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Getting Started with Loan Defenders

Welcome! This guide helps you deploy and run the Loan Defenders multi-agent loan processing system through three progressive stages.

Private Repository - Access Required

This is a private repository. Request access via LinkedIn message to Nikhil Sachdeva to clone and explore the code.

Public Documentation: All guides, architecture docs, and ADRs remain publicly accessible at this site!

🎯 Choose Your Deployment Stage

Select the stage that matches your current goal:

⏱️ Time: 10 minutes | 🎯 Goal: Run the system locally for development

Best for daily development, debugging, and rapid iteration.

→ Go to Local Development Guide

When to use: - ✅ You want the fastest setup - ✅ You're developing or debugging features - ✅ You need hot-reload for code changes - ✅ You have Azure AI Foundry access

🐳 Stage 2: Docker Containers

⏱️ Time: 20 minutes | 🎯 Goal: Test the full containerized stack

Best for integration testing and validating container builds before production.

→ Go to Docker Development Guide

When to use: - ✅ You want to test all services together - ✅ You're validating Docker builds - ✅ You need to test service networking - ✅ You're preparing for Azure deployment

☁️ Stage 3: Azure Production Deployment

⏱️ Time: 2-3 hours | 🎯 Goal: Deploy to Azure Container Apps (Production)

Best for production deployment with full Azure infrastructure.

→ Go to Azure Deployment Overview

When to use: - ✅ You're deploying to production - ✅ You need scalable, managed infrastructure

Options: GitHub CI/CD (automated) or Direct Azure (manual) - ✅ You want CI/CD automation - ✅ You need monitoring and observability

📊 Deployment Stage Comparison

Feature Local Development Docker Containers Azure Production
Setup Time 10 minutes 20 minutes 2-3 hours
Cost Free (Azure AI only) Free (Azure AI only) Azure infrastructure
Hot Reload ✅ Yes ❌ No ❌ No
Full Stack ⚠️ Individual services ✅ All services ✅ All services
Production-Ready ❌ No ⚠️ Testing only ✅ Yes
Scalability ❌ Single machine ❌ Single machine ✅ Auto-scaling
Monitoring ⚠️ Basic logs ⚠️ Docker logs ✅ Azure Monitor
Best For Development Integration testing Production

🔧 Advanced Configuration

Environment Configuration

Once you're comfortable with basic deployment, learn how to configure the system for different environments:

→ Environment Configuration Guide

Topics covered: - Configuring ports and URLs for different environments - Docker build arguments and environment variables - Azure Container Apps configuration - Multiple developer setups - Production deployment configuration

🗺️ Deployment Progression

Most teams follow this progression:

graph LR
    A[Stage 1:<br/>Local Dev] --> B[Stage 2:<br/>Docker Test]
    B --> C[Stage 3:<br/>Azure Production]

    A -.-> C

    style A fill:#90EE90
    style B fill:#87CEEB
    style C fill:#FFB6C1
  • Start with Stage 1 for fastest feedback during development
  • Move to Stage 2 when testing container integration
  • Deploy to Stage 3 for production release

Skip Stages When Needed

You can skip directly from Stage 1 → Stage 3 if you don't need Docker testing locally.

📚 Additional Resources

Architecture & Design

Production Deployment

Troubleshooting

💡 Quick Decision Guide

"I just want to see it work" → Stage 1: Local Development (10 minutes)

"I want to test everything together" → Stage 2: Docker Containers (20 minutes)

"I need to deploy to production" → Stage 3: Azure Deployment → Choose your path (GitHub CI/CD or Direct)

"I'm having issues" → Troubleshooting Guide

🆘 Getting Help

Ready? Choose your stage above and let's get started! 🚀