# Install guide.

Set up the vanilla backend on your own machine.

1. **Create a Python environment**
   ```
   python -m venv estravon-env
source estravon-env/bin/activate  # Windows: estravon-env\Scripts\activate
   ```
2. **Install the backend**
   ```
   pip install estravon-backend
   ```
3. **Create a working folder and configure your API key (or skip it)**
   ```
   # Create a folder — this is where you will always run Estravon from
mkdir estravon && cd estravon

# In that folder, create a plain text file named .env containing:
MISTRAL_API_KEY=your_key_here

# Get a pay-as-you-go key at Mistral / Replicate, or a
# subscription key at Datalab.
# Alternatives: DATALAB_API_KEY     + _ZM_BACKEND=datalab
#               REPLICATE_API_TOKEN + _ZM_BACKEND=replicate

# Or skip this step entirely: the MinerU engine needs no key and no
# .env file. See the guide for what that costs you in speed.
#               pip install "estravon-backend[mineru]"
#               estravon --backend mineru --port 7766
   ```
4. **Run the backend (from your estravon folder)**
   ```
   # Activate your virtual environment first:
source estravon-env/bin/activate  # Windows: estravon-env\Scripts\activate

estravon --port 7766
   ```
5. **Confirm the green ping in Zotero**
   In Zotero → Settings → Estravon, confirm the status indicator is green.
6. **Right-click an item to extract**
   Right-click any Zotero item with a PDF → "Extract with Estravon" → choose page range.

## For developers

Want to inspect the source, run in editable mode, or contribute? Clone the repository and install with `pip install -e .`. The GitHub README covers the developer setup, editable installs, running tests, and the backend architecture.

[Open source overview →](https://www.estravon.com/open-source)