The project is developed using the Qt framework. To setup the project the following steps are required
1. Install the Qt libraries, a compatible compiler and an IDE
2. Clone the SkywardHub repository to access the project's source code
#### Installing Qt
Qt is a powerful library for HMI applications. The installer of the Qt framework can be found on the official Qt website, together with all the necessary information for the installation process.
It is worth mentioning two important aspect. With the installer you can configure which pakets to install. It is highly racomanted to use the tool provided by the Qt installer, therefore pay attention to select the following components
* The compiler
* The Qt library
* The IDE (Qt Creator)
### Cloning the repository
This is a standard operation that can be perform using a Git console or GUI.
**Prerequisite**
To be able to clone a repository with the ssh key, you must associate to your account an _autentication key_. This is a simple operation that can be done in the section [SSH Key](https://git.skywarder.eu/-/profile/keys) of your account settings.
**Clone**
1. From the GitLab repository, click on the _clone_ button and copy the SSH link to the SkywardHub repository.
2. On your pc, choose a working directory and open a Git terminal in that folder.
3. On the Git terminal, execute the command `git clone <repository link>`
4. In the same terminal, execute the command `git submodule update --init --recursive` to download the submodules such as mavlink_skyward_lib.
At this point you should have all the necessary components to start working on the project. The last step is to configure the Qt project to correctly link your working directory. Open Qt Creator and load the .pro file of the project. At this point, go in the _Projects_ tab of Qt Creator and set a _build directory_. If required, specify also the directory of the compiler you just installed.
