# Local Development Mode

This document explains how to run the Netflix GraphRAG application in local development mode without requiring MSAL authentication.

## Authentication Bypass

When running the application in local development mode (PRODUCTION=false), the authentication system is automatically bypassed:

1. The frontend will not redirect to Microsoft login
2. A default user "dev_user@local" is automatically used for all API requests
3. You can directly start using the application without any login

## Setup Instructions

1. Ensure you have a `.env` file in the project root with:
   ```
   PRODUCTION=false
   ```

2. Start the backend server:
   ```bash
   python main.py
   ```

3. Start the frontend development server:
   ```bash
   cd chat-interface
   npm run dev
   ```

4. Access the application at http://localhost:5173

## How it Works

- The frontend (auth.js) automatically bypasses authentication checks when in development mode
- The backend (routes.py) checks for `PRODUCTION=false` in all authenticated endpoints
- When `PRODUCTION=false` and no username is provided, the backend uses "dev_user@local"
- All conversations and messages will be associated with this default user

## Switching to Production Mode

To disable the authentication bypass and use real MSAL authentication:

1. Set `PRODUCTION=true` in your `.env` file
2. Restart both frontend and backend servers

## Troubleshooting

- If you encounter authentication errors, make sure PRODUCTION is set to "false" in the .env file
- Ensure the backend is running before accessing the frontend
- Check for any error messages in both the frontend and backend consoles