> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/koala73/worldmonitor/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get World Monitor running in 5 minutes

Get World Monitor up and running in minutes. Choose your preferred platform and follow the steps below.

## Choose Your Path

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Web App" icon="globe" href="#web-app">
    Access instantly via browser with PWA support
  </Card>

  <Card title="Desktop App" icon="desktop" href="#desktop-app">
    Native app for macOS, Windows, and Linux
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Web App

The fastest way to start using World Monitor is through the web application.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Visit the live dashboard">
    Open your browser and navigate to one of the live variants:

    * **World Monitor**: [worldmonitor.app](https://worldmonitor.app) - Geopolitical intelligence
    * **Tech Monitor**: [tech.worldmonitor.app](https://tech.worldmonitor.app) - Tech industry tracking
    * **Finance Monitor**: [finance.worldmonitor.app](https://finance.worldmonitor.app) - Market intelligence
    * **Happy Monitor**: [happy.worldmonitor.app](https://happy.worldmonitor.app) - Positive news
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install as PWA (optional)">
    For offline access and a native app experience:

    **Chrome/Edge**: Click the install icon in the address bar (⊕ or computer icon)

    **Safari**: Tap Share → Add to Home Screen

    **Firefox**: Click the three dots → Install
  </Step>

  <Step title="Explore the dashboard">
    Start exploring:

    * Pan and zoom the 3D globe
    * Toggle data layers in the left panel
    * Browse live news feeds
    * Watch live video streams
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  The web app works immediately with public data sources. Configure API keys in [Settings](/configuration/api-keys) for additional data sources.
</Note>

## Desktop App

For the full experience with local AI, offline maps, and OS integration, install the native desktop application.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download the installer">
    Choose your platform:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="macOS">
        **Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)**:

        ```bash theme={null}
        curl -L "https://worldmonitor.app/api/download?platform=macos-arm64" -o WorldMonitor.dmg
        ```

        **Intel**:

        ```bash theme={null}
        curl -L "https://worldmonitor.app/api/download?platform=macos-x64" -o WorldMonitor.dmg
        ```

        Open the `.dmg` and drag World Monitor to Applications.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Windows">
        **Installer (recommended)**:

        ```powershell theme={null}
        curl -L "https://worldmonitor.app/api/download?platform=windows-exe" -o WorldMonitor-Setup.exe
        ```

        **MSI Package**:

        ```powershell theme={null}
        curl -L "https://worldmonitor.app/api/download?platform=windows-msi" -o WorldMonitor.msi
        ```

        Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Linux">
        **AppImage**:

        ```bash theme={null}
        curl -L "https://worldmonitor.app/api/download?platform=linux-appimage" -o WorldMonitor.AppImage
        chmod +x WorldMonitor.AppImage
        ./WorldMonitor.AppImage
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="First launch">
    On first launch, the desktop app will:

    1. Start a local Node.js sidecar server (port auto-selected)
    2. Generate a session token for secure local communication
    3. Load the dashboard with cloud fallback for missing API handlers

    <Info>The sidecar runs 60+ API endpoints locally for privacy and offline access.</Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure settings (optional)">
    Open **Settings** (Cmd+, on macOS, Ctrl+, on Windows/Linux) to configure:

    **LLMs Tab**:

    * Ollama endpoint (default: `http://localhost:11434`)
    * Model selection (auto-discovered from local instance)
    * Cloud AI providers (Groq, OpenRouter)

    **API Keys Tab**:

    * Add API keys for data sources
    * Each key is validated on save
    * Stored securely in OS keychain (macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager)

    **Debug & Logs Tab**:

    * Enable verbose logging
    * View traffic log (last 200 requests)
    * Access log files

    See [API Keys Configuration](/configuration/api-keys) for the complete list of supported services.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start exploring">
    You're ready! Try these first actions:

    * **View the World Brief**: Click the AI Flow badge → "Generate World Brief"
    * **Explore a country**: Click any country on the map for a full intelligence dossier
    * **Monitor keywords**: Add custom keywords in News Feed panels
    * **Toggle layers**: Enable military bases, undersea cables, or conflicts
    * **Watch live streams**: Open the Live Streams panel for real-time video
  </Step>
</Steps>

