etherpad-lite/README.md

# Making collaborative editing the standard on the web

# About
Etherpad is a really-real time web-based collaborative editor.

Etherpad is designed to be easily embeddable and provides a [HTTP API](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/wiki/HTTP-API) 
that allows your web application to manage pads, users and groups. It is recommended to use the [available client implementations](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/wiki/HTTP-API-client-libraries) in order to interact with this API. There is also a [jQuery plugin](https://github.com/johnmclear/etherpad-lite-jquery-plugin) that helps you to embed Pads into your website.
There's also a full-featured plugin framework, allowing you to easily add your own features.
Finally, Etherpad comes with translations into tons of different languages!

**Visit [beta.etherpad.org](http://beta.etherpad.org) to test it live**

Also, check out the **[FAQ](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/wiki/FAQ)**, really!

# Installation

## Windows

### Prebuilt windows package
This package works out of the box on any windows machine, but it's not very useful for developing purposes...

1. Download the windows package <https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/downloads>
2. Extract the folder

Now, run `start.bat` and open <http://localhost:9001> in your browser. You like it? [Next steps](#next-steps).

### Fancy install
You'll need [node.js](http://nodejs.org) and (optionally, though recommended) git.

1. Grab the source, either
  - download <https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/zipball/master>
  - or `git clone https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite.git` (for this you need git, obviously)
2. start `bin\installOnWindows.bat`

Now, run `start.bat` and open <http://localhost:9001> in your browser.

Update to the latest version with `git pull origin`, then run `bin\installOnWindows.bat`, again.

[Next steps](#next-steps).

## Linux
You'll need gzip, git, curl, libssl develop libraries, python and gcc.  
*For Debian/Ubuntu*: `apt-get install gzip git-core curl python libssl-dev pkg-config build-essential`  
*For Fedora/CentOS*: `yum install gzip git-core curl python openssl-devel && yum groupinstall "Development Tools"`

Additionally, you'll need [node.js](http://nodejs.org) installed, Ideally the latest stable version, be careful of installing nodejs from apt.

**As any user (we recommend creating a separate user called etherpad-lite):**

1. Move to a folder where you want to install Etherpad. Clone the git repository `git clone git://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite.git`
2. Change into the new directory containing the cloned source code `cd etherpad-lite`

Now, run `bin/run.sh` and open <http://127.0.0.1:9001> in your browser. 

Update to the latest version with `git pull origin`. The next start with bin/run.sh will update the dependencies.

You like it? [Next steps](#next-steps).

# Next Steps

## Tweak the settings
You can modify the settings in `settings.json`. (If you need to handle multiple settings files, you can pass the path to a settings file to `bin/run.sh` using the `-s|--settings` option. This allows you to run multiple Etherpad instances from the same installation.)

You should use a dedicated database such as "mysql", if you are planning on using etherpad-lite in a production environment, since the "dirtyDB" database driver is only for testing and/or development purposes.

## Helpful resources
The [wiki](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/wiki) is your one-stop resource for Tutorials and How-to's, really check it out! Also, feel free to improve these wiki pages.

Documentation can be found in `docs/`.

# Development

## Things you should know
Read this [git guide](http://learn.github.com/p/intro.html) and watch this [video on getting started with Etherpad Development](http://youtu.be/67-Q26YH97E).

If you're new to node.js, start with Ryan Dahl's [Introduction to Node.js](http://youtu.be/jo_B4LTHi3I).

You can debug Etherpad using `bin/debugRun.sh`.

If you want to find out how Etherpad's `Easysync` works (the library that makes it really realtime), start with this [PDF](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/raw/master/doc/easysync/easysync-full-description.pdf) (complex, but worth reading).

## Getting started
You know all this and just want to know how you can help?

Look at the [TODO list](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/wiki/TODO) and our [Issue tracker](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/issues). (Please consider using [jshint](http://www.jshint.com/about/), if you plan to contribute code.)

Also, and most importantly, read our [**Developer Guidelines**](https://github.com/ether/etherpad-lite/wiki/Developer-Guidelines), really!

# Get in touch
Join the [mailinglist](http://groups.google.com/group/etherpad-lite-dev) and make some noise on our freenode irc channel [#etherpad-lite-dev](http://webchat.freenode.net?channels=#etherpad-lite-dev)!

# Modules created for this project

* [ueberDB](https://github.com/Pita/ueberDB) "transforms every database into a object key value store" - manages all database access
* [channels](https://github.com/Pita/channels) "Event channels in node.js" - ensures that ueberDB operations are atomic and in series for each key
* [async-stacktrace](https://github.com/Pita/async-stacktrace) "Improves node.js stacktraces and makes it easier to handle errors"

# Donate!
* [Flattr] (http://flattr.com/thing/71378/Etherpad-Foundation)
* Paypal - Press the donate button on [etherpad.org](http://etherpad.org)

# License
[Apache License v2](http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html)