docs: add missing env configuration step to docker quick start

[Mohit-001-hash]

Summary

Added the missing environment variable configuration step (cp .env.example .env) to the Docker Compose Quick Start instructions.

Previously, the guide instructed users to run docker-compose up -d --build immediately after cloning the repository. Because the backend architecture intentionally fails closed if the INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN is missing, skipping the .env initialization caused container connection rejections. This update ensures developers properly set up their secrets before booting the multi-container stack, creating a frictionless local setup experience.

Related issue

Closes #560

Testing

• I ran the relevant checks locally
• I verified the app still starts
• I tested the affected flow end-to-end

Checklist:

• My code follows the style guidelines of this project
• I have performed a self-review of my own code
• I have commented my code, particularly in hard-to-understand areas

Screenshots / recordings

Not applicable. This is a documentation-only update to the README.

Notes

This update solely modifies the README.md file. As a reminder for testing, ensure that the root .env file generated from this new step contains a secure INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN to successfully authenticate the Express gateway with the RAG service.

Security

• No sensitive data included

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Documentation
  • Updated the Quick Start guide to add an explicit environment-variable setup step before starting Docker Compose (copy the example .env and edit it with the required token), improving deployment readiness.

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Caution

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No actionable comments were generated in the recent review. 🎉

ℹ️ Recent review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: defaults

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro Plus

Run ID: 2d453f40-96c3-4672-89de-dd490837eaaa

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 2ca3f64 and 9ad54ca.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• README.md

✅ Files skipped from review due to trivial changes (1)

• README.md

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

The Docker "Quick Start" section in README.md is updated to insert an explicit environment configuration step: users are now instructed to copy .env.example to .env and set INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN before proceeding to build and start containers.

Changes

Docker Quick Start Documentation

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Quick Start env setup instruction README.md	Numbered Quick Start steps are rewritten to add copying .env.example to .env (with INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN) as an explicit prerequisite before running docker-compose up -d --build.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 1 (Trivial) | ⏱️ ~2 minutes

Possibly related PRs

• FireFistisDead/pdf-qa-bot#422: Both PRs modify the Docker "Running with Docker" setup instructions by adding an explicit step to copy .env.example to .env before running services.
• FireFistisDead/pdf-qa-bot#424: Documents that INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN must match across both the root .env and rag-service/.env, directly related to the token setup step added in this PR.
• FireFistisDead/pdf-qa-bot#431: Prior Docker-focused onboarding work in the README, part of the same Quick Start documentation effort.

Suggested labels

documentation, fix, enhancement

Poem

🐇 Hop hop, before you build,
Copy .env as the rabbit willed!
Set your token, don't forget—
INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN is not set yet.
Now docker-compose up with glee,
The bot is ready, run and see! 🚀

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 5

✅ Passed checks (5 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The PR title clearly and concisely describes the main change: adding the missing environment configuration step to the Docker quick start documentation.
Description check	✅ Passed	The PR description comprehensively follows the template with all required sections completed: Summary, Related Issue, Testing, Checklist, Screenshots, Notes, and Security.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	The PR fully addresses the objective in issue #560 by adding the explicit environment setup step (cp .env.example .env) to the Docker Compose Quick Start instructions as required.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	All changes are scoped to the README.md documentation update for the Docker quick start guide, with no extraneous modifications beyond the stated objective.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

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✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests

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Actionable comments posted: 1

🤖 Prompt for all review comments with AI agents

Verify each finding against current code. Fix only still-valid issues, skip the
rest with a brief reason, keep changes minimal, and validate.

Inline comments:
In `@README.md`:
- Around line 265-269: The environment setup instructions in the README only
include copying the example env file but do not explicitly tell users to edit
and set the INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN variable. After the cp .env.example .env command,
add a follow-up instruction that explicitly directs users to open the generated
.env file and set the INTERNAL_RAG_TOKEN to a secure value, either by showing a
brief edit command example or adding a separate step that makes it clear this
token must be configured before running docker-compose up.

🪄 Autofix (Beta)

Fix all unresolved CodeRabbit comments on this PR:

• Push a commit to this branch (recommended)
• Create a new PR with the fixes

---

ℹ️ Review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: defaults

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro Plus

Run ID: 843de17f-2e58-41ea-9cd0-6408561d63f0

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 5590b87 and 2ca3f64.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• README.md