---
title: "Rocket Chat Gitpod Dev Environment"
slug: "gitpod-rocketchat-development-environment-setup"
description: "Learn how to set up Rocket Chat in Gitpod. Build, test, and extend secure communication apps in a cloud-based dev workspace."
updated: 2026-02-23T16:39:53Z
published: 2026-02-23T16:39:53Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developer.rocket.chat/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Gitpod Rocket.Chat Development Environment Setup

> [!WARNING]
> This documentation is based on Gitpod Flex.

The fastest way to set up a Rocket.Chat development environment is by using Gitpod. Gitpod provides a hosted development workspace accessible through your browser, making it easy to contribute to Rocket.Chat without configuring a local environment.

Follow the steps below to configure your Rocket.Chat development environment in Gitpod.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have completed the following:

1. Create a [GitHub account](https://github.com/).
2. Sign up for a [Gitpod account](https://www.gitpod.io/).
3. Generate a [GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT)](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/keeping-your-account-and-data-secure/managing-your-personal-access-tokens), if you don’t already have one.
4. Set up a [runner](https://ona.com/docs/ona/runners/overview) for your Gitpod development environment using one of the following options:
  - Gitpod Desktop for local development
  - Remote self-hosted runners such as AWS
5. Fork the [Rocket.Chat GitHub repository](https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat) to your GitHub account.

## Step 1: Create a Gitpod environment

Once your runner is ready:

1. Navigate to Gitpod’s environment setup page.
2. Provide the URL of your forked Rocket.Chat repository.
3. Select the appropriate environment class (your runner).

## Step 2: Authenticate and connect to GitHub

1. Generate a GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT), if you don’t already have one.
2. Add the token to your Gitpod account to enable authentication and repository access.

## Step 3: Launch the project

1. Start the Gitpod environment for your forked Rocket.Chat repository.
2. The environment launch may take a few minutes while it performs the following:
  - Clones the repository
  - Loads secrets (environment variables) and automation
  - Starts the development container

---

## Working with Rocket.Chat

Once your Gitpod environment is running, follow the steps below to build, run, and interact with your Rocket.Chat development instance.

| Step | Description |
| --- | --- |
| 1. Open Rocket.Chat in VS Code | After the environment is running, click Open VS Code in the top-right corner of the Gitpod workspace. This opens the Rocket.Chat project in VS Code. |
| 1. Start the Rocket.Chat server | In the Gitpod environment page, scroll down to the Services section and click Start to build the project. This runs the required build commands. |
| 1. Verify port 3000 | Open the terminal in VS Code and navigate to the **Ports** tab. Confirm that port `3000` is open and associated with the development container. |
| 1. Access the application | Open your browser and navigate to `http://localhost:3000`. You should see your Rocket.Chat app running. |
| 1. Make changes | Edit files directly in the VS Code instance. Rebuild the project by starting or stopping services as needed to reflect your changes in the browser. |

> [!NOTE]
> Always pull the latest changes from the Rocket.Chat upstream repository to stay up to date.