Quick Start Guide

Get your VIMM framework up and running in under 30 minutes with this comprehensive guide.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following installed:

Required Software

• Node.js 18+ - Download here
• npm or yarn package manager
• Git for cloning repositories
• FFmpeg for media processing

System Requirements

• Memory: Minimum 4GB RAM (8GB+ recommended for production)
• Storage: 10GB+ free space
• Network: Stable internet connection
• OS: Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+), macOS, or Windows with WSL2

Install FFmpeg

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg

# macOS (with Homebrew)
brew install ffmpeg

# For NVIDIA GPU support (Ubuntu)
sudo apt install nvidia-cuda-toolkit

Step 1: Clone the Repositories

Create a directory for your VIMM deployment and clone all three components:

mkdir vimm-deployment
cd vimm-deployment

# Clone VIMM Core (streaming server)
git clone https://github.com/VIMM-TV/vimm-core.git

# Clone VIMM Frontend (web interface)
git clone https://github.com/VIMM-TV/vimm-frontend.git

# Clone VIMM Chat (chat server)
git clone https://github.com/VIMM-TV/vimm-chat.git

Step 2: Configure Environment Variables

Each component requires environment configuration. Create the necessary `.env` files:

VIMM Core Configuration

cd vimm-core
cp .env.example .env

Edit the `.env` file with your configuration. Key variables include:

# Database
DB_PATH=./data/vimm.db

# Server Configuration
PORT=3000
RTMP_PORT=1935

# Hive Blockchain
HIVE_NODE=https://api.hive.blog
HIVE_ACCOUNT=your-hive-account
HIVE_KEY=your-posting-key

# Stream Settings
STREAM_DIR=./streams
RECORDING_ENABLED=true

VIMM Frontend Configuration

cd ../vimm-frontend
cp .env.example .env

# API Configuration
REACT_APP_API_URL=http://localhost:3000
REACT_APP_CHAT_URL=http://localhost:3001

# Frontend Settings
PORT=3002
REACT_APP_SITE_NAME=VIMM
REACT_APP_SITE_URL=http://localhost:3002

VIMM Chat Configuration

cd ../vimm-chat
cp .env.example .env

# Chat Server Configuration
PORT=3001
CORE_API_URL=http://localhost:3000

# WebSocket Settings
WS_PORT=3001
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:3002

Step 3: Install Dependencies

Install the required dependencies for each component:

# Install VIMM Core dependencies
cd vimm-core
npm install

# Install VIMM Frontend dependencies
cd ../vimm-frontend
npm install

# Install VIMM Chat dependencies
cd ../vimm-chat
npm install

Step 4: Initialize Database

Initialize the database for VIMM Core:

cd vimm-core
npm run init-db

Step 5: Start the Services

Start each service in separate terminal windows. The order matters:

Terminal 1: Start VIMM Core

cd vimm-core
npm start

Terminal 2: Start VIMM Chat

cd vimm-chat
npm start

Terminal 3: Start VIMM Frontend

cd vimm-frontend
npm start

Step 6: Verify Installation

Check that all services are running correctly:

• VIMM Core: http://localhost:3000 - Should show API status
• VIMM Chat: http://localhost:3001 - Should show chat server status
• VIMM Frontend: http://localhost:3002 - Should show the VIMM web interface

Next Steps

• Configure your streaming software (OBS, etc.) to stream to rtmp://localhost:1935/live/YOUR_STREAM_KEY
• Set up SSL certificates for production deployment
• Configure your Hive blockchain credentials for full integration
• Explore the configuration options for optimal performance