# Getting started

## Installation

We put some effort in getting you started as smooth as possible.

For first tests and development you can use the Docker platform to bootstrap your environment.
Docker is a software to run containers (a.k.a images in Docker's terminology) on a Linux machine.
We use for development as well as for testing or demonstrating VILLASnode's functionality.

**Note:** Please be aware that we do not recommend to use Docker for running VILLASnode in a real-time simulation.

We prepared a image which you can download and run out of the box:

1. Download the Docker toolbox: https://www.docker.com/docker-toolbox .
   This toolbox includes a virtual machine as well all the Docker tools you need to the Docker container which is provided by us.
   More instructions to get with can be found here: http://docs.docker.com/windows/started/

2. After installing the toolbox, open the "Docker Quickstart Terminal"

3. Start the latest VILLASnode container by running:

```
$ docker run rwth-acs/villas-node --help
```


@todo Add a ASCIIcinema screencast here

## Guide