Getting Started

Choose a path get started with Guardian.

Not sure where to start?

If you just want to see Guardian in action with minimal setup, we recommend the Managed Guardian Service, a SaaS offering from Climission who are co-maintainers of this project. If you want to run your own environment quickly, start with Docker Quickstart. If you're planning to fork, extend, or contribute to Guardian itself, go with Build from Source.

Which path is right for you?

Scenario	Path	Best for	You manage	Get started
Explore & evaluate	Managed Guardian Service	Trying Guardian, demos, non-technical stakeholders, proof-of-concept	Nothing, its fully hosted	Managed Guardian Service
Turn-key self-hosted	Docker Quickstart	Running your own instance fast, technical evaluation, small production deployments	Your own infrastructure; Guardian handles the rest	Guardian README#Quickstart
Extend & contribute	Build from Source	Forking the project, custom development, contributing to core, non-standard configurations	Dependencies, configuration, upgrades, and the running environment	Guardian repository README

Try Guardian without operating infrastructure

Check out the Managed Guardian Service for a hosted environment to request a free trial.

Choose or explore this path if you do not want to install locally or operate infrastructure or are evaluating the product.

Run open-source Guardian

Open-source releases are available on GitHub.

Choose one of these paths:

• Docker containers: Suitable for users comfortable running and configuring services. This is the fastest way to get a self-hosted instance running.
• Build from source: Suitable for contributors and teams needing custom changes, forking the project, or hosting a modified instance. Requires more time and operational knowledge. You manage dependencies, configuration, upgrades, and the running environment.

Ready to install?

Continue to the Installation Guide.