Installation
System requirements and installation options for CamelMind. Follow this guide to set up and customize your site.
Before you begin, ensure your local machine meets the following requirements:
| Requirement | Minimum version |
|---|---|
| Node.js | 20 or higher |
| Package manager | Any recent version of npm, pnpm, or yarn |
Scaffold a new site
Get started in seconds with the CamelMind init CLI. Open your terminal and run the following command, replacing my-docs with your project name.
npx camelmind@latest init my-docs
The CLI will:
- Create a new project from the CamelMind starter template.
- Install all project dependencies automatically.
- Display the next steps to get started.
Next, start the development server:
cd my-docs
npm run dev
Then open http://localhost:3000 in your browser to preview your documentation site.
Manual installation
If you prefer to set up from scratch or integrate CamelMind into an existing Next.js monorepo, install the package directly:
npm install camelmind
Manual installation is intended for advanced use cases. For most projects, we recommend using the init CLI, which automatically creates your project with the correct directory structure, configuration, and compatible dependency versions.
Update CamelMind
To update an existing CamelMind site, use one of the following update options:
| Option | Command |
|---|---|
| Update your site to the latest CamelMind platform files | npx camelmind@latest update |
| Preview the changes without modifying any files | npx camelmind@latest update --dry-run |
| Update files without running npm install | npx camelmind@latest update --no-install |
| Preserve a customized scaffold file during the update | npx camelmind@latest update --ignore-file app/page.tsx |
Before upgrading, review the changelog for any breaking changes or migration notes.
Environment variables
CamelMind works out of the box with the default configuration. You only need to customize environment variables when enabling features such as authentication or deploying your site to a production domain.
To get started, copy the example file:
cp .env.example .env.local
Then update the values you need.
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
CAMELMIND_URL | http://localhost:3000 | The public URL of your documentation site. Update this before deploying (for example, https://docs.example.com). |
CAMELMIND_AUTH_ENABLED | false | Enables built-in authentication. |
CAMELMIND_AUTH_REQUIRE_LOGIN | false | Requires users to sign in before accessing any page. |
SESSION_SECRET | — | A long, random secret used to encrypt user sessions. Required when authentication is enabled. |
Deploying to production
Before making your site live, update CAMELMIND_URL to match your production domain. For example:
CAMELMIND_URL=https://docs.example.com
Then configure the same environment variables in your hosting provider (such as Vercel, Netlify, or your own infrastructure) before deploying your site.
If your site is publicly accessible, you can leave authentication disabled. Enable it only if you want to protect your documentation behind a login.
See the Environment Variables reference for the complete list of available options.