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+# MERL Center Developer Guide
+
+### Table of Contents
+1. [Set Up Local Dev Environment](#set-up-local-dev-environment)
+
+2. [Review A Pull Request](#review-a-pull-request)
+
+3. [Create A Pull Request](#create-a-pull-request)
+
+##### *For this guide, please replace text surrounded by `<>` with the appropriate text for each command. Do not include `<>` characters in your commands.
+
+## Set Up Local Dev Environment
+
+#### 1. Check if you have git installed with the command below.
+```
+git --version
+```
+If you do not have git on your machine, follow the installation instructions [here](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git)
+#### 2. Fork your own copy of merl-center-public repository on GitHub by clicking the fork button in the top right corner of the repository page
+
+see screenshot
+
+![image](https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public/assets/73561520/fb0ac86f-54fe-4cab-b19a-a2762d9ee703)
+
+
+
+#### 3. Clone your forked repository
+```
+git clone .git
+```
+
+see screenshot
+
+![image](https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public/assets/73561520/0dddd8a1-76eb-4f8f-9804-1ca47f66d2a2)
+
+
+#### 4. Navigate into root directory of repository you just cloned
+```
+cd MERL-Center-public
+```
+#### 5. You have two options for starting the server locally
+#### Option #1 - Using Docker (recommended)
+##### 1a. Check if you have Docker installed locally. If you don't have Docker installed, follow the instructions [here](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/)
+
+```
+docker -v
+```
+##### 1b. Run this command to build the Docker image
+
+```
+docker compose build
+```
+##### 1c. Run this command to start the server locally
+```
+docker compose up
+```
+
+#### Option #2 - Using Ruby directly
+##### 2a. Check if you have Ruby installed locally. If you don't have Ruby installed, follow the instructions [here](https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/documentation/installation/) to install Ruby
+```
+ruby -v
+```
+##### 2b. Install the bundler gem with this command
+```
+gem install bundler
+```
+##### 2c. Install dependencies from Gemfile with this command
+```
+bundle install
+```
+##### 2d. Run this command to start the server locally
+```
+bundle exec jekyll serve --livereload
+```
+
+#### 6. Navigate to `localhost:4000` in your browser to see the site running locally
+
+#### 7. Add a remote called `upstream` to your local repository that points to the main repository
+```
+git remote add upstream https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public.git
+```
+Verify that the origin remote points to your fork and the upstream remote points to the main repository
+```
+git remote -v
+```
+![image](https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public/assets/73561520/8f91b2d2-8c68-44af-8ae9-caf0ca2ee9cb)
+
+#### 8. Add fetch configuration to simplify pulling down branch data for pull request reviews
+```
+git config --add remote.upstream.fetch "+refs/pull/*/head:refs/remotes/upstream/pr/*"
+```
+This command adds additional fetch instructions to your `.git/config` file so that you can more easily pull down branches from pull requests on the upstream repository
+
+
+## Review A Pull Request
+#### 1. Add yourself as a reviewer of the pull request on Github
+see screenshot
+
+![image](https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public/assets/73561520/c0ad7dee-a460-431e-bb51-b4b64da68f73)
+
+
+
+#### 2. Make sure you are on the main branch of your local repository
+```
+git switch main
+```
+#### 3. Pull down latest changes from main branch of upstream repository
+```
+git pull upstream main
+```
+#### 4. Fetch all pull request data from the main repository using the upstream remote that was modified in step 8 of setting up your local dev environment
+```
+git fetch upstream
+```
+#### 5. Checkout the specific pull request you want to review
+```
+git checkout upstream/pr/
+```
+
+#### 6. Run the start script from our package.json
+```
+npm run start
+```
+#### 7. Navigate to `localhost:4000` in your browser to check if the changes from the pull request are working as expected
+
+#### 8. Go back to github and find the "Files Changed" tab of the pull request to submit feedback
+see screenshot
+
+![image](https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public/assets/73561520/08d7322b-2947-49f1-b0d2-f7e7d31719be)
+
+
+
+You have three options for submitting feedback:
+
+- Leave a comment on the pull request
+- Approve the pull request which will allow for merging
+- Request changes which will prevent pull request from being merged until changes are made and you re-review the pull request
+
+
+
+## Create A Pull Request
+#### 1. Switch to the main branch
+```
+git switch main
+```
+#### 2. Pull down latest changes from main branch of upstream repository
+```
+git pull upstream main
+```
+
+#### 3. Create a new branch for each issue you work on
+```
+git checkout -b
+```
+
+#### 4. Verify that you are on your newly created branch from step 3 and NOT on the main branch
+```
+git branch
+```
+
+#### 5. Make necessary changes to code in order to satisfy the requirements of the issue you are working on
+
+#### 6. Add the changes to staging area
+```
+git add .
+```
+#### 7. Commit the changes to your local repository
+```
+git commit -m "short descriptive commit message"
+```
+#### 8. Push the changes to your forked repository using the `origin` remote
+```
+git push --set-upstream origin
+```
+Note: replace `` with the name of the branch you created in step 3
+
+#### 9. Navigate to your forked repository on GitHub and click the "Compare & pull request" button
+
+see screenshot
+
+![image](https://github.com/MERLTech/MERL-Center-public/assets/73561520/4f467adc-a296-4e00-8f6e-09a3dffcc208)
+
+