> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://sthaan.gitbook.io/cloop-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://sthaan.gitbook.io/cloop-docs/readme.md).

# Cloop Installation

Welcome to setting up Cloop in your Google Cloud environment! This step-by-step guide will help you install and deploy Cloop quickly and easily. Each step includes commands you can copy and paste into your terminal. Let’s get started!

### Prerequisites

* A Google Cloud account (you’ll activate a free 3-month trial during setup).
* A computer (Mac or Windows) with internet access.
* The `cloud-init.yaml` file sent to your email (check your inbox or spam folder).

***

### Step 1: Install Google Cloud SDK ☁️

The Google Cloud SDK is a tool that lets you manage your cloud resources from your computer. Follow the steps below based on your operating system.

#### For Mac

1. **Download the SDK**:
   * Open your terminal (search for "Terminal" on your Mac).
   * Run the appropriate command based on your Mac’s chip type:
     * For **Intel chip** Macs:

       ```bash
       curl -o ~/google-cloud-cli-darwin-x86_64.tar.gz https://dl.google.com/dl/cloudsdk/channels/rapid/downloads/google-cloud-cli-darwin-x86_64.tar.gz
       ```
     * For **M-series chip** Macs (e.g., M1, M2):

       ```bash
       curl -o ~/google-cloud-cli-darwin-arm.tar.gz https://dl.google.com/dl/cloudsdk/channels/rapid/downloads/google-cloud-cli-darwin-arm.tar.gz
       ```
   * These commands automatically download the SDK to your home folder.
2. **Extract and Install**:
   * Extract the downloaded file and set up the SDK by running these commands:

     ```bash
     tar -xzf ~/google-cloud-cli-darwin-*.tar.gz -C ~
     cd ~/google-cloud-sdk
     ./install.sh
     ```
   * Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
3. **Initialize the SDK**:
   * Run this command to set up your Google Cloud account:

     ```bash
     gcloud init
     ```
   * A browser window will open. Log in to your Google Cloud account and activate the 3-month free trial (requires a payment method, but you can cancel after deploying Cloop).
   * Follow the prompts to select or create a project.

#### For Windows

1. **Download the SDK**:
   * Open PowerShell (search for "PowerShell" in the Start menu).
   * Run these commands to automatically download and install the Google Cloud SDK:

     ```powershell
     (New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadFile("https://dl.google.com/dl/cloudsdk/channels/rapid/GoogleCloudSDKInstaller.exe", "$env:Temp\GoogleCloudSDKInstaller.exe")
     & $env:Temp\GoogleCloudSDKInstaller.exe
     ```
   * Follow the installer’s prompts to complete the setup.
2. **Initialize the SDK**:
   * In PowerShell, run:

     ```powershell
     gcloud init
     ```
   * A browser window will open. Log in to your Google Cloud account and activate the 3-month free trial (requires a payment method, but you can cancel after deploying Cloop).
   * Follow the prompts to select or create a project.

***

### Step 2: Verify Your Google Cloud Project 📋

Ensure you have a Google Cloud project set up. A project is like a container for your cloud resources.

* Run this command to list your projects:

  ```bash
  gcloud projects list
  ```
* If you see a project ID, you’re ready to proceed. If not, follow the prompts from `gcloud init` to create one.

***

### Step 3: Prepare Your Cloud Environment 🔧

Next, you’ll enable necessary services and secure your cloud environment by removing default firewall rules.

1. **Enable the Compute Engine API**:
   * This allows Cloop to run virtual machines. Run:

     ```bash
     gcloud services enable compute.googleapis.com
     ```
2. **Remove Default Firewall Rules**:
   * To enhance security, disable default rules for RDP and ICMP. Run:

     ```bash
     gcloud compute firewall-rules delete default-allow-rdp --quiet
     gcloud compute firewall-rules delete default-allow-icmp --quiet
     ```
   * Note: If these rules don’t exist, you may see a message saying so. That’s okay proceed to the next step.

***

### Step 4: Organize the Cloud Init File 📄

The `cloud-init.yaml` file (sent via email) contains settings for your Cloop virtual machine. Let’s organize it on your computer.

1. **Create a Folder and Move the File**:
   * Run these commands to create a `cloop-setup` folder and move the `cloud-init.yaml` file:

     ```bash
     mkdir -p ~/cloop-setup
     mv ~/Downloads/cloud-init.yaml ~/cloop-setup/
     cd ~/cloop-setup
     ```
   * Ensure the `cloud-init.yaml` file is in the `~/cloop-setup` folder before proceeding.

***

### Step 5: Deploy Your Cloop Virtual Machine 🛡

Now, you’ll create a virtual machine (VM) to run Cloop.

1. **Create the Cloop VM**:
   * Run this command to deploy the VM with the settings from `cloud-init.yaml`:

     ```bash
     gcloud compute instances create cloop-vm \
       --machine-type=e2-medium \
       --zone=us-central1-a \
       --image-family=ubuntu-2204-lts \
       --image-project=ubuntu-os-cloud \
       --boot-disk-size=10GB \
       --boot-disk-type=pd-balanced \
       --metadata-from-file=user-data=cloud-init.yaml
     ```
2. **Wait for Deployment**:
   * The VM takes about 3 minutes to set up. Grab a coffee and wait before checking the status.

***

### Step 6: Verify Deployment ✅

To confirm your Cloop VM is running:

* Run:

  ```bash
  gcloud compute instances list
  ```
* Look for `cloop-vm` in the output with a status of `RUNNING`.

***

> **Note**: You activated a 3-month free trial during setup. You can cancel the trial after deploying Cloop.

Happy Clooping! 🚀