fix: allow server to start without configuration

- Change configuration loader to warn instead of throwing error when config is missing
- Allow server to start in setup mode with empty endpoints
- Skip API client initialization when no endpoints are configured
- This enables the web-based setup flow to work properly

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: rcourtman

server/configLoader.js

@@ -123,11 +123,16 @@ function loadConfiguration() {
 
     // Throw error only if required vars are MISSING
     if (missingVars.length > 0) {
-        let errorMessages = ['--- Configuration Error (Primary Endpoint) ---'];
-        errorMessages.push(`Missing required environment variables: ${missingVars.join(', ')}.`);
-        errorMessages.push('Please ensure valid Proxmox connection details are provided.');
-        errorMessages.push('Refer to server/.env.example for the required variable names and format.');
-        throw new ConfigurationError(errorMessages.join('\n'));
+        console.warn('--- Configuration Warning ---');
+        console.warn(`Missing required environment variables: ${missingVars.join(', ')}.`);
+        console.warn('Pulse will start in setup mode. Please configure via the web interface.');
+        
+        // Return minimal configuration to allow server to start
+        return {
+            endpoints: [],
+            pbsConfigs: [],
+            isConfigPlaceholder: true
+        };
     }
 
     // Set the flag if placeholders were detected (but don't throw error)

server/index.js

@@ -957,22 +957,31 @@ function setupEnvFileWatcher() {
 
 // --- Start the server ---
 async function startServer() {
-    try {
-        // Use the correct initializer function name
-        const initializedClients = await initializeApiClients(endpoints, pbsConfigs);
-        apiClients = initializedClients.apiClients;
-        pbsApiClients = initializedClients.pbsApiClients;
+    // Only initialize API clients if we have endpoints configured
+    if (endpoints.length > 0 || pbsConfigs.length > 0) {
+        try {
+            // Use the correct initializer function name
+            const initializedClients = await initializeApiClients(endpoints, pbsConfigs);
+            apiClients = initializedClients.apiClients;
+            pbsApiClients = initializedClients.pbsApiClients;
+            
+            // Store globally for config reload
+            global.pulseApiClients = { apiClients, pbsApiClients };
+            
+            console.log("INFO: All API clients initialized.");
+        } catch (initError) {
+            console.error("FATAL: Failed to initialize API clients:", initError);
+            process.exit(1); // Exit if clients can't be initialized
+        }
 
-        // Store globally for config reload
+        await runDiscoveryCycle();
+    } else {
+        console.log("INFO: No endpoints configured. Starting in setup mode.");
+        // Initialize empty clients for consistency
+        apiClients = new Map();
+        pbsApiClients = new Map();
         global.pulseApiClients = { apiClients, pbsApiClients };
-        
-        console.log("INFO: All API clients initialized.");
-    } catch (initError) {
-        console.error("FATAL: Failed to initialize API clients:", initError);
-        process.exit(1); // Exit if clients can't be initialized
-    }
-    
-    await runDiscoveryCycle(); 
+    } 
 
     server.listen(PORT, () => {
         console.log(`Server listening on port ${PORT}`);