====== Installing RobinNet ======

RobinNet is a lightweight Python application designed to run on Linux systems.

It is intentionally simple to deploy and can run on:

  * Raspberry Pi
  * home servers
  * cloud VPS
  * emergency field nodes
  * laptops

-----

===== Requirements =====

Python 3.10 or newer.

Required Python packages:

  * fastapi
  * uvicorn
  * requests

Install dependencies:

<code bash>
pip install fastapi uvicorn requests
</code>

-----

===== Project Layout =====

Example directory layout:

<code>
robinnet/
├── robinnet/
│   ├── api.py
│   ├── cli.py
│   ├── daemon.py
│   ├── db.py
│   ├── main.py
│   ├── models.py
│   └── sync.py
│
└── data/
</code>

The database files will be created inside the **data** directory.

-----

===== Initialize a Node =====

Before running a node, you must initialize the node identity.

Example:

<code bash>
python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  init-node \
  --name alpha \
  --operator "Rich"
</code>

Optional fields:

<code bash>
python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  init-node \
  --name alpha \
  --operator "Rich" \
  --callsign N2XYZ \
  --location "Albany NY"
</code>

This creates:

  * node UUID
  * node name
  * operator information
  * transport profile

-----

===== Starting the API Server =====

Run the RobinNet node:

<code bash>
ROBINNET_DB=./data/node.db \
python -m robinnet.main
</code>

The API server will start on:
<code>
http://localhost:8080
</code>


You can verify it using:

<code bash>
curl http://localhost:8080/api/v1/health
</code>

-----

===== Running the Background Worker =====

The daemon performs:

  * periodic peer sync
  * message expiration
  * maintenance tasks

Start the daemon:

<code bash>
ROBINNET_DB=./data/node.db \
python -m robinnet.daemon
</code>

In production deployments, the daemon may run under:

  * systemd
  * tmux
  * screen
  * docker container

-----

===== Running Multiple Nodes =====

You can run multiple RobinNet nodes on the same machine for testing.

Example:

Node A:

<code bash>
ROBINNET_DB=./data/alpha.db \
ROBINNET_PORT=8081 \
python -m robinnet.main
</code>

Node B:

<code bash>
ROBINNET_DB=./data/bravo.db \
ROBINNET_PORT=8082 \
python -m robinnet.main
</code>

Each node uses its own database.

-----

===== Next Step =====

Once a node is installed, see:

[[robinnet:testing]]