🖥 The Full-Stack Master Reference

Claude Code • Firebase • Git • NPM • Docker • Cloud Run • Terminal

React Deploy Workflow — The Golden Loop

Full build-and-deploy loop for projects with a build step (React / Vite) — compile, deploy in order, then push

For React / Vite apps click to expand / collapse

1Pull latest FIRST
(in case another PC pushed)

git pull origin

Working from a different machine? Always sync before touching anything, or you'll get merge conflicts. Then npm install if dependencies changed.

2Verify locally

npm run dev

Opens localhost (:5173). Click through what changed. NOTE: with VITE_USE_FIREBASE=true, localhost still hits live Firestore — only the UI is local. Anything needing a new rule/function fails here until you deploy it (step 5).

3Build — does it compile?

npm run build

Compiles to dist/ (what Hosting serves). If it fails, fix before deploying — nothing reached live.

4Confirm the project
(not the wrong one!)

firebase use

Must print your intended project ID before deploying. Reflex check, every time.

5Deploy in order:
rules → functions → hosting

firebase deploy --only firestore:rules

firebase deploy --only functions

firebase deploy --only hosting

Order matters: the UI calls rules + functions, so deploy those FIRST. Skip any line you didn't change — UI-only = just hosting.

6Verify live —
test in production

firebase open hosting:site

Or open your .web.app URL. Confirm it works live — sometimes it passes locally but not in prod.

7Commit & push LAST
(so every PC stays in sync)

STAGE & COMMIT

git add . && git commit -m " "

PUSH TO GITHUB

git push origin

Don't walk away without pushing — your next machine pulls this in step 1. Forgetting here is what causes the conflicts step 1 prevents.

🩹 Gotchas: npm run dev won't see .env changes (like flipping VITE_USE_FIREBASE) until you restart it (Ctrl+C → rerun). Broke the live site? Roll back instantly in Firebase Console → Hosting → release history. Functions need "node": "20" or "22" in functions/package.json (not 24).

Pull → Deploy → Push Quick loop for static sites with no build step (plain HTML / JS) — deploy straight to Hosting

For static HTML sites

Working from multiple PCs? Never skip a step. Every session starts and ends here.

Sync Before You Touch Anything

Always pull the latest code first. Your other machine may have pushed changes you don't have yet.

git pull origin

→

Build & Deploy Your Changes

Pick the right deploy for what you changed. Only touched HTML? Hosting is enough. Changed a function? Deploy that one.

HOSTING ONLY

firebase deploy --only hosting

ALL FUNCTIONS

firebase deploy --only functions

SPECIFIC FUNCTION

firebase deploy --only functions:

FULL DEPLOY

firebase deploy

→

Commit & Push So Other PCs Stay in Sync

Don't walk away without pushing. If you forget, your next machine will be behind and you'll have merge conflicts.

3A — STAGE & COMMIT

git add . && git commit -m " "

3B — PUSH TO REMOTE

git push origin

Connect a Local Project to GitHub Link a brand-new local folder to a GitHub repo (one-time)

Starting fresh locally? Run these steps once to link your folder to a GitHub repo and push it up.

Initialize Git Locally

Run this inside your project folder. Creates a hidden .git directory that starts tracking your files.

git init

→

Create an Empty Repo on GitHub

Go to github.com/new and create a new repo. Leave it completely blank — no README, no .gitignore, no license.

→ github.com/new → Create empty repo

→

Link Local Folder to GitHub

Copy the HTTPS URL from your new GitHub repo and paste it below. This registers GitHub as your remote "origin".

git remote add origin

→

Stage, Commit & Push

Commit everything and push it up. Your code is now on GitHub and ready to clone on any machine.

STAGE & COMMIT

git add . && git commit -m " "

IF YOUR BRANCH IS main

git branch -M main && git push -u origin main

IF YOUR BRANCH IS master

git push -u origin master

Not sure which? Run git branch — the branch with a * is yours.

💡 The -u flag matters: Running git push -u origin main (or master) sets the upstream tracking link once. Every future push from this machine is just git push — no branch name needed. Skipping -u is what causes the "has no upstream branch" error.

Set Up an Existing Repo on a New PC Clone & configure an existing repo on a fresh machine

Got a new machine? Pick your situation below.

🆕 Fresh Git Install

✅ Git Already Set Up

Configure Git Identity

One-time setup per machine — the --global flag means these apply to every repo on this computer. Skip this if Git is already configured.

