diff --git a/.changeset/smart-bags-sell.md b/.changeset/smart-bags-sell.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c5f5c4d87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/smart-bags-sell.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-app-visualizer': patch
+---
+
+New `devDependency` for local development setup.
diff --git a/plugins/app-visualizer/dev/index.ts b/plugins/app-visualizer/dev/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fa49e3360b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/app-visualizer/dev/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
+import { createApp } from '@backstage/frontend-defaults';
+import { default as plugin } from '../src';
+
+const app = createApp({
+  features: [plugin],
+});
+
+ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(app.createRoot());
diff --git a/plugins/app-visualizer/package.json b/plugins/app-visualizer/package.json
index 4f7afbd632..5adbc95e7c 100644
--- a/plugins/app-visualizer/package.json
+++ b/plugins/app-visualizer/package.json
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^",
+    "@backstage/frontend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@types/react": "^18.0.0",
     "react": "^18.0.2",
     "react-dom": "^18.0.2",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index b8ec24afbe..c16ff81ca1 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -5017,6 +5017,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/core-components": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/core-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/frontend-defaults": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/frontend-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
     "@material-ui/core": ^4.12.2
     "@material-ui/icons": ^4.9.1