Daily Dev Workflow

1) Start Services

docker compose up -d
docker compose ps

This brings up app and Postgres consistently.

2) Run App in Dev Mode (Hot Reload)

Pick one style and stick to it:

Host Dev (recommended for speed)

npm run dev

• .env should use a localhost DB URL.

Container Dev (more parity)

• Run the app inside the container.
• DATABASE_URL in compose.yaml should use db.

3) Make Schema/Model Changes (when needed)

1. Edit prisma/schema.prisma
2. Run migration
3. Generate Prisma client
4. Inspect in Studio

npx prisma migrate dev --name <clear_name>
npx prisma generate
npx prisma studio

4) Build Features in Small Vertical Slices

For this chat app:

1. DB write path first
2. Socket emit second
3. UI update third
4. Test manually with 2 browser tabs

5) Validate Before Commit

• Check app starts cleanly
• Test one happy path and one edge case
• Ensure migrations are present in prisma/migrations/*
• Commit code and migration together

DATABASE_URL Rule (Important)

• Host commands (npm, npx prisma ... on PowerShell) -> localhost
• In-container runtime (docker compose exec server ...) -> db

Keep this mental rule and you will avoid most environment bugs.

End-of-Day Routine

docker compose down

• You can keep services running if preferred.
• Optional weekly cleanup: docker system prune (careful).
• Push your branch with migration files included.