245 lines
6.7 KiB
Markdown
245 lines
6.7 KiB
Markdown
# Getting Started - Content Creators
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Welcome! This guide will get you up and running with ALwrity in just 30 minutes. ALwrity is a self-hosted, open-source AI content creation platform that you run on your own computer.
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## 🎯 What You'll Accomplish
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By the end of this guide, you'll have:
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- ✅ ALwrity running on your local machine
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- ✅ Configured API keys for AI services
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- ✅ Completed the onboarding process
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- ✅ Created your first content piece
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- ✅ Published or scheduled your content
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## ⏱️ Time Required: 30 minutes
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## 🚀 Step-by-Step Setup
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### Step 1: Prerequisites Check (5 minutes)
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Before we start, ensure you have the following installed:
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#### Required Software
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- **Python 3.8+**: [Download Python](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
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- **Node.js 18+**: [Download Node.js](https://nodejs.org/)
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- **Git**: [Download Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)
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#### Verify Installation
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Open your terminal/command prompt and run:
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```bash
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# Check Python version
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python --version
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# Should show Python 3.8 or higher
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# Check Node.js version
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node --version
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# Should show v18 or higher
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# Check Git
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git --version
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# Should show Git version
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```
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### Step 2: Download ALwrity (5 minutes)
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1. **Clone the repository**:
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```bash
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git clone https://github.com/AJaySi/ALwrity.git
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cd ALwrity
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```
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2. **Verify the download**:
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You should see folders: `backend`, `frontend`, `docs`, etc.
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### Step 3: Backend Setup (10 minutes)
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#### Install Python Dependencies
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```bash
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cd backend
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pip install -r requirements.txt
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```
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#### Configure Environment Variables
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1. **Copy the template**:
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```bash
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cp env_template.txt .env
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```
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2. **Edit the `.env` file** with your API keys:
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```bash
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# Required API Keys
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GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here
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OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
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# Optional but recommended
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TAVILY_API_KEY=your_tavily_api_key_here
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SERPER_API_KEY=your_serper_api_key_here
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# Database (default is fine)
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DATABASE_URL=sqlite:///./alwrity.db
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# Security
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SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key_here
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```
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#### Get Your API Keys
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**Gemini API Key** (Required):
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1. Go to [Google AI Studio](https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey)
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2. Create a new API key
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3. Copy and paste into your `.env` file
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**OpenAI API Key** (Required):
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1. Go to [OpenAI Platform](https://platform.openai.com/api-keys)
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2. Create a new API key
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3. Copy and paste into your `.env` file
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**Tavily API Key** (Optional - for research):
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1. Go to [Tavily AI](https://tavily.com/)
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2. Sign up and get your API key
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3. Add to your `.env` file
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**Serper API Key** (Optional - for search):
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1. Go to [Serper API](https://serper.dev/)
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2. Sign up and get your API key
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3. Add to your `.env` file
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#### Start the Backend Server
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```bash
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python start_alwrity_backend.py
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```
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You should see:
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```
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INFO: Started server process
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INFO: Waiting for application startup.
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INFO: Application startup complete.
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INFO: Uvicorn running on http://127.0.0.1:8000
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```
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### Step 4: Frontend Setup (10 minutes)
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Open a **new terminal window** and navigate to the frontend:
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```bash
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cd frontend
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npm install
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```
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#### Configure Frontend Environment
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1. **Copy the template**:
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```bash
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cp env_template.txt .env
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```
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2. **Edit the `.env` file**:
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```bash
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# Backend URL (default is fine)
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VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:8000
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# Optional: Clerk for authentication
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VITE_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_clerk_key_here
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# Optional: CopilotKit for AI chat
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VITE_COPILOT_API_KEY=your_copilot_key_here
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```
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#### Start the Frontend Server
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```bash
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npm start
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```
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You should see:
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```
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Local: http://localhost:3000
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On Your Network: http://192.168.1.xxx:3000
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```
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## ✅ Verification
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### Check Backend Health
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1. Open your browser to: `http://localhost:8000/health`
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2. You should see: `{"status": "healthy", "timestamp": "..."}`
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### Check API Documentation
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1. Open your browser to: `http://localhost:8000/api/docs`
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2. You should see the interactive API documentation
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### Check Frontend
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1. Open your browser to: `http://localhost:3000`
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2. You should see the ALwrity dashboard
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## 🎉 Congratulations!
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You've successfully set up ALwrity! Here's what you can do now:
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### Immediate Next Steps
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1. **[Complete the onboarding process](first-content.md)** - Set up your profile
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2. **[Create your first blog post](first-content.md)** - Generate content with AI
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3. **[Explore the features](features-overview.md)** - See what ALwrity can do
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### What's Available Now
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- **Blog Writer**: Create AI-powered blog posts
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- **SEO Analysis**: Optimize your content for search engines
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- **Research Integration**: Fact-checked, research-backed content
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- **Content Planning**: Plan and schedule your content
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## 🆘 Troubleshooting
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### Common Issues
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**Backend won't start**:
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- Check if port 8000 is already in use
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- Verify all API keys are correct
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- Check Python version (3.8+ required)
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**Frontend won't start**:
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- Check if port 3000 is already in use
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- Verify Node.js version (18+ required)
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- Try deleting `node_modules` and running `npm install` again
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**API errors**:
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- Verify your API keys are valid and have credits
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- Check the backend logs for specific error messages
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- Ensure your internet connection is stable
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### Getting Help
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- **[Troubleshooting Guide](troubleshooting.md)** - Common issues and solutions
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- **[Community Forum](https://github.com/AJaySi/ALwrity/discussions)** - Ask questions
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- **[GitHub Issues](https://github.com/AJaySi/ALwrity/issues)** - Report bugs
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## 🎯 Success Tips
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### For Best Results
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1. **Use quality API keys** - Invest in good AI service subscriptions
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2. **Start simple** - Begin with basic content creation
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3. **Be patient** - AI content generation takes 30-60 seconds
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4. **Review content** - Always review AI-generated content before publishing
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### Common Mistakes to Avoid
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1. **Don't skip API key setup** - ALwrity needs AI services to work
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2. **Don't ignore error messages** - Read and understand error logs
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3. **Don't expect perfection immediately** - AI improves with better prompts
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4. **Don't forget to backup** - Keep your `.env` files secure
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## 🚀 What's Next?
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### This Week
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1. **[Create your first content](first-content.md)** - Generate your first blog post
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2. **[Set up SEO optimization](seo-optimization.md)** - Improve search rankings
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3. **[Explore content planning](content-strategy.md)** - Plan your content calendar
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### This Month
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1. **[Scale your content production](scaling.md)** - Create more content
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2. **[Optimize your workflow](workflow-optimization.md)** - Make it even easier
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3. **[Track your performance](performance-tracking.md)** - Monitor your success
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## 🎉 Ready for Your First Content?
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**[Create your first blog post →](first-content.md)**
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---
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*Questions? [Join our community](https://github.com/AJaySi/ALwrity/discussions) or [contact support](mailto:support@alwrity.com)!*
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