# Quick Start
## Installation in 3 Steps
### 1. Run BotServer
```bash
./botserver
```
That's it! No configuration needed.
### 2. Wait for Bootstrap (2-5 minutes)
You'll see:
```
BotServer starting...
Bootstrap: Detecting system...
Installing PostgreSQL...
Database created
Schema initialized
Installing Drive...
Object storage ready
Buckets created
Installing Cache...
Cache server running
Creating bots from templates...
default.gbai deployed
announcements.gbai deployed
BotServer ready at http://localhost:8080
```
### 3. Open Browser
```
http://localhost:8080
```
Start chatting with your bot!
---
## What Just Happened?
### Bootstrap Flow
The **automatic bootstrap** process:
1. Detected your OS (Linux/macOS/Windows)
2. Downloaded PostgreSQL database to botserver-stack/
3. Downloaded drive (S3-compatible storage) to botserver-stack/
4. Downloaded cache component to botserver-stack/
5. Generated secure credentials
6. Created database schema
7. Deployed default bots to object storage
8. Started UI server on port 8080
**Zero manual configuration required!**
### Using Existing Services
If you already have PostgreSQL or drive storage running, configure them in `config.csv` of your bot:
```csv
name,value
database-url,postgres://myuser:mypass@myhost:5432/mydb
drive-server,http://my-drive:9000
drive-accesskey,my-access-key
drive-secret,my-secret-key
```
---
## Step 2: Write a Simple Tool
### How Tools Work
Tools are just `.bas` files. Create `enrollment.bas`:
```basic
' Student enrollment tool
PARAM name, email, course
DESCRIPTION "Processes student enrollment"
SAVE "enrollments.csv", name, email, course, NOW()
TALK "Welcome to " + course + ", " + name + "!"
```
The LLM automatically discovers this tool and knows when to call it!
---
## Step 3: Add Knowledge Base
Drop documents in a `.gbkb/` folder:
```
mybot.gbai/
mybot.gbkb/
docs/
manual.pdf
faq.docx
guide.txt
```
The bot automatically:
- Indexes documents with vector embeddings
- Answers questions from the content
- Updates when files change
---
## Container Deployment (LXC)
For production isolation, BotServer supports **LXC** (Linux Containers):
```bash
# Create container
lxc-create -n botserver -t download -- -d ubuntu -r jammy -a amd64
# Start and attach
lxc-start -n botserver
lxc-attach -n botserver
# Install BotServer inside container
./botserver
```
**Benefits**:
- Process isolation
- Resource control
- Easy management
- Lightweight virtualization
---
## Optional Components
After installation, add more features:
```bash
./botserver install email # Email server
./botserver install directory # Identity provider
./botserver install llm # Local LLM server (offline mode)
./botserver install meeting # Video conferencing
```
---
## Example Bot Structure
```
mybot.gbai/
mybot.gbdialog/ # Dialog scripts
start.bas # Entry point (required)
get-weather.bas # Tool (auto-discovered)
send-email.bas # Tool (auto-discovered)
mybot.gbkb/ # Knowledge base
docs/ # Document collection
faq/ # FAQ collection
mybot.gbot/ # Configuration
config.csv # Bot parameters
mybot.gbtheme/ # UI theme (optional)
custom.css
```
Deploy new bots by uploading to object storage (creates a new bucket), not the local filesystem. The `work/` folder is for internal use only.
### Local Development with Auto-Sync
Edit bot files locally and sync automatically to drive storage:
**Free S3 Sync Tools:**
- **Cyberduck** - GUI file browser (Windows/Mac/Linux)
- **rclone** - Command-line sync (All platforms)
- **WinSCP** - File manager with S3 (Windows)
- **S3 Browser** - Freeware S3 client (Windows)
**Quick Setup with rclone:**
```bash
# Configure for drive storage
rclone config # Follow prompts for S3-compatible storage
# Auto-sync local edits to bucket
rclone sync ./mybot.gbai drive:mybot --watch
```
Now when you:
- Edit `.csv` → Bot config reloads automatically
- Edit `.bas` → Scripts compile automatically
- Add docs to `.gbkb/` → Knowledge base updates
---
## How It Really Works
You DON'T write complex dialog flows. Instead:
### 1. Add Documents
```
mybot.gbkb/
policies/enrollment-policy.pdf
catalog/courses.pdf
```
### 2. Create Tools (Optional)
```basic
' enrollment.bas - just define what it does
PARAM name AS string
PARAM course AS string
SAVE "enrollments.csv", name, course
```
### 3. Start Chatting!
```
User: I want to enroll in computer science
Bot: I'll help you enroll! What's your name?
User: John Smith
Bot: [Automatically calls enrollment.bas with collected params]
Welcome to Computer Science, John Smith!
```
The LLM handles ALL conversation logic automatically!
---
## Configuration (Optional)
Configure per-bot settings in `config.csv`:
```csv
name,value
server_port,8080
llm-url,http://localhost:8081
episodic-memory-threshold,4
theme-color1,#0d2b55
```
---
## Troubleshooting
### Port 8080 in use?
Edit `templates/default.gbai/default.gbot/config.csv`:
```csv
name,value
server_port,3000
```
### Clean install?
```bash
# Remove everything and start fresh
rm -rf botserver-stack/
rm .env
./botserver # Will regenerate everything
```
### Check component status
```bash
./botserver status tables # PostgreSQL
./botserver status drive # Drive storage
./botserver status cache # Cache component
```
---
## Documentation
- **[Full Installation Guide](docs/src/chapter-01/installation.md)** - Detailed bootstrap explanation
- **[Tool Definition](docs/src/chapter-08/tool-definition.md)** - Creating tools
- **[BASIC Keywords](docs/src/chapter-05/keywords.md)** - Language reference
- **[Package System](docs/src/chapter-02/README.md)** - Creating bots
- **[Architecture](docs/src/chapter-06/architecture.md)** - How it works
---
## The Magic Formula
```
Documents + Tools + LLM = Intelligent Bot
```
### What You DON'T Need:
- IF/THEN logic
- Intent detection
- Dialog flow charts
- State machines
- Complex routing
### What You DO:
- Drop documents in `.gbkb/`
- Create simple `.bas` tools (optional)
- Start chatting!
The LLM understands context, calls tools, searches documents, and maintains conversation naturally.
---
## Philosophy
1. **Just Run It** - No manual configuration
2. **Simple Scripts** - BASIC-like language anyone can learn
3. **Automatic Discovery** - Tools and KBs auto-detected
4. **Secure by Default** - Credentials auto-generated
5. **Production Ready** - Built for real-world use
---
## Real Example: Education Bot
1. **Add course materials:**
```
edu.gbkb/
courses/computer-science.pdf
policies/enrollment.pdf
```
2. **Create enrollment tool:**
```bas
' enrollment.bas
PARAM name AS string
PARAM course AS string
SAVE "enrollments.csv", name, course
```
3. **Just chat:**
```
User: What courses do you offer?
Bot: [Searches PDFs] We offer Computer Science, Data Science...
User: I want to enroll
Bot: [Calls enrollment.bas] Let me help you enroll...
```
**No programming logic needed - the LLM handles everything!**