Installation Guides¶

Installation guides help users set up software or systems. They bridge the gap between downloading or purchasing a product and using it productively. Clear installation documentation reduces support tickets and improves the user's first experience.

Installation Guide Structure¶

Prerequisites¶

List everything users need before starting:

## Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure you have:

### System Requirements

- Operating system: Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, or Ubuntu 20.04+
- RAM: 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended
- Disk space: 2 GB for installation, 10 GB for data
- Processor: x64, 2 GHz or faster

### Required Software

- Node.js 18 or later ([download](https://nodejs.org))
- Git 2.30 or later ([download](https://git-scm.com))
- Docker Desktop (optional, for containerized setup)

### Required Access

- Administrator/sudo access on your machine
- Network access to npmjs.com and github.com
- API key from your account dashboard

Be specific about versions and requirements. Vague prerequisites cause installation failures.

Installation Steps¶

Provide clear, numbered steps:

## Installation

### Step 1: Download the Installer

Download the installer for your operating system:

- [Windows installer](https://example.com/download/windows)
- [macOS installer](https://example.com/download/mac)
- [Linux package](https://example.com/download/linux)

### Step 2: Run the Installer

=== "Windows"

    1. Double-click the downloaded `.exe` file.
    2. If prompted by User Account Control, click **Yes**.
    3. Follow the installation wizard.
    4. Choose the installation directory (default recommended).
    5. Click **Install**.

=== "macOS"

    1. Open the downloaded `.dmg` file.
    2. Drag the application to the Applications folder.
    3. Open the application from Applications.
    4. If prompted about unidentified developer, go to
       **System Preferences > Security** and click **Open Anyway**.

=== "Linux"

    Install using your package manager:

    ```bash
    # Debian/Ubuntu
    sudo apt install ./acme-app_1.0.0_amd64.deb

    # Fedora/RHEL
    sudo dnf install ./acme-app-1.0.0.x86_64.rpm
    ```

### Step 3: Complete Initial Setup

1. Launch the application.
2. Enter your license key when prompted.
3. Choose your default workspace location.
4. Click **Finish Setup**.

Verification¶

Help users confirm successful installation:

## Verify Installation

Confirm the installation succeeded:

### Check the Version

```bash
acme --version

Expected output:

acme version 1.0.0

Run the Health Check¶

acme doctor

All checks should show ✓:

✓ Configuration valid
✓ Database connection
✓ Network connectivity
✓ Required permissions

Test Basic Functionality¶

Open the application.
Create a new project.

If the project creates successfully, installation is complete.

### Troubleshooting

Address common installation problems:

```markdown
## Troubleshooting

### Installation Fails with Permission Error

**Symptom**: Error message about insufficient permissions

**Solution**:
- Windows: Right-click installer, select "Run as administrator"
- macOS/Linux: Use `sudo` or check directory permissions

### Application Won't Start

**Symptom**: Application crashes or shows blank screen on launch

**Solutions**:
1. Verify system requirements are met
2. Update your graphics drivers
3. Try running with `--disable-gpu` flag
4. Check the log file at `~/.acme/logs/startup.log`

### License Key Not Accepted

**Symptom**: "Invalid license key" error

**Solutions**:
1. Copy the key exactly, including dashes
2. Check for extra spaces before or after
3. Verify the key matches your purchased product
4. Contact support if the key should be valid

Platform-Specific Documentation¶

Multi-Platform Structure¶

Organize for multiple platforms:

Option 1: Tabs within one document

## Installation

=== "Windows"
    [Windows instructions]

=== "macOS"
    [macOS instructions]

=== "Linux"
    [Linux instructions]

Option 2: Separate documents

installation/
├── index.md (overview and common info)
├── windows.md
├── macos.md
└── linux.md

Platform Differences¶

Document platform-specific details:

