# Quickstart

Follow these steps to install and run the Dolibarr MCP server. The process
mirrors the streamlined developer experience of the `prestashop-mcp` project.

## 1. Clone the repository

```bash
git clone https://github.com/latinogino/dolibarr-mcp.git
cd dolibarr-mcp
```

## 2. Create a virtual environment

### Linux / macOS

```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
```

### Windows (Visual Studio Developer PowerShell)

```powershell
vsenv
py -3 -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
```

## 3. Install the package

```bash
pip install -e .
```

For development and testing utilities add the optional extras:

```bash
pip install -e '.[dev]'
```

On Windows escape the brackets inside PowerShell:

```powershell
pip install -e .`[dev`]
```

## 4. Configure credentials

Create a `.env` file in the project root (see [`configuration.md`](configuration.md))
or export the variables within your MCP host application.

## 5. Run the server

```bash
python -m dolibarr_mcp.cli serve
```

The command starts the STDIO based MCP server that Claude Desktop and other
clients can communicate with.