YOUR NAME

git config --global user.name " "

YOUR EMAIL

git config --global user.email " "

→

Clone the Repo

Go to your GitHub repo, hit the green Code button, copy the HTTPS URL, and paste it below to download everything.

git clone

Then cd into the new folder before running anything else.

→

Install Dependencies & Authenticate

Restore packages and log into Firebase and Google Cloud so this machine can build and deploy.

INSTALL PACKAGES

npm install

FIREBASE LOGIN

firebase login

GCLOUD LOGIN

gcloud auth login

🚨 The .env trap — it does NOT come with the clone. Your .env is in .gitignore on purpose (it holds secret keys), so Git skips it. After cloning, the app still builds and loads — then Firebase / API calls silently fail because the keys aren't there. No error tells you why.

ON THIS NEW PC — SCAFFOLD FROM TEMPLATE (CMD)

copy .env.example .env

Then paste the real values into .env from your password manager.

VERIFY IT EXISTS & ISN'T EMPTY

type .env

ONE-TIME, IN THE REPO — so every future clone has the template

Commit a .env.example with the variable names but blank values — no secrets. It travels with the repo and documents exactly which keys the project needs. Sample (swap in your project's real variables):

VITE_FIREBASE_API_KEY=
VITE_USE_FIREBASE=true
OPENAI_API_KEY=

⤷ Heads up: the dev server won't pick up .env changes until you restart it (Ctrl+C → rerun) — same gotcha as the Golden Loop.

💡 Got a functions/ subfolder? It has its own package.json, so you need to install there separately: cd functions && npm install && cd .. — Firebase won't deploy functions without it.

⚡ Claude Code CLI Launch from CMD — skip-permissions / continue / resume + flags

⚠ --dangerously-skip-permissions = "YOLO mode". It auto-approves every file write, shell command, and network call with no prompts. Only run it in a trusted repo where git is your undo button — commit before you start so you can roll back. Equivalent to --permission-mode bypassPermissions.

Launch (from CMD)

⚡ Skip-permissions (your usual launch)

claude --dangerously-skip-permissions

Opens an interactive session with all permission prompts off — Claude works uninterrupted. This is the flag you keep asking for.

⚡ Continue last chat + skip permissions

claude --continue --dangerously-skip-permissions

Picks up the most recent conversation in this folder and re-applies skip-permissions (a resumed session does not keep the flag on its own).

Plain interactive session

claude

Normal mode — Claude asks before each write/command. Safest for an unfamiliar repo.

Resume a session (interactive picker)

claude --resume

Shows a list of past sessions in this project to pick from. Short form: claude -r.

⚡ Launch with an opening prompt

claude --dangerously-skip-permissions " "

Starts the session already working on your instruction.

Permission Modes & Flags

Safer: arm bypass for Shift+Tab

claude --allow-dangerously-skip-permissions

Starts normally but lets you Shift+Tab into bypass mode only when you want it — then Shift+Tab back out. Less all-or-nothing than the full flag.

Start in plan mode (read-only first)

claude --permission-mode plan

Claude plans the work before touching anything. Modes: default, acceptEdits, plan, auto, bypassPermissions.

Pick a model

claude --model

Use an alias (opus, sonnet, haiku) or a full model ID for this session.

Add extra working directories

claude --add-dir

Lets Claude read/edit files outside the current folder too.

One-shot, print & exit (no chat)

claude -p " "

Runs the task, prints the answer, exits. Add --dangerously-skip-permissions for fully headless runs.

Update & Manage

Update to latest version

claude update

Pulls the newest Claude Code build. Run it when flags or features look out of date.

Install / reinstall (npm)

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

The global install. Use this if claude isn't recognized in CMD at all.

Check who you're logged in as

claude auth status

Confirms your account/auth. claude auth login to sign in, claude auth logout to switch.

Configure MCP servers

claude mcp

Add/manage Model Context Protocol servers (Gmail, Drive, Firebase tooling, etc.).

Check the install health

claude doctor

Diagnoses common setup problems if something's misbehaving.

💡 One-letter launch from CMD. Tired of typing the whole flag? Make a tiny cc.bat in a folder that's on your PATH (e.g. C:\Windows or a personal C:\bin):

@echo off && claude --dangerously-skip-permissions %*

Then just type cc in any project folder to launch in skip-permissions mode. The %* passes through anything extra, so cc "fix the build" works too.

