# Local Development
**Notice: Use of the Local Development Server is now subject to our [Developer Terms](https://www.squarespace.com/developer-terms), rather than the Squarespace Local Development Server EULA (which we've sunsetted). The [Oracle Binary Code License Agreement](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/terms/license/index.html) continues to cover the Java SE Runtime Environment Software that comes bundled with the Dev Server software.**

Now you can work on template code locally using the Squarespace Local Development Server. The local development server is a command line tool that sets up a test server on your computer, allowing you to see changes to your template before making them "live."

**NOTE:** Prior to developing locally, you'll need a website set up with developer mode enabled. (See [Getting Started](/quick-start))

## Installing the Dev Server
To begin working locally, you first must download and install the Squarespace Local Development Server. This tool is available via [Node Package Manager (NPM)](https://www.npmjs.com/). Here are the steps required:

1. **Install NPM**: If you don't have NPM installed you'll need to set that up first, by following the [NPM installation guide](https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/installing-node). You'll also need to ensure you have the [appropriate permissions configured for NPM](https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/fixing-npm-permissions).

2. **Install squarespace-server**: You can do this with the following NPM command:

```bash
npm install -g @squarespace/server
```

## Using the Dev Server
First you need to have your template in Developer Mode, and have cloned your site into a folder using Git. (See [Quick Start](/quick-start)):

```bash
git clone https://github.com/{{ your_org }}/{{ your_repo }}.git
cd {{ your_repo }}
```

Then, to start Dev Server, run the following command:

```bash
squarespace-server https://site-name.squarespace.com
```
**NOTE:** When developing while using a trial site, you must use the `--auth` flag as described in Advanced Usage below.

After starting `squarespace-server`, you will see the following screen:

```bash
Starting Development Server

           _
       /  /      _
      /  /  /  /   \
     /  /  /  /  /  |    Squarespace Inc.
    |  /  /  /  /  /     Local Development Environment
     \ _ /  /  /  /
              /  /
            -

Version 0.1.00
Listening on port 9000
```

The start-up message displays both the version of `squarespace-server`, and the port on which the server is running.

Now you can open your browser to your site by typing in the url `http://localhost:9000`. Any changes you make to your local template files will be visible when you refresh your browser.

**NOTE:** You'll need to commit and push [custom collection](/collections), [custom post type](/custom-post-types) and [static page](/static-pages) template files to Squarespace in order to preview them locally. Once a static page has been pushed it can be previewed and edited locally. After a custom collection or post type has been pushed you'll need to create a collection or item in the CMS first.

## Advanced Use

You can view all the options with the command:
```bash
squarespace-server --help
```

If you have a site password, or your site is in trial mode, you'll need to log into your site via the dev server. You can do that with the following command:

```bash
squarespace-server https://site-name.squarespace.com --auth
```

Here's a list of some of the more useful options:

```bash
-h --help               Show this screen.
-d --directory=PATH     Path to template source.
-p --port=PORT          Port that server listens on.
--auth                  Login when starting server.
--verbose               Verbose logging.
```

You can also visit the [NPM registry](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@squarespace/server) page for `@squarespace/server` to read about additional documentation and discover more advanced options.

### Site CSS

According to our page on [URL Queries](/url-queries), typically on a site you can append /site.css? and see all of the CSS. This doesn’t work with the Local Development Server.

```
http://localhost:9000/local-assets/site.css 
```

This will only work when using the Local Development Server. Otherwise, please use what is stated on our [URL Queries](/url-queries) page.

### Help and Feedback

If you have questions about working locally, or would like to provide feedback on Dev Server, please [contact support](https://support.squarespace.com/hc/requests/new?ticket_form_id=64347&subtopic_value=top::design:code-developerplatform) and be sure to let them know you're using the **Squarespace Local Development Server**.