ANTE User Manual

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Installing the ANTE CLI ​

This guide covers how to install the ANTE CLI tool on your system.

Prerequisites ​

Before installing the ANTE CLI, ensure your system meets these requirements:

Required Software ​

  • Node.js: Version 24.0.0 or higher (LTS)

    bash
    # Check Node.js version
node --version

  • npm: Comes with Node.js (version 8.0.0 or higher)

    bash
    # Check npm version
npm --version

  • Docker: Version 20.10 or higher

    bash
    # Check Docker version
docker --version

  • Docker Compose: Version 2.0 or higher

    bash
    # Check Docker Compose version
docker compose version

System Requirements ​

  • Operating System: Linux, macOS, or Windows (WSL2)
  • RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
  • Disk Space: 20GB minimum, 50GB recommended
  • Network: Internet connection for downloading Docker images

Installing Prerequisites ​

If you don't have the required software, here's how to install them:

Node.js ​

On Ubuntu/Debian:

bash
# Install Node.js 24 LTS
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

On macOS:

bash
# Using Homebrew
brew install node@24

On Windows (WSL2):

bash
# Follow Ubuntu/Debian instructions inside WSL

Docker ​

On Ubuntu/Debian:

bash
# Install Docker
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

On macOS:

bash
# Download and install Docker Desktop
# https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

On Windows:

bash
# Install Docker Desktop with WSL2 backend
# https://docs.docker.com/desktop/install/windows-install/

Installation Methods ​

There are two ways to use the ANTE CLI:

Install the CLI globally to use it from anywhere on your system.

bash
# Install globally
npm install -g ante-erp-cli

# Verify installation
ante --version

Advantages:

  • Available from any directory
  • Simpler to use
  • No need to prefix with npx

When to use:

  • Long-term installations
  • Regular management tasks
  • Production systems

Method 2: Using npx (No Installation) ​

Run the CLI without installing it using npx.

bash
# Run commands without installation
npx ante-erp-cli install
npx ante-erp-cli status
npx ante-erp-cli backup

Advantages:

  • No installation required
  • Always uses latest version
  • Good for one-time operations

When to use:

  • Trying out the CLI
  • One-time installations
  • Systems where you can't install global packages

Note: For regular use, global installation is recommended.

Verifying Installation ​

After installation, verify the CLI is working correctly:

1. Check Version ​

bash
ante --version
# Should output: 1.0.x

2. Display Help ​

bash
ante --help
# Should display list of available commands

3. Check Prerequisites ​

bash
ante doctor
# Should check Docker, Node.js, and system requirements

If all checks pass, you're ready to install ANTE ERP!

Installing ANTE ERP ​

Now that the CLI is installed, you can install ANTE ERP:

bash
# Run the interactive installation wizard
ante install

The wizard will guide you through:

  1. Selecting installation directory
  2. Choosing installation preset (minimal, standard, enterprise)
  3. Configuring domain and SSL (optional)
  4. Confirming settings
  5. Automatic installation

Non-Interactive Installation ​

For automated deployments or scripts:

bash
# Install with defaults
ante install --no-interactive

# Install with custom options
ante install \
  --dir /opt/ante-erp \
  --preset standard \
  --port 8080 \
  --no-interactive

Installation with Frontend App Selection ​

ANTE supports multiple frontend applications. You can choose which ones to install:

Available Frontend Apps:

  • Main Frontend (always installed) - Core ERP functionality
  • Gate App (--with-gate) - School attendance management
  • Guardian App (--with-guardian) - Parent portal for student monitoring
  • Facial Recognition (--with-facial) - Employee time tracking with face recognition
  • POS App (--with-pos) - Point of Sale system

Examples:

bash
# Install with Gate App (school attendance)
ante install --with-gate

# Install with Guardian App (parent portal)
ante install --with-guardian

# Install with Facial Recognition
ante install --with-facial

# Install all frontend apps
ante install --with-all-frontends

# Install specific combination
ante install --with-gate --with-guardian --with-facial

Installation with Domain and SSL ​

For production deployments with custom domain:

bash
# Basic domain configuration
ante install \
  --preset enterprise \
  --frontend-domain https://erp.company.com \
  --api-domain https://api.company.com

# With all frontend apps
ante install \
  --preset enterprise \
  --frontend-domain https://erp.company.com \
  --api-domain https://api.company.com \
  --with-all-frontends

Note: SSL/HTTPS configuration is done after installation using ante set-domain --ssl or ante ssl enable commands.