1. Firebase CLI & Deployment Login, switch projects, deploy hosting / functions / rules

Auth & Project Switching

firebase login

Opens browser to authenticate your Google account with Firebase CLI.

Switch Account

firebase login:use

Switch between accounts without logging out. Useful for personal vs work projects.

List All Projects

firebase projects:list

Shows all Firebase projects linked to your current account.

Switch Active Project

firebase use

Changes which project your commands target. Run firebase use --add to create aliases like "prod" or "dev".

Development & Testing

Run All Emulators

firebase emulators:start

Starts local emulators for Functions, Firestore, Auth, etc. Test without hitting production or using quota.

Emulators + Import Data

firebase emulators:start --import=

Loads previously exported emulator data so you don't start fresh each time.

Watch Cloud Function Logs

firebase functions:log --only

Streams real-time logs from deployed functions. Leave function name blank to see all.

Serve Hosting Locally

firebase serve --only hosting

Preview your static site locally before deploying. Faster than full emulators if you only need hosting.

Granular Deployment

Deploy Everything

firebase deploy

Deploys all configured services (Hosting, Functions, Rules, etc.) at once.

Deploy Hosting Only

firebase deploy --only hosting

Just pushes static files. Much faster when you haven't touched functions.

Deploy All Functions

firebase deploy --only functions

Redeploys all Cloud Functions. Can take a few minutes if you have many.

Deploy ONE Function

firebase deploy --only functions:

Deploy a single function by name. Way faster when iterating on one function.

Deploy Firestore Rules

firebase deploy --only firestore:rules

Updates security rules without touching anything else. Takes effect immediately.

Setup & Init

Initialize New Project

firebase init

Interactive wizard to set up Hosting, Functions, Firestore, etc. Creates config files in your directory.

Add Project Alias

firebase use --add

Creates shortcuts like "prod" or "staging" so you can quickly switch with firebase use prod.

Check Current Project

firebase use

Shows which project is currently active. Always check before deploying!

2. Git Fundamentals Everyday clone / pull / commit / push / branch

Getting Code (Pull/Clone)

Clone Repo (First Time)

git clone

Downloads a repo for the first time. Creates a folder with all files and history.

Pull Latest Changes

git pull origin

Fetches and merges remote changes into your local branch. Do this before starting work.

Fetch Without Merging

git fetch origin

Downloads remote changes but doesn't apply them. Useful to see what's new before merging.

Saving Code (Push)

Check Status

git status

Shows modified, staged, and untracked files. Run this often to see where you're at.

Stage All + Commit

git add . && git commit -m " "

Stages all changes and creates a commit. Write a short, meaningful message.

Push to GitHub

git push origin

Uploads your commits to GitHub. Now other machines can pull your changes.

View Commit History

git log --oneline -10

Shows last 10 commits in compact format. Great for finding commit hashes.

Branches

List All Branches

git branch -a

Shows local and remote branches. Current branch marked with asterisk.

Create & Switch to Branch

git checkout -b

Creates a new branch from current position and switches to it immediately.

Switch Branch

git checkout

Switches to an existing branch. Commit or stash changes first!

Merge Branch Into Current

git merge

Brings changes from another branch into your current branch. May need conflict resolution.

Stash (Temporary Storage)

Stash Current Changes

git stash

Temporarily shelves uncommitted changes. Lets you switch branches with a clean slate.

Stash With Name

git stash push -m " "

Stash with a description so you remember what it was for later.

List Stashes

git stash list

Shows all stashed changes with their index numbers and messages.

Apply & Remove Latest Stash

git stash pop

Restores most recent stash and removes it from the stash list.

Undo & Recovery

Discard ALL Local Changes

git checkout -- .

Wipes all uncommitted changes permanently. Cannot be undone!

Undo Last Commit (Keep Files)

git reset --soft HEAD~1

Removes the last commit but keeps all changes staged. Good for fixing commit messages.

Hard Reset to Remote

git reset --hard origin/

Nuclear option: makes your local branch identical to remote. All local changes lost forever.

Unstage Files (Keep Changes)

git reset HEAD

Removes files from staging area but keeps your edits intact. Opposite of git add.

Config & Remote

Set Username

git config --global user.name " "

Sets the name attached to your commits. Required for first-time Git setup.

