From Source

Build and run PC2 from source code for development or maximum control.

For most users, the one-line install is easier. Use this guide for development or customization.

Prerequisites

Node.js 20+ (v23 recommended for best performance)
npm (comes with Node.js)
Git

node --version  # Should be v20.0.0 or higher
npm --version   # Should be 10.0.0 or higher
git --version

Installation

Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/Elacity/pc2.net
cd pc2.net

Install Root Dependencies

npm install --legacy-peer-deps --ignore-scripts

⚠️

The --legacy-peer-deps flag is required due to some package conflicts. The --ignore-scripts flag skips the husky git hooks setup.

Install PC2 Node Dependencies

cd pc2-node
npm install --legacy-peer-deps

Build Everything

npm run build

This builds both frontend and backend.

Start the Server

npm start

Your PC2 node is now running at http://localhost:4200

Project Structure

pc2.net/
├── src/gui/               # Frontend (desktop UI)
│   └── src/               # Source files
├── pc2-node/              # Backend server
│   ├── src/               # TypeScript source
│   │   ├── api/           # REST API endpoints
│   │   ├── services/      # Business logic (AI, IPFS, etc.)
│   │   └── storage/       # Database & file storage
│   ├── frontend/          # Built frontend (generated)
│   ├── data/              # User data & database
│   └── config/            # Configuration files
├── packages/              # Shared packages
│   └── particle-auth/     # Wallet integration
└── scripts/               # Utility scripts

Development Commands

Run these from the pc2-node/ directory:

Command	Description
`npm start`	Start production server
`npm run dev`	Development mode (auto-restart on changes)
`npm run build`	Build frontend and backend
`npm run build:frontend`	Build frontend only
`npm run build:backend`	Build backend (TypeScript) only

Development Mode

For active development with hot reloading:

cd pc2-node
npm run dev

This uses tsx watch to automatically restart when you change files.

Building for Production

cd pc2-node
npm run build

This runs:

build:frontend - Compiles GUI and copies to frontend/
build:backend - Compiles TypeScript to dist/

Configuration

Config file: pc2-node/config/config.json

{
  "port": 4200,
  "owner": "0xYourWalletAddress",
  "ipfs": {
    "mode": "hybrid"
  }
}

See Configuration Reference for all options.

Running as a Service

For production, use PM2:

# Install PM2 globally
npm install -g pm2
 
# Start with PM2 (from pc2-node directory)
cd pc2-node
pm2 start npm --name "pc2" -- start
 
# Save for auto-restart on reboot
pm2 save
pm2 startup

Or use systemd - see VPS Guide.

Common Issues

Port Already in Use

# Find process using port
lsof -i :4200
 
# Kill it
kill -9 <PID>

Build Errors

# Clean and rebuild
cd pc2-node
rm -rf dist node_modules
npm install --legacy-peer-deps
npm run build

Missing Frontend

If you see “index.html not found”:

cd pc2-node
npm run build:frontend

TypeScript Errors

Make sure dev dependencies are installed:

npm install --legacy-peer-deps --include=dev

→ Ready to deploy publicly? See VPS Deployment

Docker Raspberry Pi