Develop
How you work with Catalyst — from setting up your environment to deploying to production.
Read this when you're starting a new project or need a refresher on Catalyst conventions.
Useful for developers at any stage of building with Catalyst.
What This Section Covers
Develop is about how you work. This section covers the developer experience: getting set up, following conventions, using utilities, and shipping code. It's the practical, day-to-day guidance for building with Catalyst.
For shared functionality like authentication and data access, see Platform. For understanding the packages Catalyst uses, see Packages.
Developer Workflow
The typical flow for working with Catalyst:
Clone & Setup
Minutes to first run. Copy the template, install dependencies, configure your environment, and start the dev server.
Follow Standards
Consistent patterns. Use the conventions in AGENTS.md — they're designed for AI readability and team velocity.
Work with AI
AI agents understand Catalyst. Point them at AGENTS.md and they'll follow naming conventions and use the right components.
Advance Stages
POC → MVP → MMP → PROD. Each stage has clear expectations. Use upgrade checklists when you're ready to level up.
Catalyst is opinionated so you can move fast. Don't fight the conventions — they're designed for AI readability and team velocity. Use the primitives, follow AGENTS.md, and focus on what makes your project unique.
Documentation
Everything you need to develop with Catalyst:
Setup
Install dependencies, configure environment, run locally. Your first 10 minutes.
Standards
Code conventions and AI-friendly patterns. How to write code that scales.
Helpers
Utility functions, hooks, and components. What's already built for you.
Upgrade
Checklists for stage transitions. Know when and how to level up.
Deployments
Branch strategy, Vercel setup, and production deployment checklist.
Quick Paths
Where to go based on what you're doing: