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This guide will walk you through setting up the CFB Marble Game project for local development.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:
  • Docker and Docker Compose
  • mkcert for generating locally-trusted SSL certificates
  • Basic familiarity with command line tools

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Setup Process

1

Configure Hosts File

Add the following entry to your hosts file:
127.0.0.1 cfbmarblegame.test
Location by OS:
  • Linux/macOS: /etc/hosts
  • Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
You’ll need administrator/root privileges to edit this file.
2

Generate SSL Certificates

Install and configure mkcert to generate locally-trusted development certificates:
# Install mkcert (macOS example)
brew install mkcert

# Install the local CA
mkcert -install

# Generate certificate for cfbmarblegame.test
mkcert cfbmarblegame.test
This creates certificate files that Traefik will use to serve the application over HTTPS.
3

Set Up Traefik Network

Create a separate Docker Compose project that runs Traefik on an external network:
# Create the external Docker network
docker network create traefik
You’ll need a Traefik Docker Compose configuration that:
  • Runs on the traefik network
  • Listens on ports 80 and 443
  • Uses the mkcert certificates you generated
  • Has the websecure entrypoint configured
The CFB Marble Game application will connect to this Traefik instance via the external traefik network.
4

Configure Environment Variables

Copy the example environment file and configure it:
cd app
cp .env.example .env
Edit .env and set your desired values:
DEBUG_MODE=true
LOG_LEVEL=debug
The database path is configured via Docker Compose and defaults to /var/www/data/cfbmarblegame.db.
5

Start the Development Server

From the project root, start the Docker Compose services:
docker compose up
This will:
  • Build the web container with development dependencies
  • Enable Xdebug for debugging
  • Mount the app/ directory as a volume for hot-reloading
  • Connect to the Traefik network
  • Configure Traefik labels for HTTPS routing
6

Access the Application

Once the containers are running, open your browser and navigate to:
https://cfbmarblegame.test
You should see the College Football Marble Game homepage. The SSL certificate will be trusted because you installed the mkcert CA in Step 2.

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Development Configuration

The local development environment uses docker-compose.override.yml to apply development-specific settings:

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Build Arguments

  • DEV_DEPS=1 - Installs development dependencies

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Environment Variables

  • ENABLE_PHP_DEV_CONFIG=1 - Enables PHP development configuration
  • ENABLE_XDEBUG=1 - Enables Xdebug for debugging

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Volumes

  • ./app/:/var/www:delegated - Mounts the app directory for live code changes

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Traefik Labels

The application is configured with the following Traefik routing:
  • Host: cfbmarblegame.test
  • Entrypoint: websecure (HTTPS)
  • TLS: Enabled

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Troubleshooting

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Cannot access https://cfbmarblegame.test

  • Verify the hosts file entry is correct
  • Ensure Traefik is running and connected to the traefik network
  • Check that Docker Compose services are running: docker compose ps

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SSL certificate errors

  • Run mkcert -install to install the local CA
  • Regenerate certificates if needed: mkcert cfbmarblegame.test
  • Restart your browser after installing the CA

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Code changes not reflected

  • Ensure the volume mount is working: docker compose ps
  • Check file permissions on the app/ directory
  • For PHP configuration changes, restart the container: docker compose restart web

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Next Steps

Now that your local environment is set up, you can:

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