> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.open-metadata.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Development Environment Setup | Dev Containers for OpenMetadata

> Set up your OpenMetadata development environment using Dev Containers in VS Code, IntelliJ IDEA, or GitHub Codespaces.

# Development Environment Setup

OpenMetadata provides [Dev Containers](https://containers.dev/) to streamline contributor onboarding. Instead of manually installing Java, Python, Node.js, Maven, ANTLR, and other dependencies, you can spin up a fully configured environment in minutes.

## Choose Your Dev Container

Two configurations are available under `.devcontainer/` in the repository:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Development" icon="code">
    Lightweight environment for iterative development. Includes all build tools (Java 21, Python 3.11, Node 22, Maven, ANTLR) without running backend services.

    **Best for:** Working on individual components — server code, ingestion framework, or UI.

    **Forwarded ports:**

    * `3000` — Frontend dev server
  </Card>

  <Card title="Full Stack" icon="layer-group">
    Complete environment with all build tools **plus** OpenMetadata services running in containers (MySQL, Elasticsearch, OpenMetadata Server).

    **Best for:** End-to-end testing, integration work, and verifying changes against a running instance.

    **Forwarded ports:**

    * `3000` — Frontend dev server
    * `8585` — OpenMetadata API
    * `8586` — OpenMetadata Admin
    * `9200` — Elasticsearch
    * `3306` — MySQL
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  Both configurations automatically install all [prerequisites](/v1.12.x/developers/contribute/build-code-and-run-tests/prerequisites) — no manual dependency setup required.
</Info>

***

## VS Code

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install the Dev Containers extension">
    Install the [Dev Containers extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers) from the VS Code marketplace.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the repository">
    Open the forked OpenMetadata repository in VS Code.

    ```shell theme={null}
    git clone https://github.com/<username>/OpenMetadata.git
    code OpenMetadata
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reopen in container">
    Open the Command Palette (`Ctrl+Shift+P` / `Cmd+Shift+P`) and select **Dev Containers: Reopen in Container**.

    VS Code will prompt you to choose between the two configurations:

    * **Development** — lightweight, no backend services
    * **Full Stack** — includes MySQL, Elasticsearch, and OpenMetadata Server
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for setup to complete">
    The container will build and run the post-create setup script automatically. This installs ANTLR, frontend dependencies, creates a Python virtual environment, and runs code generation.

    For the **Full Stack** configuration, the post-start script will additionally build the server, run database migrations, and start OpenMetadata services. This may take several minutes on the first run.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start developing">
    Once setup completes, the integrated terminal is ready. Common commands:

    ```shell theme={null}
    # Backend — build and run the server
    mvn clean install -DskipTests

    # Frontend — start the UI dev server
    cd openmetadata-ui/src/main/resources/ui
    yarn start

    # Ingestion — activate the virtual environment
    source .venv/bin/activate
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## IntelliJ IDEA

<Info>
  Dev Container support in IntelliJ IDEA requires **IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate**. The Community edition does not support Dev Containers.
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the repository">
    Open the cloned OpenMetadata repository in IntelliJ IDEA.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a Dev Container">
    Navigate to **File > Remote Development > Dev Containers** and click **New Dev Container**.

    Select the OpenMetadata project directory and choose either the **Development** or **Full Stack** configuration.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for setup to complete">
    IntelliJ will build the container and run the setup scripts. Once complete, IntelliJ will open a remote IDE instance connected to the container.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the project SDK">
    IntelliJ should auto-detect the Java 21 SDK inside the container. If not, go to **File > Project Structure > SDKs** and add the JDK installed in the container.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start developing">
    Use the IntelliJ terminal or run configurations as usual. The container has all build tools pre-installed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## GitHub Codespaces

GitHub Codespaces provides a cloud-hosted Dev Container — no local setup required.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open a Codespace">
    From your forked OpenMetadata repository on GitHub, click the **Code** button and select the **Codespaces** tab. Click **New codespace**.

    <Tip>
      When creating the codespace, click **Configure and create** to select between the **Development** and **Full Stack** configurations in **Dev container configuration**.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the environment to build">
    GitHub will provision a cloud VM, build the container, and run the setup scripts. You can follow the progress in the **Creation Log**.

    <Warning>
      For the **Full Stack** configuration, we recommend selecting a machine type with at least **4 cores and 16 GB RAM** to ensure all services run smoothly.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start developing">
    Once the Codespace is ready, you'll have a full VS Code editor in your browser (or you can connect from your local VS Code / IntelliJ via the Codespaces extension).

    All forwarded ports are automatically available. For the **Full Stack** configuration, access the OpenMetadata UI at the forwarded port `8585`.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## What Gets Installed

The post-create setup script runs automatically in all environments and handles:

1. **ANTLR 4.9.2** — Downloaded and configured for parser generation
2. **Frontend dependencies** — Installed via `yarn install --frozen-lockfile`
3. **Python virtual environment** — Created with pip upgraded
4. **Python dev dependencies** — Installed via `make install_dev`
5. **Code generation** — ANTLR parsers and other generated artifacts via `make generate`
6. **Prerequisite validation** — Runs `make prerequisites` to confirm everything is ready

For the **Full Stack** configuration, the post-start script additionally:

1. Builds the OpenMetadata server distribution (`mvn clean package -DskipTests`)
2. Runs database migrations against MySQL
3. Starts the OpenMetadata server on ports `8585`/`8586`

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Build Code and Run Tests" icon="hammer" href="/v1.12.x/developers/contribute/build-code-and-run-tests">
    Learn how to build individual components and run the test suite.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Develop a New Connector" icon="plug" href="/v1.12.x/developers/contribute/developing-a-new-connector">
    Step-by-step guide to creating a new metadata connector.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>