# Installation

Source: https://www.potatoannotator.com/docs/getting-started/installation

Potato can be installed via pip in seconds. This guide covers various installation methods and requirements.

## Requirements

- **Python**: 3.8 or higher
- **Operating System**: macOS, Linux, or Windows
- **Memory**: 512MB RAM minimum

## Install via pip

The recommended way to install Potato:

```bash
pip install potato-annotation
```

## Install from source

For the latest development version:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/davidjurgens/potato.git
cd potato
pip install -e .
```

## Install specific version

To install a specific version:

```bash
pip install potato-annotation==2.0.0
```

## Verify installation

Check that Potato is installed correctly:

```bash
potato --version
```

You should see output like:

```
Potato Annotation Tool v2.0.0
```

## Upgrade

To upgrade to the latest version:

```bash
pip install --upgrade potato-annotation
```

## Optional dependencies

For additional features, install optional dependencies:

```bash
# For MySQL support
pip install potato-annotation[mysql]

# For active learning
pip install potato-annotation[ml]

# For all optional features
pip install potato-annotation[all]
```

## Troubleshooting

### Permission errors

If you encounter permission errors, try:

```bash
pip install --user potato-annotation
```

### Virtual environment (recommended)

We recommend using a virtual environment:

```bash
python -m venv potato-env
source potato-env/bin/activate  # On Windows: potato-env\Scripts\activate
pip install potato-annotation
```

## Next Steps

- Follow the [Quick Start](/docs/getting-started/quick-start) guide
- Learn about [Configuration Basics](/docs/getting-started/configuration-basics)