How to install OpenSocial on Mac

Before you start

These are one-time installs. If you have used Terminal before, you may have them already — the first step checks.

1. 1

   Install Git

   Apple opens a small installer.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   Copy the command for step 1

   xcode-select --install

   You know this worked when: Git responds with a version number

2. 2

   Install Node LTS

   Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).

   Open download ↗

   You know this worked when: Node responds with a version number

Install OpenSocial

1. 3

   Open Terminal

   Keep it open beside this page.

   You know this worked when: Terminal is open

2. 4

   Check Git and Node

   Git and the current Node LTS are required.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   Copy the command for step 4

   git --version
   node --version

   You know this worked when: Git and Node respond with version numbers

3. 5

   Copy OpenSocial to this Mac

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 5

   cd ~
   if [ ! -d OpenSocial/.git ]; then
   git clone https://github.com/amaurylacalmette-ui/OpenSocial.git
   fi

   You know this worked when: A OpenSocial folder appears

4. 6

   Open the OpenSocial folder

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 6

   cd ~
   cd OpenSocial

   You know this worked when: Your terminal prompt is inside the OpenSocial folder

5. 7

   Use the reviewed version

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 7

   cd ~/OpenSocial
   git checkout 6fd5db21c596692ed157c2075329e06658db17e7

   You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

6. 8

   Install dependencies

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 8

   cd ~/OpenSocial
   npm install

   You know this worked when: The command finishes without an error

7. 9

   Run OpenSocial

   Keep Terminal open.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 9

   cd ~/OpenSocial
   npm run dev

   You know this worked when: localhost:3000 responds

8. 10

   Open it in your browser

   If a different port was picked, open that one instead.

   Open localhost:3000 ↗

   You know this worked when: The app loads in the browser

9. 11

   Try it

   OpenSocial should be open in your browser.

   You know this worked when: OpenSocial works

If something goes wrong

Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.

Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.