Post-Installation ​

After installation completes:

1. Save Credentials ​

The installation creates a file with all credentials:

bash
# View credentials
cat ./ante-erp/installation-credentials.txt

⚠️ Important: Save this file in a secure location. You'll need these credentials to access your ANTE system.

2. Verify Installation ​

bash
# Check that all services are running
ante status

# Should show all services as "running" and "healthy"

3. Access ANTE ​

Open your browser and navigate to:

4. Create Admin Account ​

Follow the on-screen instructions to create your admin account.

Updating the CLI ​

Keep the CLI up to date to get the latest features and bug fixes:

Check for Updates ​

bash
# Check if update is available
ante update-cli --check

Update to Latest Version ​

bash
# Update the CLI
ante update-cli

# Or manually with npm
npm update -g ante-erp-cli

Update to Specific Version ​

bash
npm install -g ante-erp-cli@1.0.3

Uninstalling the CLI ​

If you need to uninstall the CLI tool:

Global Installation ​

bash
# Uninstall globally
npm uninstall -g ante-erp-cli

Clean Up Configuration ​

bash
# Remove CLI configuration (optional)
rm -rf ~/.config/ante-cli

Note: This only removes the CLI tool. To uninstall ANTE ERP itself, use:

bash
ante uninstall  # Before uninstalling the CLI

Installation Locations ​

CLI Binary ​

After global installation, the ante command is available from:

  • Linux/macOS: /usr/local/bin/ante or ~/.npm/bin/ante
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\npm\ante.cmd

CLI Configuration ​

The CLI stores its configuration in:

  • Linux/macOS: ~/.config/ante-cli/
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\ante-cli\

ANTE Installation ​

By default, ANTE is installed to:

  • Default: ./ante-erp/ (in the directory where you run ante install)
  • Custom: Specified with --dir option

Permissions ​

Linux/macOS ​

If you encounter permission errors:

bash
# Option 1: Fix npm permissions (recommended)
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

# Then install again
npm install -g ante-erp-cli

# Option 2: Use sudo (not recommended)
sudo npm install -g ante-erp-cli

Docker Permissions ​

The CLI needs Docker access. If you get Docker permission errors:

bash
# Add your user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

# Verify
docker ps

Troubleshooting Installation ​

Command Not Found ​

Issue: ante: command not found

Solution:

bash
# Check if installed
npm list -g ante-erp-cli

# Reinstall if needed
npm install -g ante-erp-cli

# Check PATH
echo $PATH

# Add npm global bin to PATH
export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"

npm Permission Errors ​

Issue: EACCES: permission denied

Solution: Use the permission fix above or install in user directory.

Node.js Version Too Old ​

Issue: Error: The engine "node" is incompatible

Solution:

bash
# Update Node.js to version 24 or higher
# On Ubuntu/Debian
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Verify
node --version

Docker Not Running ​

Issue: Cannot connect to Docker daemon

Solution:

bash
# Start Docker service
sudo systemctl start docker

# Enable Docker to start on boot
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Verify
docker ps

Next Steps ​

Now that the CLI is installed, you can:

  1. Install ANTE ERP - Follow the installation steps above
  2. View Command Reference - Learn about all available commands
  3. Read Self-Hosting Guide - Complete self-hosting documentation

Additional Resources ​

Getting Help ​

If you encounter issues not covered here:

Released under the MIT License.

Copyright © 2024 GEER ANTE