---
title: Developer Documentation
description: Complete guide for engineers integrating, extending, and contributing to TraceRTM
icon: Code
keywords:
  - development
  - API
  - architecture
  - contributing
audience: developer
difficulty: intermediate
toc: false
---

# Developer Documentation

Welcome to the TraceRTM Developer Documentation! This guide is for software engineers, DevOps professionals, and contributors who want to integrate with, extend, or contribute to TraceRTM.

## What You'll Find Here

<Cards cols={2}>
  <Card
    title="Setup & Installation"
    description="Get your development environment ready"
    href="/docs/developer/setup"
    icon={Wrench}
  />

  <Card
    title="Architecture"
    description="System design and architectural decisions"
    href="/docs/developer/architecture"
    icon={Boxes}
  />

  <Card
    title="Backend Development"
    description="FastAPI, models, and business logic"
    href="/docs/developer/backend"
    icon={Server}
  />

  <Card
    title="Frontend Development"
    description="React, Next.js, and component library"
    href="/docs/developer/frontend"
    icon={Layout}
  />
</Cards>

## Quick Start for Developers

<Steps>
  <Step>
    **Clone the repository**

    ```bash
    git clone https://github.com/tracertm/tracertm.git
    cd tracertm
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step>
    **Set up local environment**

    Follow our [Local Development Setup](/docs/developer/setup/local-development) guide to configure your environment.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    **Explore the architecture**

    Read the [Architecture Overview](/docs/developer/architecture/overview) to understand the system design.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    **Make your first contribution**

    Check our [Contributing Guidelines](/docs/developer/contributing/guidelines) to get started.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Technology Stack

TraceRTM is built with modern technologies:

### Backend
- **FastAPI** - High-performance Python web framework
- **PostgreSQL** - Primary database with JSONB support
- **Redis** - Caching and session management
- **Alembic** - Database migrations

### Frontend
- **Next.js 14** - React framework with App Router
- **React 19** - UI library
- **Tailwind CSS** - Utility-first styling
- **Radix UI** - Accessible component primitives

### CLI
- **Typer** - CLI framework
- **Rich** - Terminal formatting and TUI

## Key Concepts

<WarningCallout>
  Before diving into development, familiarize yourself with our [Architecture Overview](/docs/developer/architecture/overview) and [System Design](/docs/developer/architecture/system-design) documents.
</WarningCallout>

### Development Workflow

1. **Local Development** - Set up your dev environment
2. **Testing** - Write tests for new features
3. **Code Review** - Submit pull requests for review
4. **CI/CD** - Automated testing and deployment

## Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:

- Read our [Contributing Guidelines](/docs/developer/contributing/guidelines)
- Check our [Code Style Guide](/docs/developer/contributing/code-style)
- Review [Pull Request Process](/docs/developer/contributing/pull-requests)
- Explore open issues on GitHub

## Need Help?

<InfoCallout>
  Join our developer community on Discord or GitHub Discussions for support and collaboration.
</InfoCallout>
