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Installation Overview

Summary

Use this page to choose an installation path and complete first-time setup without guessing at missing prerequisites.

If you are new to SkyCMS, start here before platform-specific guides.

Outcome

Reach a working SkyCMS instance where you can sign in and publish a first test page.

Choose an installation path

Pick the path that matches your environment:

  • Setup Wizard first (recommended): use the interactive setup at /___setup for most first-time installations.
  • Local development: run and test SkyCMS on a local machine during implementation work.
  • Docker deployment: use a containerized runtime for repeatable environments.
  • Cloud installation: use Azure, AWS, or Cloudflare-hosted patterns.

Quick path map:

flowchart TD
  Start[Start here] --> Decision{Where will SkyCMS run?}
  Decision --> Local[Local development]
  Decision --> Docker[Docker]
  Decision --> Cloud[Cloud platform]
  Local --> Setup[Run setup wizard]
  Docker --> Setup
  Cloud --> Setup
  Setup --> Verify[Verify login and first publish]

Core prerequisites

Before you start, prepare:

  • application runtime access for your target environment,
  • one database connection string,
  • one storage connection string for media and assets,
  • a publisher URL where content will be served.

Minimum required settings

At minimum, define:

  • ConnectionStrings__ApplicationDbContextConnection
  • ConnectionStrings__StorageConnectionString
  • AzureBlobStorageEndPoint
  • CosmosPublisherUrl
  • CosmosAllowSetup=true during setup only

For complete examples, use Minimum Required Settings.

Procedure

  1. Select your install path and gather credentials.
  2. Apply minimum required settings.
  3. Start SkyCMS with setup enabled.
  4. Open /___setup and complete wizard steps.
  5. Restart with CosmosAllowSetup=false.
  6. Sign in and run first publish test.

Verification

Installation is successful when:

  • admin login works,
  • file upload works,
  • publisher URL is reachable,
  • first test page publishes and renders.

For hardening and operational follow-up, continue to Post-Installation Configuration.