[Bug]: unable to start stack using quickstart

[philwinder]

Prerequisites

• I have searched existing issues to ensure this bug hasn't been reported
• I have read the documentation
• I am using the latest version of almanac

Bug Description

Run:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/tryprotege/almanac.git
cd almanac

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Start everything (Docker databases + local dev servers)
pnpm start

➜  almanac git:(develop) pnpm start

> almanac@0.1.0 start /Users/phil/tmp/almanac
> pnpm run docker:infra && pnpm dev


> almanac@0.1.0 docker:infra /Users/phil/tmp/almanac
> docker compose up -d

[+] Running 4/4
 ✔ Container almanac_memgraph  Running                                                                                                                                                               0.0s
 ✔ Container almanac_redis     Running                                                                                                                                                               0.0s
 ✔ Container almanac_mongodb   Running                                                                                                                                                               0.0s
 ✔ Container almanac_qdrant    Running                                                                                                                                                               0.0s

> almanac@0.1.0 dev /Users/phil/tmp/almanac
> pnpm --parallel run dev

Scope: 8 of 9 workspace projects
packages/client dev$ vite
packages/indexing-engine dev$ tsc --watch
packages/clone-mcp-server dev$ tsx watch src/index.ts
packages/server dev$ tsx watch --watch --env-file=.env src/server.ts
packages/server dev: node: .env: not found
packages/server dev: Failed
/Users/phil/tmp/almanac/packages/server:
 ERR_PNPM_RECURSIVE_RUN_FIRST_FAIL  @almanac/server@0.1.0 dev: `tsx watch --watch --env-file=.env src/server.ts`
Exit status 9
 ELIFECYCLE  Command failed with exit code 9.
 ELIFECYCLE  Command failed with exit code 9.

Saw the message about the .env file and found it in the packages/server directory (after looking at the docker-compose).

So I copied that and it did successfully start.

But now in the setup screen it says ENCRYPTION_KEY is not set (twice). So I set it. But it repeatedly says not set.

So yeah, just follow the quick start. It doesn't work and it doesn't mention anything about having to copy the .env.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Follow quick start.

Expected Behavior

Work

Actual Behavior

Doesn't work

Affected Component

Server (packages/server)

Environment Details

➜  almanac git:(develop) pnpm --version
10.4.1
➜  almanac git:(develop) node --version
v25.2.1
➜  almanac git:(develop) docker --version
Docker version 28.0.4, build b8034c0

Relevant Logs/Error Messages

Configuration Files

Screenshots/Recordings

No response

Additional Context

wow lots of things to fill.

Severity/Impact

Critical - System is unusable

Contribution

• I would like to work on fixing this bug