---
title: "Developer Setup — Spiff Arena 0.1 documentation"
description: "The make-based setup will spin up Docker containers and allow you to edit based on the latest source."
source_url: https://spiff.works/docs/spiff-arena/explanation/dev/developer_setup.html
---

☰ Menu

# Developer Setup[](#developer-setup "Link to this heading")

There are a few options here:

1. The make-based setup will spin up Docker containers and allow you to edit based on the latest source.
2. The docker-compose-based setup will spin up Docker containers based on the latest release and not allow you to edit.
3. The non-Docker setup will allow you to run the Python and React apps from your machine directly.
4. Set up in a Windows environment using Docker Desktop

Please pick the one that best fits your needs.

## 1. Use the default make task[](#use-the-default-make-task "Link to this heading")

You can set up a full development environment for SpiffWorkflow like this:

```
git clone https://github.com/sartography/spiff-arena.git
cd spiff-arena
make
```

[This video](https://youtu.be/BvLvGt0fYJU?si=0zZSkzA1ZTotQxDb) shows what you can expect from the `make` setup.

## 2. Run the docker-compose setup[](#run-the-docker-compose-setup "Link to this heading")

```
mkdir spiffworkflow
cd spiffworkflow
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sartography/spiff-arena/main/docker-compose.yml
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up
```

There is a [Running SpiffWorkflow Locally with Docker](https://www.spiffworkflow.org/posts/articles/get_started_docker) blog post that accompanies this setup.

## 3. Non-Docker setup[](#non-docker-setup "Link to this heading")

Follow the spiff-arena README’s local setup instructions for the [backend](https://github.com/sartography/spiff-arena/#backend-setup-local) and [frontend](https://github.com/sartography/spiff-arena/#frontend-setup-local): clone the repo, install the listed Python, `uv`, database, and Node dependencies, run the backend from `spiffworkflow-backend`, and run the frontend from `spiffworkflow-frontend`.

## 4. Running Windows?[](#running-windows "Link to this heading")

- Install Docker desktop app
- Install Git
- Fire up a PowerShell and clone the repo of Spiff arena:

```
 git clone  https://github.com/sartography/spiff-arena.git  
 cd spiff-arena
```

- Modify the following file in your checkout “spiff-arena\docker-compose.yml”
- you want find the environment variable below, and change it to your ip
  address.

```
SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CONNECTOR_PROXY_URL: "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CONNECTOR_PROXY_URL:-http://[YOUR_IP_ADDRESS]:8004}"
```

- Open Powershell in admin mode
- Type the following:

```
cd C:\Users\[YOUR_USER]\Documents\GitHub\spiff-arena 
docker compose up (build)
```

## BONUS: Running your own connector proxy to create custom connections to other software and systems on your network[](#bonus-running-your-own-connector-proxy-to-create-custom-connections-to-other-software-and-systems-on-your-network "Link to this heading")

- Modify the following file in your spiff-arena git checkout “spiff-arena\docker-compose.yml”
- you want find the environment variable below, and change it to your ip address.

```
SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CONNECTOR_PROXY_URL: "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CONNECTOR_PROXY_URL:-http://[YOUR_IP_ADDRESS]:8004}"
```

- Copy the folder named connector-proxy-demo from your spiff-arena git checkout
  to a new directory - this will be YOUR connector proxy, you might create a new
  git repo for it.
- Assure you have a recent version of python installed
- run pip install
- flask run -p 8004 –host=0.0.0.0 (to turn it off press CTRL + C)
- You can now create your connectors and they will show up when you edit
  services tasks and select the service you want to call.