---
title: Set up a development environment
slug: commerce-connect-14/docs/setting-up-your-development-environment
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-23T10:25:34.370Z
---

Optimizely Customized Commerce is installed with templates through Visual Studio or the dotnet command-line interface tool, providing everything you need to get a website up and running and start developing.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
See the [Optimizely system requirements](docId\:Oe6v1ocXKbt40QjLVGoej) for production and development environment requirements.
:::

## Install Visual Studio

Visit [Microsoft Visual Studio](https://www.visualstudio.com/free-developer-offers/) to download a suitable version if you do not already have Visual Studio installed.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
Visual Studio 2022 or Visual Studio Code is required for developing ASP.NET 6 applications. If you are [upgrading to COM 14/CMS 12](https://world.optimizely.com/documentation/upgrading/optimizely-cms/cms-12/), see [Upgrade assistant](https://world.optimizely.com/documentation/upgrading/optimizely-cms/cms-12/upgrade-assistant/).
:::

## Install the Optimizely templates

```javascript
dotnet new -i EPiServer.Templates
```

## Install the Episerver CLI Tool

```javascript
dotnet tool install EPiServer.Net.Cli --global --add-source https://nuget.optimizely.com/feed/packages.svc/
```

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
The latest version of the EPiServer.Templates and CLI Tool require .NET 6.
:::

## Licenses

A license is not required when running on `localhost` or `domainname.local`.

Eventually, you will need a commercial Optimizely license for testing and production environments. You can order a time-limited demo license from the [Optimizely License Center](🔗https://license.episerver.com/?_gl=1*9sjuvw*_gcl_au*NjM3NDUxODY3LjE3MTcxNzY2NTMuNTAxMjEwMDMxLjE3MjA0NTUyNTYuMTcyMDQ1NTI2Ng..*_ga*MTI1NzY0ODk1OC4xNzE3MTc2NjUz*_ga_C7SLJ6HMJ5*MTcyMDQ1MTIyMC44My4xLjE3MjA0NTUzNDguNDQuMC4w) for evaluation purposes.

## Exploring advanced features

To explore more advanced features such as multi-site and language support and test deployment locally, you need a more production-like development environment using [Internet Information Services (IIS)](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48264).

When you test deployment and backup and restore databases, you should install [SQL Express or SQL Server Developer Edition and Management Studio](https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/sql-server/sql-server-downloads).