Getting Started - Content Creators¶

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.

🎯 What You'll Accomplish¶

By the end of this guide, you'll have: - ✅ ALwrity running on your local machine - ✅ Configured API keys for AI services - ✅ Completed the onboarding process - ✅ Created your first content piece - ✅ Published or scheduled your content

⏱️ Time Required: 30 minutes¶

🚀 Step-by-Step Setup¶

Step 1: Prerequisites Check (5 minutes)¶

Before we start, ensure you have the following installed:

Required Software¶

Python 3.8+: Download Python
Node.js 18+: Download Node.js
Git: Download Git

Verify Installation¶

Open your terminal/command prompt and run:

# Check Python version
python --version
# Should show Python 3.8 or higher

# Check Node.js version
node --version
# Should show v18 or higher

# Check Git
git --version
# Should show Git version

Step 2: Download ALwrity (5 minutes)¶

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/AJaySi/ALwrity.git
cd ALwrity

Verify the download: You should see folders: backend, frontend, docs, etc.

Step 3: Backend Setup (10 minutes)¶

Install Python Dependencies¶

cd backend
pip install -r requirements.txt

Configure Environment Variables¶

Copy the template:
```
cp env_template.txt .env
```

Edit the .env file with your API keys:

# Required API Keys
GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here

# Optional but recommended
TAVILY_API_KEY=your_tavily_api_key_here
SERPER_API_KEY=your_serper_api_key_here

# Database (default is fine)
DATABASE_URL=sqlite:///./alwrity.db

# Security
SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key_here

Get Your API Keys¶

Gemini API Key (Required): 1. Go to Google AI Studio 2. Create a new API key 3. Copy and paste into your .env file

OpenAI API Key (Required): 1. Go to OpenAI Platform 2. Create a new API key 3. Copy and paste into your .env file

Tavily API Key (Optional - for research): 1. Go to Tavily AI 2. Sign up and get your API key 3. Add to your .env file

Serper API Key (Optional - for search): 1. Go to Serper API 2. Sign up and get your API key 3. Add to your .env file

Start the Backend Server¶

python start_alwrity_backend.py

You should see:

INFO:     Started server process
INFO:     Waiting for application startup.
INFO:     Application startup complete.
INFO:     Uvicorn running on http://127.0.0.1:8000

Step 4: Frontend Setup (10 minutes)¶

Open a new terminal window and navigate to the frontend:

cd frontend
npm install

Configure Frontend Environment¶

Copy the template:
```
cp env_template.txt .env
```

Edit the .env file:

# Backend URL (default is fine)
VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:8000

# Optional: Clerk for authentication
VITE_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_clerk_key_here

# Optional: CopilotKit for AI chat
VITE_COPILOT_API_KEY=your_copilot_key_here

Start the Frontend Server¶

npm start

You should see:

Local:            http://localhost:3000
On Your Network:  http://192.168.1.xxx:3000

✅ Verification¶

Check Backend Health¶

Open your browser to: http://localhost:8000/health
You should see: {"status": "healthy", "timestamp": "..."}

Check API Documentation¶

Open your browser to: http://localhost:8000/api/docs
You should see the interactive API documentation

Check Frontend¶

Open your browser to: http://localhost:3000
You should see the ALwrity dashboard

🎉 Congratulations!¶

You've successfully set up ALwrity! Here's what you can do now:

Immediate Next Steps¶

Complete the onboarding process - Set up your profile
Create your first blog post - Generate content with AI
Explore the features - See what ALwrity can do

What's Available Now¶

Blog Writer: Create AI-powered blog posts
SEO Analysis: Optimize your content for search engines
Research Integration: Fact-checked, research-backed content
Content Planning: Plan and schedule your content

🆘 Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

Backend won't start: - Check if port 8000 is already in use - Verify all API keys are correct - Check Python version (3.8+ required)

Frontend won't start: - Check if port 3000 is already in use - Verify Node.js version (18+ required) - Try deleting node_modules and running npm install again

API errors: - Verify your API keys are valid and have credits - Check the backend logs for specific error messages - Ensure your internet connection is stable

Getting Help¶

Troubleshooting Guide - Common issues and solutions
Community Forum - Ask questions
GitHub Issues - Report bugs

🎯 Success Tips¶

For Best Results¶

Use quality API keys - Invest in good AI service subscriptions
Start simple - Begin with basic content creation
Be patient - AI content generation takes 30-60 seconds
Review content - Always review AI-generated content before publishing

Common Mistakes to Avoid¶

Don't skip API key setup - ALwrity needs AI services to work
Don't ignore error messages - Read and understand error logs
Don't expect perfection immediately - AI improves with better prompts
Don't forget to backup - Keep your .env files secure

🚀 What's Next?¶

This Week¶

Create your first content - Generate your first blog post
Set up SEO optimization - Improve search rankings
Explore content planning - Plan your content calendar

This Month¶

Scale your content production - Create more content
Optimize your workflow - Make it even easier
Track your performance - Monitor your success

🎉 Ready for Your First Content?¶

Create your first blog post →

Questions? Join our community or contact support!