**Language / Язык:** [English](getting-started.md) | [Русский](ru/getting-started.md)

# Getting started

Bring up a local vSphere laboratory, authenticate, and exercise a first
read/mutation cycle against the simulator.

## Prerequisites

- Docker and Docker Compose
- `make` (optional but used by the documented commands)

Python, linters, and tests run **inside** containers. You do not need a local
Python toolchain for day-to-day use.

## Choose a path

| Path | When to use |
|---|---|
| [Published image](#1a-published-image-docker-hub) | Fastest lab using `inecs/vmware-api-simulator` |
| [Helm / Kubernetes](kubernetes.md) | Cluster install with Ingress + Let's Encrypt |
| [Development checkout](#1b-development-checkout) | Contribute / bind-mount source |

## 1a. Published image (Docker Hub)

Uses [`docker-compose.release.yml`](../docker-compose.release.yml) — PostgreSQL +
runtime simulator + HTTPS gateway from Hub. No source build required, but you
**must** run Compose from a checkout of this repository so `docker/gateway/` and
`docker/tls/` bind-mounts resolve. Seed runs automatically after the simulator
is healthy.

```bash
# from a git checkout of this repository (needs docker/gateway + docker/tls)
docker compose -f docker-compose.release.yml pull
docker compose -f docker-compose.release.yml up -d --wait
```

Pin a version:

```bash
IMAGE_TAG=0.1.0 docker compose -f docker-compose.release.yml up -d --wait
```

Make helpers (git checkout):

```bash
make release-up
# optional re-seed: make release-seed PROFILE=small
```

| Host port | Service |
|---|---|
| `443` | HTTPS gateway (primary vCenter entry) |
| `80` | HTTP lab face |
| `5434` | PostgreSQL (localhost only) |

Migrations run automatically via the `migrate` one-shot service.

Then continue from [Wait until ready](#2-wait-until-ready).

## 1b. Development checkout

```bash
make install
make up
```

Services (see [Ports](ports.md) for the full picture):

| Host port | Service |
|---|---|
| `443` | HTTPS gateway (nginx) → simulator |
| `80` | HTTP lab face |
| `5434` | PostgreSQL (localhost only) |

Migrations apply automatically before the simulator becomes ready. The
internal FastAPI process listens on `8080` and is not published to the host.

## 2. Wait until ready

```bash
curl -sk https://localhost/health/live
curl -sk https://localhost/health/ready
```

`/health/ready` returns HTTP 503 until PostgreSQL is reachable **and** the
latest packaged migration is applied.

## 3. Seed a profile

```bash
make seed                          # default: large — 10 hosts / 1000 VMs
VSPHERE_PROFILE=small make seed
```

`small` creates a 3-host cluster with five named VMs (`web-01`, `web-02`,
`db-01`, `app-01`, `jumpbox`), datastores, a standard portgroup, and the four
lab principals. See [Seed profiles](seed-profiles.md) for other sizes.

## 4. Check the API version

```bash
curl -sk https://localhost/api/appliance/system/version | jq .
```

The cold-start catalog major defaults to **9** (vSphere 8.0 U2 / Automation
9.1 surface) in Docker Compose. Browse or hot-swap majors 6–9 from the Web UI
or [API versions](api-versions.md).

## 5. Authenticate

```bash
SID=$(curl -sk -u 'administrator@vsphere.local:VMware1!' \
  -X POST https://localhost/api/session | tr -d '"')
echo "$SID"
```

`SID` is the `vmware-api-session-id`. Send it on every subsequent call as a
header (or rely on the cookie the login response also sets):

```bash
curl -sk -H "vmware-api-session-id: $SID" https://localhost/api/vcenter/vm
```

Details: [Authentication](authentication.md).

## 6. List VMs and power one on

```bash
curl -sk -H "vmware-api-session-id: $SID" \
  https://localhost/api/vcenter/vm | jq .

curl -sk -X POST -H "vmware-api-session-id: $SID" \
  "https://localhost/api/vcenter/vm/vm-104/power?action=start" | jq .
```

Power actions and other long-running operations return a CIS task id.
Poll until the task finishes:

```bash
curl -sk -H "vmware-api-session-id: $SID" \
  "https://localhost/api/cis/tasks/${TASK_ID}" | jq .
```

## 7. Open the Web UI

Visit [https://localhost/](https://localhost/) for the interactive
console, endpoint catalog (vSphere majors 6–9), compatibility view, runtime
contract apply, and demo-cluster controls. See [Web UI](web-ui.md) for
screenshots and the full feature list.

## 8. Try a client library

```bash
# from the repository root after make up + seed
python examples/python/vsphere_rest_smoke.py https://localhost
python examples/python/vsphere_soap_smoke.py https://localhost
```

More stacks: [Clients](clients.md) and [`examples/`](../examples/README.md).

## You're done when…

- `/health/ready` returns `{"status": "ok"}` (or equivalent OK body)
- `/api/appliance/system/version` reports the active catalog major's version
- Session login succeeds for `administrator@vsphere.local`
- `/api/vcenter/vm` lists the seeded VMs
- A power action returns a task id that reaches `SUCCEEDED`

## Next steps

- [Configuration](configuration.md) — env vars, workers, seed sizing
- [API versions](api-versions.md) — hot-swap catalog majors 6–9
- [Clients](clients.md) — Python, Ansible, Terraform, Pulumi
- [Operations](operations.md) — reseed, migrate, upgrades