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GigPilot AI

Quick Start Guide

Overview: Get up and running with GigPilot AI in less than 5 minutes. This guide covers repository cloning, environment configuration, database bootstrapping, starting backend and frontend services, and running your first AI gig generation request.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure your system has the following dependencies installed:

  • Node.js: v22.12.0 or higher
  • Package Manager: npm (v10+) or pnpm (v9+)
  • Database Service: A Supabase project (free tier fully supported)
  • AI Model Key: At least one valid API key from OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, or Groq.

Step 1: Clone Repository & Install Dependencies

Clone the official repository and install required packages:

Terminal window
git clone https://github.com/anomalyco/gigpilotai.git
cd gigpilotai
npm install

Step 2: Configure Environment Variables

Copy the sample environment file to .env.local:

Terminal window
cp .env.example .env.local

Populate .env.local with your database keys and AI provider API credentials:

# Supabase Configuration
SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...


# JWT Authentication Secret
JWT_SECRET=super-secret-32-character-random-string


# AI Model Provider Credentials (At least one required)
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-proj-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
GEMINI_API_KEY=AIzaSyXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


# Application URLs
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:4321
API_URL=http://localhost:3000

Step 3: Launch Local Servers

Option A: Run Full Stack Simultaneously

Terminal window
npm run dev

Option B: Run Services Separately

Backend API Service (Fastify - Port 3000):

Terminal window
cd apps/backend
npm run dev

Frontend Application (Astro - Port 4321):

Terminal window
cd apps/frontend
npm run dev

Step 4: Verify Server Health

Perform a GET request to the health endpoint to confirm the API server is online:

Terminal window
curl -X GET http://localhost:3000/api/health

Expected Health Check Output:

{
  "status": "ok",
  "timestamp": "2026-07-30T02:15:00.000Z",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "services": {
    "database": "connected",
    "redis": "connected",
    "aiProxy": "ready"
  }
}

Step 5: Authenticate & Make First API Call

1. Authenticate & Obtain JWT Token

Terminal window
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/auth/login \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email": "developer@example.com", "fullName": "Jane Developer"}'

Extract the token from the JSON response:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "token": "eyJ1c2VySWQiOiIxMjNlNDU2Ny1lODliLTEyZDMtYTQ1Ni00MjY2MTQxNzQwMDAi...",
    "user": {
      "id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
      "email": "developer@example.com",
      "role": "Pro",
      "credits": 500
    }
  }
}

2. Generate Your First Freelance Proposal

Use the token in the Authorization header to call the proposal generator:

Terminal window
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/proposal/generate \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -d '{
    "jobDescription": "We need a fullstack developer to build a high-performance Astro documentation portal with custom search.",
    "myService": "Fullstack Astro & Node.js Developer",
    "tone": "Professional & Technical"
  }'

Subscription Plans Summary

Plan Tier Monthly Credits Price Best For
Free 10 credits $0 Testing & evaluation
Pro 500 credits $15/month Active individual freelancers
Agency 2,500 credits $45/month Agencies & multi-account managers

Promo Note: Use discount code LAUNCH20 at checkout for 20% off Pro & Agency tiers.

Common Troubleshooting Tips

  • 401 Unauthorized: Ensure your Authorization header includes the Bearer prefix before the JWT token string.
  • AI Request Timeout: Verify your OPENAI_API_KEY or GEMINI_API_KEY is valid and active.
  • CORS Error: Check that FRONTEND_URL in .env.local matches the exact port where your frontend is running.

Next Steps