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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/spectrum3847/2026-Spectrum/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Getting the 2026 Spectrum codebase running locally requires four tools: WPILib (which bundles its own VSCode, Gradle, and Java toolchain), a standalone JDK 17 for the build, Git to clone the repository, and PathPlanner for editing and previewing autonomous routines. Follow the steps below in order — the simulator should be running in under fifteen minutes on a fresh machine.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed:
  • WPILib 2026 — bundles VSCode, Gradle, and the FRC toolchain. Download the latest 2026 stable release from GitHub releases.
  • JDK 17 (Eclipse Temurin) — WPILib 2026 requires exactly Java 17; Java 18 or later is not supported. Download from Adoptium.
  • Git — for cloning and version control. Download from git-scm.com.
  • PathPlanner — for viewing and editing autonomous paths. Download from pathplanner.dev.
WPILib 2026 does not support Java 18 or later. You must use JDK 17. Using any higher version will cause build failures.

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Installation steps

1

Install WPILib 2026

Download the WPILib 2026 installer for your operating system from the allwpilib GitHub releases page. Run the installer and follow the prompts — it installs WPILib VSCode, the FRC Gradle plugin, and all required native libraries.
The WPILib installer includes its own bundled JDK, but the robot build system also reads the system JAVA_HOME. Set JAVA_HOME to your JDK 17 installation to avoid version conflicts.
2

Install JDK 17

Download and install Eclipse Temurin 17 for your platform.
On macOS or Linux, use SDKMAN to manage multiple Java versions without conflicts. After installing SDKMAN, run:
sdk install java 17.0.18-tem
sdk use java 17.0.18-tem
SDKMAN sets JAVA_HOME automatically for the active shell session.
On Windows, set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to your JDK 17 install directory after installation (e.g., C:\Program Files\Eclipse Adoptium\jdk-17.0.18.7-hotspot).
3

Clone the repository

Open a terminal, navigate to the directory where you want the project, and run:
git clone https://github.com/spectrum3847/2026-Spectrum.git
cd 2026-Spectrum
This creates a local copy of the full repository including all history.
Prefer a GUI? GitHub Desktop works well on Windows and macOS. Linux users can use the Flatpak build.
4

Open the project in WPILib VSCode

Launch WPILib VSCode (not a system-installed VSCode — the WPILib installer places a separate shortcut). Use File → Open Folder and select the 2026-Spectrum directory you just cloned.Gradle will automatically download vendor dependencies (CTRE Phoenix 6, PathPlanner, PhotonLib) on the first open. This may take a few minutes depending on your connection.
5

Run the robot simulator

With the project open in WPILib VSCode:
  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P to open the command palette.
  2. Type sim and select WPILib: Simulate Robot Code.
  3. Gradle will build the project. Wait for the build to complete.
  4. When prompted, click GUI Sim to launch Glass — the WPILib graphical simulator.
# Alternatively, run the simulation from the terminal:
./gradlew simulateJava
Glass opens with the simulated robot field, NetworkTables viewer, and joystick inputs. You can connect a simulated driver station from the same prompt.
6

Install PathPlanner

Download and install PathPlanner for your operating system. Open PathPlanner, then open the 2026-Spectrum project folder. PathPlanner automatically detects the src/main/deploy/pathplanner/ directory where all autonomous paths and routines are stored.

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Verifying your setup

After completing the steps above, confirm that everything is working:
In the WPILib VSCode terminal, run:
./gradlew build
A BUILD SUCCESSFUL message confirms the Java compilation, Spotless formatting check, and SpotBugs static analysis all passed.
After running WPILib: Simulate Robot Code and selecting GUI Sim, the Glass window should open. The NetworkTables panel should show entries from the robot subsystems populating in real time.
Open PathPlanner and select Open Robot Project. Navigate to the 2026-Spectrum folder. PathPlanner should load the paths from src/main/deploy/pathplanner/paths/ and the auto routines from src/main/deploy/pathplanner/autos/.

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Next steps

Project structure

Learn how the codebase is organized across the three Java packages and understand the subsystem folder pattern.

Robot architecture

Understand how subsystems, mechanisms, robot states, and triggers connect at runtime.

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