fix: update the local development scripts, readme and custom deployment pre provision hook by Ragini-Microsoft · Pull Request #813 · microsoft/content-generation-solution-accelerator

Ragini-Microsoft · 2026-04-16T07:14:19Z

Purpose

This pull request introduces several improvements to local development scripts, deployment automation, and environment setup to streamline the developer experience and make deployment processes more robust. The changes focus on better handling of environment files, enhanced automation for prerequisites, improved deployment hooks, and cleanup of legacy scripts.

Key changes include:

Local Development Script Improvements

Updated both PowerShell (scripts/local_dev.ps1) and Bash (scripts/local_dev.sh) scripts to prefer .env.sample over .env.template for generating .env files, and improved logic for generating, refreshing, and falling back to .env if missing. The scripts now prompt users to refresh .env from Azure resources and automatically run setup steps if prerequisites (like virtual environments or dependencies) are missing. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Enhanced backend and frontend start functions to use Push-Location/Pop-Location for safer directory changes and to suppress benign shutdown errors, improving robustness and user experience. [1] [2] [3]
Improved the "start all" workflow to display colored, prefixed output for backend and frontend logs, and to handle job failures more gracefully. [1] [2]
Added a help command to the Bash script for easier discovery of available commands. [1] [2]

Deployment Automation Enhancements

Refined Azure deployment hooks in azure_custom.yaml to better detect and handle first deployments, ACR (Azure Container Registry) image existence, and ACI (Azure Container Instance) redeployments. The hooks now clear container instance names and skip deployments as appropriate, and restart ACI to ensure new images are picked up. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Environment and Documentation Updates

Added missing environment variable samples (COSMOSDB_ACCOUNT_NAME, RESOURCE_GROUP_NAME) to .env.sample for clarity and completeness. [1] [2]
Updated documentation to clarify that deploying local changes is an advanced operation.

Cleanup

Removed legacy startup scripts (src/start.sh, src/start.cmd) in favor of the improved local development scripts. [1] [2]

Minor Fixes

Corrected the PYTHONPATH export in the Bash script to use the backend directory instead of the source directory.

Does this introduce a breaking change?

Yes
No

Golden Path Validation

I have tested the primary workflows (the "golden path") to ensure they function correctly without errors.

Deployment Validation

I have validated the deployment process successfully and all services are running as expected with this change.

These files were not referenced anywhere in the codebase. Local development is handled by scripts/local_dev.ps1 and scripts/local_dev.sh. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Refactors the local development experience by making the PowerShell and Bash dev scripts more “self-healing” (auto-setup / auto-env generation), improving service output handling, and updating the local dev documentation accordingly.

Changes:

Update local_dev.ps1 / local_dev.sh to auto-run setup steps when prerequisites are missing and improve process output labeling/handling.
Fix Bash PYTHONPATH to point at the backend directory for correct module resolution.
Expand/refresh the local development setup guide and remove unused legacy start scripts.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 5 out of 5 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
`scripts/local_dev.ps1`	Adds auto-setup/env generation, safer directory handling, and job output labeling for backend/frontend.
`scripts/local_dev.sh`	Adds auto-setup/env generation, fixes `PYTHONPATH`, and improves help discoverability.
`docs/LocalDevelopmentSetup.md`	Major rewrite/expansion of local setup instructions and env var reference.
`src/start.sh`	Removed unused legacy startup script.
`src/start.cmd`	Removed unused legacy startup script.

💡 Add Copilot custom instructions for smarter, more guided reviews. Learn how to get started.

Copilot · 2026-04-16T07:20:40Z

+    if (-not (Test-Path ".env")) {
+        Write-Warning ".env file not found. Generating from Azure resources..."
+        Invoke-EnvGeneration


Start-All calls Invoke-EnvGeneration when .env is missing, but Invoke-EnvGeneration’s non-azd fallback only copies from .env.template (which doesn’t exist in this repo; there is .env.sample). If azd isn’t available, Start-All will proceed without a .env and then role assignment helpers will fail with less actionable errors. After Invoke-EnvGeneration, explicitly verify that .env exists (or copy from .env.sample) and stop with a clear next-step message if it still doesn’t.

Suggested change

if (-not (Test-Path ".env")) {

Write-Warning ".env file not found. Generating from Azure resources..."

Invoke-EnvGeneration

$envFile = Join-Path $ProjectRoot ".env"

$envSampleFile = Join-Path $ProjectRoot ".env.sample"

if (-not (Test-Path $envFile)) {

Write-Warning ".env file not found. Generating from Azure resources..."

Invoke-EnvGeneration

if (-not (Test-Path $envFile) -and (Test-Path $envSampleFile)) {

Write-Warning "Invoke-EnvGeneration did not create .env. Copying .env.sample to .env as a fallback..."

Copy-Item $envSampleFile $envFile

Write-Info "Created .env from .env.sample. Update the file with your local values if needed."

}

if (-not (Test-Path $envFile)) {

throw "Failed to create .env. Run '.\scripts\local_dev.ps1 -Command env' to generate it from Azure resources, or create '.env' manually from '.env.sample' and rerun the script."

}

Copilot · 2026-04-16T07:20:41Z

+    # Auto-run env generation if .env is missing
+    if [ ! -f ".env" ]; then
+        print_warning ".env file not found. Generating from Azure resources..."
+        generate_env


start_all auto-runs generate_env when .env is missing, but generate_env’s non-azd fallback only copies from .env.template (this repo has .env.sample, not .env.template). If azd isn’t installed, start_all continues without a .env and later role assignment helpers will fail with less actionable errors. After generate_env, re-check that .env exists (or copy from .env.sample) and exit with a clear message if it still doesn’t.

