Getting Started with aclarknet

Welcome! This tutorial will guide you through setting up aclarknet for local development and creating your first client entry.

What you’ll learn:

  • How to set up the development environment

  • How to run the application locally

  • How to create your first client

  • How to add a testimonial

Time required: 30 minutes

Prerequisites:

  • Python 3.13 installed

  • MongoDB installed and running

  • Basic familiarity with Django

Step 1: Clone and Install

First, let’s get the code and install dependencies:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/aclark4life/aclarknet.git
cd aclarknet

# Create a virtual environment
python3.13 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -e '.[dev]'

What just happened? You’ve installed aclarknet and all its development dependencies, including Django, Wagtail, and the testing tools.

Step 2: Configure Environment

Create a .env file for local development:

# Copy the example environment file
cp deployment/.env.example .env

Edit the .env file with your settings:

# Database
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/aclarknet

# Django
DEBUG=True
SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here

# reCAPTCHA (use test keys for development)
RECAPTCHA_PUBLIC_KEY=6LeIxAcTAAAAAJcZVRqyHh71UMIEGNQ_MXjiZKhI
RECAPTCHA_PRIVATE_KEY=6LeIxAcTAAAAAGG-vFI1TnRWxMZNFuojJ4WifJWe

What just happened? You’ve configured the application to use your local MongoDB and set up test reCAPTCHA keys that always pass validation.

Step 3: Set Up the Database

Run migrations to create the database structure:

python manage.py migrate --settings=aclarknet.settings.dev

Create a superuser account:

python manage.py createsuperuser --settings=aclarknet.settings.dev

What just happened? Django created all the necessary database collections in MongoDB and you created an admin account.

Step 4: Run the Development Server

Start the server:

python manage.py runserver --settings=aclarknet.settings.dev

Open your browser to http://localhost:8000

What you should see: The aclarknet homepage with navigation and content.

Step 5: Access the Admin Interface

Navigate to http://localhost:8000/admin and log in with your superuser credentials.

What you should see: The Django admin interface with sections for Clients, Notes, Invoices, and more.

Step 6: Create Your First Client

In the admin interface:

  1. Click “Clients” in the left sidebar

  2. Click “Add Client” button

  3. Fill in the form:

    • Name: Example Corporation

    • Featured: Check this box

    • Category: Select “Private Sector”

    • URL: https://example.com

  4. Click “Save”

What just happened? You created a client entry that will appear on the public /clients/ page because you marked it as “featured”.

Step 7: View Your Client

Navigate to http://localhost:8000/clients/

What you should see: Your “Example Corporation” client listed under the “Private Sector” category.

Step 8: Add a Testimonial

Back in the admin interface:

  1. Click “Notes” in the left sidebar

  2. Click “Add Note” button

  3. Fill in the form:

    • Name: John Doe

    • Email: john@example.com

    • How did you hear about us: Select an option

    • How can we help: This is a testimonial

    • Is testimonial: Check this box

    • Featured: Check this box

  4. Click “Save”

Navigate to http://localhost:8000

What you should see: Your testimonial displayed on the homepage.

Next Steps

Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up aclarknet and created your first client and testimonial.

Where to go from here: