# Getting Started with Changemaker Lite V2

Welcome to Changemaker Lite V2! This guide will help you get up and running quickly with your self-hosted political campaign platform.

## What is Changemaker Lite V2?

Changemaker Lite V2 is a complete rebuild of the platform with a modern TypeScript stack, offering:

- **Email Advocacy Campaigns**: Target elected representatives with automated email campaigns
- **Geographic Mapping**: Manage locations, cuts (territories), and canvassing operations
- **Volunteer Management**: Schedule shifts, track canvassing visits with GPS
- **Landing Page Builder**: Create public-facing pages with GrapesJS editor
- **Newsletter Integration**: Sync with Listmonk for email marketing
- **Media Library**: Manage video content with public gallery
- **Comprehensive Monitoring**: Prometheus + Grafana observability stack

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

- **Linux server** or **macOS** with Docker installed
- **Docker** 20.10+ and **Docker Compose** 2.0+
- **4GB RAM minimum** (8GB recommended for monitoring stack)
- **20GB disk space** (more for media uploads)
- **Root or sudo access**
- **Basic command line familiarity**

### Optional but Recommended

- **Domain name** with DNS control (for production deployment)
- **SMTP server** for email sending (or use MailHog for testing)
- **S3-compatible storage** for backups (Backblaze B2, AWS S3, etc.)

## Quick Start Options

Choose your path based on your needs:

### Option 1: Quick Start (5 Minutes)
Get the platform running locally for evaluation and testing.

[→ Quick Start Guide](quick-start.md){ .md-button .md-button--primary }

### Option 2: Full Installation (30 Minutes)
Set up for production with custom configuration, monitoring, and backups.

[→ Full Installation Guide](installation.md){ .md-button }

### Option 3: Local Development (45 Minutes)
Set up a complete development environment with hot reload and debugging.

[→ Development Setup](../development/local-setup.md){ .md-button }

## Architecture Overview

Changemaker Lite V2 uses a microservices architecture:

```mermaid
graph LR
    User[User Browser] --> Nginx[Nginx<br/>Reverse Proxy]
    Nginx --> Admin[Admin GUI<br/>React]
    Nginx --> ExpressAPI[Express API<br/>Main Features]
    Nginx --> FastifyAPI[Fastify API<br/>Media Library]
    ExpressAPI --> DB[(PostgreSQL)]
    FastifyAPI --> DB
    ExpressAPI --> Redis[(Redis)]
    FastifyAPI --> Redis
```

**Key Components**:

- **Nginx**: Routes requests to appropriate services based on subdomain
- **Admin GUI**: React application (Vite + Ant Design) for platform management
- **Express API**: Main backend with 14 feature modules (Prisma ORM)
- **Fastify API**: Media library microservice (Drizzle ORM)
- **PostgreSQL**: Primary database (Prisma + Drizzle schemas)
- **Redis**: Caching, rate limiting, job queue backend

[Learn more about the architecture →](../architecture/index.md)

## What's Next?

After installation, you'll want to:

1. **[First Login](first-login.md)** - Access the admin interface and change default credentials
2. **[Environment Configuration](environment.md)** - Customize your .env file for your needs
3. **[Docker Management](docker.md)** - Learn to start, stop, and manage services
4. **[Admin Guide](../user-guides/admin-guide.md)** - Platform administration workflows

## Common Installation Issues

If you encounter problems during setup, check our troubleshooting guides:

- [Docker Issues](../troubleshooting/docker-issues.md) - Port conflicts, volume permissions
- [Database Issues](../troubleshooting/database-issues.md) - Connection errors, migrations
- [Common Errors](../troubleshooting/common-errors.md) - General troubleshooting

## Getting Help

- **Documentation Search**: Use the search bar above to find specific topics
- **FAQ**: Check the [Frequently Asked Questions](../troubleshooting/faq.md)
- **Issue Tracker**: Report bugs or request features on GitHub

## Feature Highlights

### Influence Module
Run sophisticated email advocacy campaigns with:
- Multi-target campaigns (MPs, MPPs, councillors)
- Public response walls with moderation
- Email queue with retry logic
- Tracking and analytics

### Map Module
Coordinate field operations with:
- Multi-provider geocoding (6 services)
- Territory management (cuts)
- GPS-tracked canvassing
- Printable walk sheets with QR codes

### Landing Pages
Build custom public pages with:
- GrapesJS drag-and-drop editor
- MkDocs export for static sites
- Mobile-responsive templates

### Monitoring
Keep your platform healthy with:
- Real-time metrics dashboards
- Custom alerts
- Service health monitoring
- Data quality tracking

[Explore all features →](../features/index.md)

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Ready to get started? Choose your installation path above!