docs: added more docs explaining the build setup

README.md

@@ -62,11 +62,12 @@ To run a Backstage app, you will need to have the following installed:
 - [NodeJS](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) - Active LTS Release, currently v12
 - [yarn](https://classic.yarnpkg.com/en/docs/install)
 
-After cloning this repo, open a terminal window and start the web app using the following commands from the project root:
+After cloning this repo, open a terminal window and start the example app using the following commands from the project root:
 
 ```bash
-yarn install
-yarn start
+yarn install # Install dependencies
+
+yarn start # Start dev server, use --check to enable linting and type-checks
 ```
 
 The final `yarn start` command should open a local instance of Backstage in your browser, otherwise open one of the URLs printed in the terminal.

docs/getting-started/create-a-plugin.md

@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ plugin directly by navigating to `http://localhost:3000/my-plugin`._
     <img src='https://github.com/spotify/backstage/raw/master/docs/getting-started/my-plugin_screenshot.png' width='600' alt='my plugin'>
 </p>
 
+You can also serve the plugin in isolation by running `yarn start` in the plugin directory. Or by using the yarn workspace command, for example:
+
+```bash
+yarn workspace @backstage/plugin-welcome start # Also supports --check
+```
+
+This method of serving the plugin provides quicker iteration speed and a faster startup and hot reloads.
+It is only meant for local development, and the setup for it can be found inside the plugin's `dev/` directory.
+
 [Next Step - Structure of a plugin](structure-of-a-plugin.md)
 
 [Back to Getting Started](README.md)

docs/getting-started/development-environment.md

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Development Environment
 
+## Serving the Example App
+
 Open a terminal window and start the web app using the following commands from the project root:
 
 ```bash
@@ -21,6 +23,40 @@ You can now view example-app in the browser.
   On Your Network:  http://192.168.1.224:8080
 ```
 
+## Editor
+
+The Backstage development environment does not require any specific editor, but it is intended to be used with one that has built-in linting and type-checking. The development server does not include any checks by default, but they can be enabled using the `--check` flag. Note that using the flag may consume more system resources and slow things down.
+
+## Package Scripts
+
+There are many commands to be found in the root [package.json](package.json), here are some useful ones:
+
+```python
+yarn start # Start serving the example app, use --check to include type checks and linting
+
+yarn storybook # Start local storybook, useful for working on components in @backstage/core
+
+yarn workspace @backstage/plugin-welcome start # Serve welcome plugin only, also supports --check
+
+yarn tsc # Run typecheck, use --watch for watch mode
+
+yarn build # Build published versions of packages, depends on tsc
+
+yarn lint # lint packages that have changed since later commit on origin/master
+yarn lint:all # lint all packages
+
+yarn test # test packages that have changed since later commit on origin/master
+yarn test:all # test all packages
+
+yarn clean # Remove all output folders and @backstage/cli cache
+
+yarn bundle # Build a production bundle of the example app
+
+yarn diff # Make sure all plugins are up to date with the latest plugin template
+
+yarn create-plugin # Create a new plugin
+```
+
 ### (Optional)Try on Docker
 
 Run the following commands if you have Docker environment