---
title: Start the development environment
sidebar_position: 50
---
FreeSewing provides the studio, a development environment to help you design and develop patterns.
There are two ways to run this studio:
- [**Repository studio**](#repository-studio): Use this if you intend to contribute your work to FreeSewing
- [**Stand-alone studio**](#stand-alone-studio): Use this if you want to do your own thing, and not contribute to FreeSewing
## Repository Studio
Run `npm run studio` to start the repository studio development environment:
```bash
npm run studio
```
Then point your browser to http://localhost:3000
Your new design will appear in the Local Designs page.
:::tip
### Adding another new design
This is all you need to work on existing designs. If you'd like to add another new design, run:
```bash
npm run add
```
Just make sure to re-start the repository studio afterwards with `npm run studio`
:::
## Stand-alone studio
You will have a new folder that contains the stand-alone studio development environment.
(Within this new folder, the `design` subfolder holds your design's configuration files and source code.
You can ignore all other subfolders and files; they are part of the development environment.)
To start the development environment, enter the folder that was created
and run `npm run start`.
```bash
npm run start
```
Then open your browser and go to http://localhost:3000
:::tip
The development environment will watch for any changes you make to
the pattern's source code or configuration.
When you do, the pattern will update automatically in your browser.
:::
### Adding another new design
This is all you need to work on existing designs. If you'd like to add another new design, run:
```bash
npm run add
```
Just make sure to re-start the stand-alone studio afterwards with `npm run start`.
:::note
##### Yay, you're done!
All you have to do now is design your pattern.
Thankfully, we have a tutorial for that too:
- [Pattern design tutorial](/tutorials/pattern-design/): A step-by-step guide to designing your first pattern
:::
dcf7c0412b