Suggested change

generate_env

generate_env

if [ ! -f ".env" ] && [ -f ".env.sample" ]; then

print_warning "generate_env did not create .env. Falling back to .env.sample..."

cp ".env.sample" ".env"

fi

if [ ! -f ".env" ]; then

print_error "Unable to create .env. Please run './local_dev.sh env' or create '$PROJECT_ROOT/.env' manually (you can start from .env.sample if available)."

exit 1

fi

Copilot · 2026-04-16T07:20:41Z

+sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv git curl nodejs npm -y
+


The Linux prerequisite command installs nodejs/npm from the default apt repositories, which often does not provide Node.js 18+ (the stated minimum). Update these instructions to install a Node 18+ source (e.g., NodeSource repo or nvm), or clarify the minimum supported distro versions where apt provides Node 18+.

Suggested change

sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv git curl nodejs npm -y

sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv git curl ca-certificates -y

# Install Node.js 18.x from NodeSource

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -

sudo apt install nodejs -y

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 6 out of 6 changed files in this pull request and generated 6 comments.

💡 Add Copilot custom instructions for smarter, more guided reviews. Learn how to get started.

…output

…dle custom deployments

Ragini-Microsoft and others added 2 commits April 13, 2026 14:53

Remove orphaned start.cmd and start.sh scripts

2986952

These files were not referenced anywhere in the codebase. Local development is handled by scripts/local_dev.ps1 and scripts/local_dev.sh. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

fix: Enhance local_dev scripts to auto-run setup and readme update

1f4e632

Ragini-Microsoft requested review from Avijit-Microsoft, Prajwal-Microsoft, Roopan-Microsoft, Vinay-Microsoft, aniaroramsft, malrose07, nchandhi and toherman-msft as code owners April 16, 2026 07:14

Ragini-Microsoft requested a review from Copilot April 16, 2026 07:14

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of Ragini-Microsoft April 16, 2026 07:15 View session

Ragini-Microsoft marked this pull request as draft April 16, 2026 07:16

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 16, 2026

View reviewed changes

copilot review fixes and readme updates

0e8f833

Ragini-Microsoft requested a review from Copilot April 16, 2026 09:11

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of Ragini-Microsoft April 16, 2026 09:12 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 16, 2026

View reviewed changes

Ragini-Microsoft added 3 commits April 16, 2026 15:19

fix: Update API version in documentation and refine local_dev script …

2f43aa6

…output

Enhance deployment hooks to check for existing images in ACR and han…

f9314c4

…dle custom deployments

readme updated

7719f85

Ragini-Microsoft changed the title ~~fix: update the local development scripts and readme~~ fix: update the local development scripts, readme and custom deployment pre provision hook Apr 16, 2026

Ragini-Microsoft marked this pull request as ready for review April 16, 2026 14:05

Provide feedback

Saved searches

Use saved searches to filter your results more quickly

fix: update the local development scripts, readme and custom deployment pre provision hook#813

fix: update the local development scripts, readme and custom deployment pre provision hook#813
Ragini-Microsoft wants to merge 6 commits intodevfrom
rc-localsetupupdate

Ragini-Microsoft commented Apr 16, 2026 •

edited

Loading

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Copilot AI Apr 16, 2026

Uh oh!

Copilot AI Apr 16, 2026

Uh oh!

Copilot AI Apr 16, 2026

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

2 participants

-    if (-not (Test-Path ".env")) {
-        Write-Warning ".env file not found. Generating from Azure resources..."
-        Invoke-EnvGeneration
+    $envFile = Join-Path $ProjectRoot ".env"
+    $envSampleFile = Join-Path $ProjectRoot ".env.sample"
+    if (-not (Test-Path $envFile)) {
+        Write-Warning ".env file not found. Generating from Azure resources..."
+        Invoke-EnvGeneration
+        if (-not (Test-Path $envFile) -and (Test-Path $envSampleFile)) {
+            Write-Warning "Invoke-EnvGeneration did not create .env. Copying .env.sample to .env as a fallback..."
+            Copy-Item $envSampleFile $envFile
+            Write-Info "Created .env from .env.sample. Update the file with your local values if needed."
+        }
+        if (-not (Test-Path $envFile)) {
+            throw "Failed to create .env. Run '.\scripts\local_dev.ps1 -Command env' to generate it from Azure resources, or create '.env' manually from '.env.sample' and rerun the script."
+        }

-        generate_env
+        generate_env
+        if [ ! -f ".env" ] && [ -f ".env.sample" ]; then
+            print_warning "generate_env did not create .env. Falling back to .env.sample..."
+            cp ".env.sample" ".env"
+        fi
+        if [ ! -f ".env" ]; then
+            print_error "Unable to create .env. Please run './local_dev.sh env' or create '$PROJECT_ROOT/.env' manually (you can start from .env.sample if available)."
+            exit 1
+        fi

		sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv git curl nodejs npm -y

-sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv git curl nodejs npm -y
+sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3.11 python3.11-venv git curl ca-certificates -y
+# Install Node.js 18.x from NodeSource
+curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
+sudo apt install nodejs -y

Conversation

Ragini-Microsoft commented Apr 16, 2026 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Purpose

Local Development Script Improvements

Deployment Automation Enhancements

Environment and Documentation Updates

Cleanup

Minor Fixes

Does this introduce a breaking change?

Golden Path Validation

Deployment Validation

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Pull request overview

Reviewed changes

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Copilot AI Apr 16, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Copilot AI Apr 16, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Copilot AI Apr 16, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Pull request overview

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

2 participants

Ragini-Microsoft commented Apr 16, 2026 •

edited

Loading