Merge pull request #1641 from vector-im/dbkr/update_readme

Update README.md

README.md

@@ -3,8 +3,23 @@ Vector/Web
 
 Vector is a Matrix web client built using the Matrix React SDK (https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-react-sdk).
 
-Getting started
+Getting Started
 ===============
+Vector is a modular webapp built with modern ES6 and requires and npm build system to build.
+Instructions for building are below, but building from source shouldn't be necessary
+for simple deployments.
+
+1. Download the latest version from https://vector.im/packages/
+1. Untar the tarball on your web server
+1. Move (or symlink) the vector-x.x.x directory to an appropriate name
+1. If desired, copy `config.sample.json` to `config.json` and edit it
+   as desired. See below for details.
+1. Enter the URL into your browser and log into vector!
+
+Building From Source
+====================
+
+If you do wish to build vector from source:
 
 1. Install or update `node.js` so that your `npm` is at least at version `2.0.0`
 1. Clone the repo: `git clone https://github.com/vector-im/vector-web.git` 
@@ -13,19 +28,23 @@ Getting started
 1. If you are using the `develop` branch of vector, you will probably need to
    rebuild one of the dependencies, due to https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/3055:
    `(cd node_modules/matrix-react-sdk && npm install)`
-1. Start the development builder and a testing server: `npm start`
+1. Configure the app by copying `config.sample.json` to `config.json` and modifying
-1. Wait a few seconds for the initial build to finish (the command won't
+   it (see below for details)
-   terminate: it's running a web server for you).
+1. `npm run package` to build a tarball to deploy. Untaring this file will give
-1. Open http://127.0.0.1:8080/ in your browser to see your newly built Vector.
+   a version-specific directory containing all the files that need to go on your
+   web server.
 
-With `npm start`, any changes you make to the source files will cause a rebuild so
+Note that `npm run package` is not supported on Windows, so Windows users can run `npm
-your changes will show up when you refresh. This development server also disables
+run build`, which will build all the necessary files into the `vector`
-caching, so do NOT use it in production.
+directory. The version of Vector will not appear in Settings without
+using the package script. You can then mount the vector directory on your
+webserver to actually serve up the app, which is entirely static content.
 
-Configuring
+config.json
 ===========
 
-Configure the app by modifying the `config.json` file:
+You can configure the app by copying `vector/config.sample.json` to
+`vector/config.json` and customising it:
 
 1. `default_hs_url` is the default home server url.
 1. `default_is_url` is the default identity server url (this is the server used
@@ -33,31 +52,13 @@ Configure the app by modifying the `config.json` file:
    registering with an email address or adding an email address to your account
    will not work.
 
-You will need to re-run `npm run build` after editing `config.json`.
-
-Deployment
-==========
-
-On a Unix-based OS, run `npm run package` to build a tarball package.  Untaring
-this file will give a version-specific directory containing all the files that
-need to go on your web server.
-
-The package script is not supported on Windows, so Windows users can run `npm
-run build`, which will build all the necessary files into the `vector`
-directory. Note that the version of Vector will not appear in Settings without
-using the package script. You can then mount the vector directory on your
-webserver to actually serve up the app, which is entirely static content.
-
 Development
 ===========
 
-For simple tweaks, you can work on any of the source files within Vector with
+Much of the functionality in Vector is actually in the `matrix-react-sdk` and
-the setup above, and your changes will cause an instant rebuild.
+`matrix-js-sdk` modules. It is possible to set these up in a way that makes it
-
+easy to track the `develop` branches in git and to make local changes without
-However, much of the functionality in Vector is actually in the
+having to manually rebuild each time.
-`matrix-react-sdk` and `matrix-js-sdk` modules. It is possible to set these up
-in a way that makes it easy to track the `develop` branches in git and to make
-local changes without having to manually rebuild each time.
 
 [Be aware that there may be problems with this process under npm version 3.]
 
@@ -102,13 +103,14 @@ Finally, build and start vector itself:
         + 1013 hidden modules
     ```
    Remember, the command will not terminate since it runs the web server
-   and rebuilds source files when they change.
+   and rebuilds source files when they change. This development server also
+   disables caching, so do NOT use it in production.
 1. Open http://127.0.0.1:8080/ in your browser to see your newly built Vector.
 
-When you make changes to `matrix-js-sdk` or `matrix-react-sdk`, you will need
+When you make changes to `matrix-react-sdk`, you will need to run `npm run
-to run `npm run build` in the relevant directory. You can do this automatically
+build` in the relevant directory. You can do this automatically by instead
-by instead running `npm start` in each directory, to start a development
+running `npm start` in the directory, to start a development builder which
-builder which will watch for changes to the files and rebuild automatically.
+will watch for changes to the files and rebuild automatically.
 
 If you add or remove any components from the Vector skin, you will need to rebuild
 the skin's index by running, `npm run reskindex`.