---
title: Configure a development environment
slug: commerce-connect-15/docs/configure-a-development-environment
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-30T20:34:40.000Z
---

Optimizely Commerce Connect 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:6mzuo0wOX9wKMx3stzq0_) 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.
- **Install the Optimizely templates** – `dotnet new -i EPiServer.Templates`

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

- **Install the EPiServer CLI tool** –
  `dotnet tool install EPiServer.Net.Cli --global --add-source` `https://nuget.optimizely.com/feed/packages.svc/`
- **Licenses** – A license is not required when running on `localhost` or `domainname.local`. You need a commercial Optimizely license for testing and production environments. Order a time-limited demo license from the [Optimizely License Center](https://license.optimizely.com/) for evaluation purposes.

To explore more advanced features such as multi-site and language support, and to 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, back up, and restore databases, install [SQL Express or SQL Server Developer Edition and Management Studio](https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/sql-server/sql-server-downloads).