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+# DocuSeal Local Development Setup
+
+This guide will help you set up DocuSeal locally for development and testing purposes.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed on your system:
+
+### Required Software
+- **Ruby 3.4.2** - Use your preferred Ruby version manager (rbenv, rvm, asdf, etc.)
+- **Node.js 18** - Required for frontend assets compilation
+- **Yarn** - Package manager for Node.js dependencies
+- **PostgreSQL** (optional) - For production-like database setup
+- **Redis** - For background job processing (Sidekiq)
+
+### macOS Dependencies
+- **Homebrew** - For installing system dependencies
+- **VIPS** - For image processing
+- **LibreOffice** (optional) - For document conversion if you encounter upload errors
+
+## Installation Steps
+
+### 1. Clone the Repository
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/CareerPlug/docuseal.git
+cd docuseal
+```
+
+### 2. Install Ruby Dependencies
+
+Make sure you're using Ruby 3.4.2:
+
+```bash
+# If using rbenv
+rbenv install 3.4.2
+rbenv local 3.4.2
+
+# If using rvm
+rvm install 3.4.2
+rvm use 3.4.2
+
+# If using asdf
+asdf install ruby 3.4.2
+asdf local ruby 3.4.2
+```
+
+Install Ruby gems:
+
+```bash
+bundle install
+```
+
+### 3. Install System Dependencies
+
+#### macOS
+```bash
+# Install VIPS for image processing
+brew install vips
+
+# Install LibreOffice (optional, for document conversion)
+brew install --cask libreoffice
+```
+
+### 4. Setup Database
+
+The application uses SQLite by default for development. Create and migrate the database:
+
+```bash
+rails db:create db:migrate
+```
+
+If you prefer to use PostgreSQL for a more production-like setup:
+
+1. Install PostgreSQL
+2. Create a database
+3. Update `config/database.yml` to use PostgreSQL for development
+4. Run the migration commands
+
+### 5. Install Node.js Dependencies
+
+Make sure you're using Node.js 18:
+
+```bash
+# Check your Node version
+node --version
+
+# If you need to switch to Node 18, use your preferred version manager
+# Example with nvm:
+nvm install 18
+nvm use 18
+
+# Install dependencies
+yarn install
+```
+
+### 6. Start the Development Servers
+
+In separate terminal windows:
+
+```bash
+# Terminal 1: Rails server
+PORT=3001 bundle exec rails s -p 3001
+
+# Terminal 2: Webpack dev server
+bundle exec ./bin/shakapacker-dev-server
+```
+
+### 7. Access the Application
+
+Open your browser and navigate to:
+- **DocuSeal**: http://localhost:3001
+
+## Initial Setup
+
+### 1. Create Admin Account
+
+1. Go to http://localhost:3001
+2. You'll be prompted to create the first admin account
+3. Fill in the required information to set up your admin user
+
+### 2. Upload a Document
+
+1. Log in with your admin account
+2. Click "New Form" or "Upload Document"
+3. Upload a PDF document to test the system
+4. If you encounter upload errors, make sure LibreOffice is installed
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Common Issues
+
+#### Node.js Version Issues
+If you get errors during `yarn install`, ensure you're using Node.js 18:
+```bash
+node --version  # Should show v18.x.x
+```
+
+#### Image Processing Errors
+If you encounter VIPS-related errors:
+```bash
+# macOS
+brew install vips
+```
+
+#### Document Upload Issues
+If document uploads fail, install LibreOffice:
+```bash
+# macOS
+brew install --cask libreoffice
+```
+
+#### Database Issues
+If you encounter database connection issues:
+```bash
+# Reset the database
+rails db:drop db:create db:migrate
+```
+
+## Notes
+This is a standalone DocuSeal instance, this is to more easily make customizations to the fork itself without needing to integrate with another application.
+- The application runs on port 3001 by default
+- All data is stored locally in SQLite database for development
+- File uploads are stored in the `attachments/` directory
+- This setup is for local development only.