Magento 2 opposite of deployment (setup develpment environment)

Question

Situation:

I have got access to a live server that runs Magento 2 that was deployed with capistrano, so the structure looks like following:

- releases
   - 20160311115120
   - 20160325080754
- repo
   - branches (empty)
   - hooks
   - info
   - objects
   - refs
     config
     description
     FETCH_HEAP
     HEAD
     packed-refs
- shared
   - app
   - pub
   - var
   current
   revisions.log

and I have got access to bitbucket repository, that only holds custom code (no core) and the structure is following:

- app
- bin
- dev
- lib
- pub
- setup
- var 
- vendor
.gitignore
.htaccess
.php_cs
.travis.yml
.user.ini
CONTRIBUTING.md
composer.json
composer.lock
index.php
package.json
+ a few others

Problem:

I need to setup a development environment that is exatcly as live, so that I could contribute to repo and then deploy changes, but I cannot find information on how to do that.

I have tried to install a fresh Magento 2 on a new dev server and then pull from the repo, however, not all of the files are there and Magento 2 version differs.

Question is: how to do the opposite of deployment - setup a development version from live environment?

Any help or guidance is much appreciated.

Answer 1

Probably the best approach here is to go ask the owner of the live site how are they building it. While you might not be able to build it the same way in your local computer due to a number of reasons, it will help you understand how the system is being put together and you will be able to replicate it in your local environment.

Also, chances are they are using this capistrano extension, more info here.