Aspect	Windows	macOS	Linux
Config location	`%APPDATA%\Acme`	`~/Library/Application Support/Acme`	`~/.config/acme`
Log location	`%APPDATA%\Acme\logs`	`~/Library/Logs/Acme`	`~/.local/share/acme/logs`
Service management	Services panel	launchd	systemd

Installation Methods¶

Package Managers¶

Support common package managers:

## Installation via Package Manager

### Homebrew (macOS/Linux)

```bash
brew install acme

Chocolatey (Windows)¶

choco install acme

apt (Debian/Ubuntu)¶

curl -fsSL https://repo.example.com/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/acme.gpg
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/acme.gpg] https://repo.example.com/apt stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/acme.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install acme

### Docker Installation

For containerized deployment:

```markdown
## Docker Installation

### Quick Start

```bash
docker run -d \
  --name acme \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v acme-data:/data \
  acme/app:latest

Docker Compose¶

Create docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'
services:
  acme:
    image: acme/app:latest
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - acme-data:/data
    environment:
      - LICENSE_KEY=${LICENSE_KEY}
volumes:
  acme-data:

Start the service:

docker-compose up -d

Verify Docker Installation¶

docker logs acme

Look for "Server started successfully" in the output.

## Upgrade Instructions

### Version Upgrades

Document how to upgrade:

```markdown
## Upgrading

### Before You Upgrade

1. Back up your data
2. Review [release notes](../release-notes.md) for breaking changes
3. Schedule downtime if needed

### Upgrade Steps

=== "Package Manager"

    ```bash
    # Homebrew
    brew upgrade acme

    # apt
    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade acme
    ```

=== "Manual Upgrade"

    1. Download the new installer
    2. Run the installer (it will upgrade the existing installation)
    3. Restart the application

### After Upgrading

1. Run `acme doctor` to verify
2. Check that your data is intact
3. Review new configuration options

Migration Guides¶

For major version upgrades with breaking changes:

## Migrating from Version 1.x to 2.0

Version 2.0 includes breaking changes. Follow this guide to migrate.

### Breaking Changes

- Configuration file format changed from JSON to YAML
- Database schema updated (automatic migration on first start)
- API endpoints changed (see [API migration guide](../api/migration.md))

### Migration Steps

1. **Back up everything**
   ```bash
   acme backup --full --output backup-v1.tar.gz
   ```

2. **Export your configuration**
   ```bash
   acme config export > config-backup.json
   ```

3. **Upgrade the application**
   (follow standard upgrade steps)

4. **Run the migration**
   ```bash
   acme migrate --from-v1
   ```

5. **Verify the migration**
   ```bash
   acme doctor --verbose
   ```

Uninstallation¶

Document how to remove the software:

## Uninstallation

### Windows

1. Open **Settings > Apps > Apps & features**
2. Find "Acme" in the list
3. Click **Uninstall**
4. Follow the uninstallation wizard

To remove all data:
```powershell
rmdir /s %APPDATA%\Acme

macOS¶

Drag Acme from Applications to Trash
Empty Trash

To remove all data:

rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Acme
rm -rf ~/Library/Logs/Acme

Linux¶

# apt
sudo apt remove acme

# Remove all data
rm -rf ~/.config/acme
rm -rf ~/.local/share/acme

```

Best Practices¶

Test Your Instructions¶

Follow your own instructions on a clean system
Test on all supported platforms
Verify at each product version

Anticipate Problems¶

Document common errors and solutions
Include verification steps after each major step
Provide rollback instructions for complex installations

Keep Current¶

Update for each product version
Verify download links work
Update screenshots when UI changes

Support Different Skill Levels¶

Provide quick-start for experienced users
Include detailed steps for beginners
Link to background explanations when needed

Summary¶

Installation guides help users set up products successfully:

List prerequisites completely and specifically
Provide clear, numbered installation steps
Include verification at each stage
Document platform-specific differences
Address common problems with troubleshooting
Keep instructions current with product changes

Good installation documentation creates a positive first experience.

Next: Troubleshooting Guides covers diagnostic and problem-solving documentation.