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🧪 Development Branch Guide

Want to try the latest features before they're officially released? The dev branch contains cutting-edge improvements and experimental features that will eventually make it to the main release.

Experimental Software

The dev branch is experimental and may contain bugs, incomplete features, or breaking changes. Use it only if you're comfortable with potential instability and want to help improve Libre WebUI.

🎯 What is the Dev Branch?​

The development branch (dev) is where new features are tested before being merged into the stable main branch. It includes:

  • Latest features not yet in stable releases
  • Bug fixes being tested
  • Experimental improvements to the UI and functionality
  • Performance optimizations under development

🚀 How to Use the Dev Branch​

With External Ollama:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/libre-webui/libre-webui.git
cd libre-webui

# Switch to dev branch
git checkout dev

# Start with external Ollama configuration
docker-compose -f docker-compose.external-ollama.yml up -d

Simple Docker:

# Use the dev branch image
docker run -d -p 3000:8080 -v libre-webui:/app/backend/data --name libre-webui-dev --restart always ghcr.io/libre-webui/libre-webui:dev

From Source​

# Clone and switch to dev branch
git clone https://github.com/libre-webui/libre-webui.git
cd libre-webui
git checkout dev

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Start development server
npm run dev

🔄 Staying Updated​

The dev branch is updated frequently. To get the latest changes:

# Update your local dev branch
git pull origin dev

# Rebuild Docker containers
docker-compose -f docker-compose.external-ollama.yml up -d --build

# Or restart simple Docker
docker pull ghcr.io/libre-webui/libre-webui:dev
docker stop libre-webui-dev && docker rm libre-webui-dev
docker run -d -p 3000:8080 -v libre-webui:/app/backend/data --name libre-webui-dev --restart always ghcr.io/libre-webui/libre-webui:dev

🐛 Found a Bug? Help Us Improve!​

Your bug reports are incredibly valuable! Here's how to report issues effectively:

Before Reporting​

  1. Check existing issues: Search GitHub Issues to avoid duplicates
  2. Try the stable version: Confirm the bug exists only in dev (not in main branch)
  3. Reproduce consistently: Can you make the bug happen again?

How to Report Bugs​

🐛 Report a Bug on GitHub

Include this information:

**Environment:**
- Branch: dev
- Version: [git commit hash or date]
- OS: [Windows/macOS/Linux]
- Browser: [Chrome/Firefox/Safari version]
- Setup: [Docker/Source/etc.]

**Bug Description:**
Clear description of what went wrong

**Steps to Reproduce:**
1. Go to...
2. Click on...
3. See error...

**Expected Behavior:**
What should have happened

**Actual Behavior:**
What actually happened

**Screenshots/Logs:**
[If applicable, add screenshots or error logs]

Get Your Git Commit Hash​

# Find your current dev branch commit
git rev-parse HEAD

# Or get a short version
git rev-parse --short HEAD

🏆 Contributing & Recognition​

Using the dev branch makes you part of our testing community! Contributors are recognized in several ways:

Recognition for Contributors​

  • Listed in CONTRIBUTORS.md
  • Mentioned in release notes for significant contributions
  • Co-author attribution in commit messages
  • Special thanks in project announcements

Current Contributors​

Our amazing community includes:

  • rob - Project Maintainer
  • jm - Network Access Enhancement
  • And more contributors! Check the full list

Want to Contribute Code?​

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Create a feature branch from dev: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature dev
  3. Make your changes
  4. Submit a Pull Request against the dev branch

See our Contributing Guidelines for detailed instructions and our Community Charter for the project's ethical guidelines and governance model.

⚠️ Important Notes​

Data Safety​

  • Backup your data before switching to dev branch
  • Use a separate Docker volume for dev testing: 
    # Use different volume name for dev
    docker run -d -p 3000:8080 -v libre-webui-dev:/app/backend/data --name libre-webui-dev ghcr.io/libre-webui/libre-webui:dev

Potential Issues​

  • Breaking changes may require configuration updates
  • Features may be incomplete or change without notice
  • Performance may vary as optimizations are tested
  • UI elements might look different or behave unexpectedly

When to Use Stable​

Switch back to the stable main branch if you:

  • Need reliability for important work
  • Experience too many bugs
  • Want a tested, stable experience
# Switch back to stable
git checkout main
docker-compose -f docker-compose.external-ollama.yml up -d --build

🌟 Join the Community​

Ready to help shape the future of Libre WebUI? 🚀

Your testing, feedback, and contributions on the dev branch directly improve the experience for all users. Thank you for being part of our development community!