# Getting started

What GrandNode is, what you need to run it, how to install it with Docker, from a release package or from source, and your first hour in the Admin panel. Start here if you are evaluating GrandNode or setting up a new store.

## Documentation

- [What is GrandNode](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-what-is-grandnode.md): GrandNode is an open-source e-commerce platform on ASP.NET Core and MongoDB. Learn its parts: storefront, Admin, Store owner and Vendor panels, plugins, themes.
- [System requirements](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-system-requirements.md): What you need to run GrandNode: the .NET 10 SDK or runtime, MongoDB 4.0 or newer, any OS that runs .NET, and Node.js only for frontend changes.
- [Installing GrandNode](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-installing.md): Install GrandNode with the Docker image, from a GitHub release package or from source with dotnet build and dotnet run, and host it on Linux.
- [The installation wizard](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-installation-wizard.md): Every field of the GrandNode installation wizard: company details, admin account, data provider, MongoDB connection, collation and sample data.
- [A tour of the Admin panel](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-admin-tour.md): Sign in to the GrandNode Admin panel and find your way around: the dashboard widgets, the side menu sections, the top bar and the Store and Vendor panels.
- [First steps for a new store](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-first-steps.md): A checklist for a new GrandNode store: store name and URL, currency, languages, email, tax, shipping, payment, theme and your first product.
- [Upgrading to a new version](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-upgrading.md): Upgrade GrandNode safely: back up MongoDB and App\_Data, replace the application, and let the database migrations run automatically on startup.
- [Running in production: Docker and Kubernetes](https://grandnode.com/getting-started-docker-kubernetes.md): GrandNode in Docker and Kubernetes: connection string as an env variable, what to persist, Redis cache invalidation across pods and how to test it.

- [Web page](https://grandnode.com/docs-getting-started)