Set Email

git config --global user.email " "

Sets email for commits. Use your GitHub email to link commits to your profile.

View Remotes

git remote -v

Shows URLs for fetch and push. Useful to verify which GitHub repo you're connected to.

3. NPM & Node.js Install packages, run scripts, manage dependencies

Package Management

Install All Dependencies

npm install

Reads package.json and installs everything. Run this after cloning a repo.

Install Specific Package

npm install

Adds a package to your project and saves it to package.json dependencies.

Install as Dev Dependency

npm install -D

For packages only needed during development (testing, building). Not included in production.

Uninstall Package

npm uninstall

Removes a package from node_modules and package.json.

Updates & Security

Check for Outdated

npm outdated

Lists packages with newer versions available. Shows current vs wanted vs latest.

Update All Packages

npm update

Updates packages to latest versions within the ranges specified in package.json.

Security Audit

npm audit

Scans dependencies for known vulnerabilities. Shows severity levels and fix suggestions.

Auto-Fix Vulnerabilities

npm audit fix

Automatically updates vulnerable packages to patched versions when possible.

Scripts & Running

Run Start Script

npm start

Runs the "start" script from package.json. Usually launches the dev server.

Run Custom Script

npm run

Runs any script defined in package.json. Common ones: build, test, dev, lint.

Run with npx (No Install)

npx

Runs a package without permanently installing it. Great for one-time CLI tools.

List Available Scripts

npm run

Shows all available scripts defined in package.json. Useful in unfamiliar projects.

Cleanup & Cache

Clear NPM Cache

npm cache clean --force

Clears the npm cache. Try this when installs are behaving strangely.

Delete node_modules

rm -rf node_modules

Removes all installed packages. Usually followed by a fresh npm install.

Fresh Install

rm -rf node_modules && npm install

Nuclear option: wipes and reinstalls everything. Fixes most "weird dependency" issues.

4. Docker & Google Cloud Containers, Cloud Run, gcloud auth & deploy

Docker Basics

Build Image

docker build -t .

Creates an image from your Dockerfile. The dot means "use current directory".

Run Container

docker run -p 8080:8080

Starts a container from an image. -p maps container port to your machine's port.

List Running Containers

docker ps

Shows all running containers with their IDs, ports, and names.

Stop Container

docker stop

Gracefully stops a running container. Get the ID from docker ps.

Google Cloud Run

gcloud auth login

Opens browser to authenticate your Google account with the gcloud CLI.

Set Project

gcloud config set project

Sets which GCP project commands will target. Find your project ID in the console.

Deploy to Cloud Run

gcloud run deploy

Interactive deploy that prompts for service name, region, and settings. Builds and deploys in one step.

Build & Push to GCR

gcloud builds submit --tag gcr.io/

Builds your Docker image in the cloud and pushes to Google Container Registry.

📋 Cloud Run Management

List Services

gcloud run services list

Shows all your Cloud Run services with their URLs and regions.

View Logs

gcloud run services logs read

Streams logs from a deployed service. Essential for debugging production issues.

Delete Service

gcloud run services delete

Permanently removes a Cloud Run service. Will prompt for confirmation.

5. Terminal Power Tools File ops, search, networking & curl

Finding Things

Find Process on Port

lsof -i :

Shows which process is using a port. Fixes "Address already in use" errors.

Kill Process by PID

kill -9

Force-kills a process by its ID. Get the PID from lsof or ps aux.

Search Command History

history | grep

Finds past commands containing a keyword. Great for remembering complex commands.

Find Files by Name

find . -name "* *"

Recursively searches for files matching a pattern. The dot means "start from here".

File Operations

Copy Directory

cp -r

Copies a folder and all its contents recursively. -r means "recursive".

Disk Usage (Folder Size)

du -sh */

Shows size of each folder in current directory. -h makes it human-readable (MB, GB).

Watch File Changes

tail -f

Live-streams new lines as they're added to a file. Perfect for watching logs.

Network & Curl

Test URL Response

curl -I

Fetches only HTTP headers. Quick way to check if a URL is responding.

POST JSON

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{}' URL

Sends a POST request with JSON body. Replace {} with your data and URL at the end.

Check Local IP

ipconfig getifaddr en0

Shows your local network IP (macOS). On Linux use hostname -I instead.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Ctrl+R in terminal to reverse-search your command history. Press Tab to autocomplete paths and commands. Chain commands with && (runs next only if previous succeeds).