1. Find the project folder

Start by checking where the terminal opened:

pwd

pwd

Then list the folders there:

ls

ls

Look for the folder containing your Task Board project. Move into it:

cd your-project-folder-name

cd your-project-folder-name

Now verify you are in the right place:

ls

ls

You should see a package.json file. You will usually also see files such as package-lock.json, src, and vite.config....

On Windows PowerShell, ls works too. If pwd is unfamiliar, it prints your current folder.

Check: run this:

ls package.json

ls package.json

If it prints package.json, you are in the project root. If it says it cannot find the file, use cd .. to go up one folder and look again.

2. Inspect how this project starts

Open package.json in your editor. Find its "scripts" section. It will contain something similar to:

"scripts": {
  "dev": "..."
}

"scripts": {
  "dev": "..."
}

The dev script is the project’s start button from the terminal. For a Vite app, it normally launches a local development server.

Also check whether the project has a package-lock.json:

ls package-lock.json

ls package-lock.json

Check: you should see the filename printed. That lock file lets everyone install the exact dependency versions the project expects.

3. Install the locked dependencies

In the folder with both package.json and package-lock.json, run:

npm ci

npm ci

npm ci reads the lock file and installs the pinned versions rather than choosing newer versions on its own.

Wait for the command to finish.

Check: run:

ls node_modules

ls node_modules

You should see a long list of installed package folders. Also, the npm ci command should end without an npm error.

If it says npm is not recognized, Node.js is not installed or your terminal needs to be restarted after installing it. Install the current Node.js LTS version, then reopen the terminal and return to this folder.

4. Start the Task Board

Run the dev script you found:

npm run dev

npm run dev

Vite will print a local address, often like:

Local: http://localhost:5173/

Local: http://localhost:5173/

Open the Local URL in your browser.

Check: your Task Board page appears in the browser. Keep this terminal running while you use the app.

If the page does not open automatically, copy the URL shown after Local: and paste it into the browser.

5. Prove that refresh works

With the dev server still running:

1. Open the component that renders a visible part of your Task Board—likely somewhere inside src.
2. Find one piece of text you can safely recognize, such as a page heading.
3. Change only that text to include a small marker, for example your initials.
4. Save the file.

Look back at the browser.

Check: the browser should update by itself, often without a manual refresh. This is Vite’s hot reload.

Now press the browser refresh button once.

Check: the app still loads at the same localhost address and your saved text remains. A browser refresh reloads the app; it does not undo saved code changes.

Undo your temporary text change when you have confirmed it works.

To stop the development server when you are done, click the terminal and press:

Ctrl + C

Ctrl + C

Final check: close the browser tab, keep the server running, reopen the Local URL, and confirm the Task Board returns.