Preparing for installation

Choose a machine and prepare access

You need Linux with systemd and a root account or sudo access. Installation has been tested on Debian 13; the installer supports the apt, dnf, pacman and apk package managers. On Windows, set up a WSL environment with systemd.

For the panel, 2 GB of RAM is the starting point. Its binary takes up about 160 MB. Add the resources needed by the applications, databases and backups that will run on the same machine.

Decide on the panel address

If you want to use your own domain, prepare an A record pointing to the server. You can also choose access by IP address or through an SSH tunnel. You choose how the panel is exposed in the installer.

Get your license and choose AI tools

The key is available in the client panel after you buy a license. Without a valid license, the panel starts in a locked state and does not allow project management. You provide access to AI models through your own accounts with the providers; the panel adds no fee to their usage.

Check the scope of permissions

Contextadmin runs shells and Docker Compose with the permissions of its system account. Assigning projects to users organizes the work, but it does not create system-level isolation. Access should go only to people you trust to work on this machine.

You handle mailboxes, DNS zones and FTP separately. The panel is for projects, application environments and work with agents.

What the installer sets up

It creates the /opt/contextadmin directory, a system user and a systemd service. If you choose to publish the panel under a domain, the installer also sets up nginx and a certificate. Projects get separate directories in the home directory of the working account. Installation time depends on, among other things, downloading dependencies and the speed of the machine.