php artisan serve
php artisan queue:listen
npm run dev

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What’s Next?

Complete Setup

Detailed installation instructions including database options and troubleshooting

Configuration

Configure mail, queues, storage, and other application settings

Multi-Tenancy

Understand how ShelfWise handles tenant isolation and data security

API Documentation

Explore the service layer API for integrations
Important for Production: The quickstart uses SQLite and default settings suitable for development only. See the Installation Guide for production deployment.

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Need Help?

If you encounter issues:
  • Check the Installation Guide for common problems
  • Review Laravel logs in storage/logs/laravel.log
  • Ensure all system requirements are met
  • Join our community for support

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