## First Actions

Once you're up and running, here are some recommended first steps:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Generate your first World Brief">
    1. Click the **Intelligence Findings** badge (top right)
    2. Click **"Generate World Brief"**
    3. If using Ollama locally, the brief will be generated on your machine
    4. Otherwise, it uses cloud AI (Groq → OpenRouter → Browser T5 fallback)

    The brief provides a synthesized summary of top global developments from all active news feeds.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Explore a country in detail">
    1. Click any country on the map
    2. View the **Country Instability Index (CII)** score ring
    3. Read the AI-generated intelligence analysis
    4. Check active signals (protests, military, markets, etc.)
    5. Review the 7-day event timeline
    6. Export as JSON, CSV, or PNG
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Watch live news streams">
    1. Enable the **Live Streams** panel
    2. Default channels load automatically (Bloomberg, Sky News, Al Jazeera, etc.)
    3. Expand the channel library for 30+ additional sources
    4. Adjust global quality setting (Settings → auto/360p/480p/720p)
    5. Switch to the **Webcams** tab for 22 live feeds from geopolitical hotspots
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Monitor custom keywords">
    1. Open any **News Feed** panel
    2. Click the **+ Add Monitor** button
    3. Enter keywords (comma-separated for multiple terms)
    4. Keywords are highlighted with automatic color coding
    5. Match counts update in real-time
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Share intelligence stories">
    1. Open a country brief (click any country)
    2. Click **Share**
    3. Choose platform (Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, Reddit, Facebook)
    4. Platform-specific formatting is applied automatically
    5. Or export as JSON/CSV/PNG for offline analysis
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Switching Variants

World Monitor has 4 variants, each with specialized features and data sources:

* **World Monitor** (`worldmonitor.app`) - Geopolitical, military, conflicts
* **Tech Monitor** (`tech.worldmonitor.app`) - Tech industry, AI, startups
* **Finance Monitor** (`finance.worldmonitor.app`) - Markets, trading, central banks
* **Happy Monitor** (`happy.worldmonitor.app`) - Positive news, progress tracking

You can switch between variants:

* **Web**: Navigate to different URLs or click the variant switcher in the header
* **Desktop**: Download variant-specific installers (e.g., `?platform=macos-arm64&variant=tech`)

See the [Variants Guide](/variants/overview) for detailed differences.

## What's Next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configure API Keys" icon="key" href="/configuration/api-keys">
    Add API keys for additional data sources
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set Up Local LLM" icon="brain" href="/configuration/local-llm">
    Install Ollama for private AI inference
  </Card>

  <Card title="Explore Features" icon="sparkles" href="/features/interactive-globe">
    Learn about the 3D globe and data layers
  </Card>

  <Card title="User Guide" icon="book-open" href="/guide/overview">
    Complete guide to using the dashboard
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Desktop app won't start">
    **macOS**: If you see "World Monitor is damaged and can't be opened":

    * Open Terminal
    * Run: `xattr -cr /Applications/World\ Monitor.app`
    * This removes the quarantine attribute

    **Windows**: If SmartScreen blocks the installer:

    * Click "More info"
    * Click "Run anyway"
    * Or download the MSI installer instead

    **Linux**: If AppImage won't execute:

    * Run: `chmod +x WorldMonitor.AppImage`
    * Install FUSE: `sudo apt install fuse` (Ubuntu/Debian)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Map tiles not loading">
    * Check your internet connection
    * Clear browser cache (web app)
    * Restart the desktop app
    * Verify MapTiler API is accessible (no corporate firewall blocking)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Local LLM not detected">
    * Verify Ollama is running: `ollama list`
    * Check the endpoint URL matches: `http://localhost:11434` (default)
    * Ensure at least one model is installed: `ollama pull llama3.1:8b`
    * Restart the World Monitor desktop app
    * Check Settings → LLMs → Model dropdown populates
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="News feeds showing errors">
    * Some feeds may be temporarily unavailable (circuit breaker active)
    * Check the Data Freshness panel for source status
    * Verify internet connection
    * If self-hosting, check CORS proxy is running
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  For detailed installation instructions, see the [Installation Guide](/installation).
</Tip>