Add ViteHelper fallback for missing frontend assets

README.md

@@ -208,6 +208,20 @@ If you prefer manual control:
 | `make setup-laravel` | Configure auth, API, middleware |
 | `make setup-all` | Run both setup scripts |
 
+### Frontend Assets (Vite)
+
+Build frontend CSS/JS assets:
+
+```bash
+# Build assets for production
+docker-compose run --rm node npm run build
+
+# Or run Vite dev server (hot reload)
+docker-compose --profile frontend up -d
+```
+
+> **Note:** The template includes a resilient fallback - if assets aren't built, basic styling is provided and a development warning is shown. This prevents the `ViteManifestNotFoundException` error from breaking the app.
+
 ## Laravel Setup (Auth, API, Middleware)
 
 After installing Laravel, run the interactive setup:

docker/php/Dockerfile

@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ RUN pecl install redis && docker-php-ext-enable redis
 # Install Composer
 COPY --from=composer:latest /usr/bin/composer /usr/bin/composer
 
+# Install Node.js for asset building
+RUN curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash - \
+    && apt-get install -y nodejs \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
 # Create system user to run Composer and Artisan commands
 RUN useradd -G www-data,root -u 1000 -d /home/devuser devuser
 RUN mkdir -p /home/devuser/.composer && \
@@ -61,6 +66,13 @@ RUN chown -R devuser:www-data /var/www/html \
     && chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/storage 2>/dev/null || true \
     && chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/bootstrap/cache 2>/dev/null || true
 
+# Build frontend assets (if package.json exists)
+RUN if [ -f "package.json" ]; then \
+        npm ci --ignore-scripts && \
+        npm run build && \
+        rm -rf node_modules; \
+    fi
+
 # Run post-install scripts
 USER devuser
 RUN composer run-script post-autoload-dump 2>/dev/null || true

src/app/Helpers/ViteHelper.php

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Helpers;
+
+class ViteHelper
+{
+    /**
+     * Check if the Vite manifest exists (assets have been built).
+     */
+    public static function manifestExists(): bool
+    {
+        return file_exists(public_path('build/manifest.json'));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get fallback CSS for when Vite assets are not built.
+     * This provides basic styling so the app remains usable.
+     */
+    public static function fallbackStyles(): string
+    {
+        return <<<'CSS'
+<style>
+    /* Fallback styles when Vite assets are not built */
+    *, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; }
+    body { 
+        font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif; 
+        margin: 0; 
+        background: #f3f4f6; 
+        color: #111827;
+    }
+    .dark body { background: #111827; color: #f9fafb; }
+    .min-h-screen { min-height: 100vh; }
+    .bg-gray-100 { background: #f3f4f6; }
+    .bg-white { background: #fff; }
+    .shadow { box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); }
+    .max-w-7xl { max-width: 80rem; margin: 0 auto; }
+    .px-4 { padding-left: 1rem; padding-right: 1rem; }
+    .py-6 { padding-top: 1.5rem; padding-bottom: 1.5rem; }
+    .font-semibold { font-weight: 600; }
+    .text-xl { font-size: 1.25rem; }
+    .text-gray-800 { color: #1f2937; }
+    a { color: #3b82f6; text-decoration: none; }
+    a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
+    .hidden { display: none; }
+    .flex { display: flex; }
+    .items-center { align-items: center; }
+    .justify-between { justify-content: space-between; }
+    .space-x-4 > * + * { margin-left: 1rem; }
+    nav { background: #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e7eb; padding: 1rem; }
+    .container { max-width: 80rem; margin: 0 auto; padding: 0 1rem; }
+    button, .btn { 
+        padding: 0.5rem 1rem; 
+        background: #3b82f6; 
+        color: white; 
+        border: none; 
+        border-radius: 0.375rem;
+        cursor: pointer;
+    }
+    button:hover, .btn:hover { background: #2563eb; }
+    input, select, textarea {
+        border: 1px solid #d1d5db;
+        border-radius: 0.375rem;
+        padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
+        width: 100%;
+    }
+    .alert { padding: 1rem; border-radius: 0.375rem; margin-bottom: 1rem; }
+    .alert-warning { background: #fef3c7; border: 1px solid #f59e0b; color: #92400e; }
+</style>
+CSS;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a warning banner HTML for development.
+     */
+    public static function devWarningBanner(): string
+    {
+        if (app()->environment('production')) {
+            return '';
+        }
+
+        return <<<'HTML'
+<div class="alert alert-warning" style="margin:1rem;padding:1rem;background:#fef3c7;border:1px solid #f59e0b;border-radius:0.5rem;color:#92400e;">
+    <strong>⚠️ Development Notice:</strong> Vite assets are not built. 
+    Run <code style="background:#fde68a;padding:0.125rem 0.25rem;border-radius:0.25rem;">docker-compose run --rm node npm run build</code> to build assets.
+</div>
+HTML;
+    }
+}

src/package-lock.json

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-    "name": "app",
+    "name": "html",
     "lockfileVersion": 3,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {

src/resources/views/layouts/app.blade.php

@@ -21,9 +21,16 @@
         </style>
 
         <!-- Scripts -->
+        @if(\App\Helpers\ViteHelper::manifestExists())
             @vite(['resources/css/app.css', 'resources/js/app.js'])
+        @else
+            {!! \App\Helpers\ViteHelper::fallbackStyles() !!}
+        @endif
     </head>
     <body class="font-sans antialiased">
+        @if(!\App\Helpers\ViteHelper::manifestExists())
+            {!! \App\Helpers\ViteHelper::devWarningBanner() !!}
+        @endif
         <div class="min-h-screen bg-gray-100 dark:bg-gray-900">
             @include('layouts.navigation')
 

src/resources/views/layouts/guest.blade.php

@@ -21,9 +21,16 @@
         </style>
 
         <!-- Scripts -->
+        @if(\App\Helpers\ViteHelper::manifestExists())
             @vite(['resources/css/app.css', 'resources/js/app.js'])
+        @else
+            {!! \App\Helpers\ViteHelper::fallbackStyles() !!}
+        @endif
     </head>
     <body class="font-sans text-gray-900 antialiased">
+        @if(!\App\Helpers\ViteHelper::manifestExists())
+            {!! \App\Helpers\ViteHelper::devWarningBanner() !!}
+        @endif
         <div class="min-h-screen flex flex-col sm:justify-center items-center pt-6 sm:pt-0 bg-gray-100 dark:bg-gray-900">
             <div>
                 <a href="/">