<h1>Installation Guide</h1>

<p>This comprehensive installation guide will walk you through setting up The Ultimate License Management System on your server. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a successful installation.</p>

<h2>System Requirements</h2>
<ul>
    <li><strong>PHP Version</strong> - 8.1 or higher (8.2 recommended)</li>
    <li><strong>Database</strong> - MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+</li>
    <li><strong>Web Server</strong> - Apache 2.4+ or Nginx 1.20+</li>
    <li><strong>Composer</strong> - PHP dependency manager (latest version)</li>
    <li><strong>Node.js</strong> - Version 16+ for asset compilation</li>
    <li><strong>SSL Certificate</strong> - HTTPS required for production</li>
    <li><strong>Storage</strong> - 500MB+ free disk space</li>
    <li><strong>Memory</strong> - 512MB+ RAM recommended</li>
</ul>

<h2>Installation Steps</h2>
<ol>
    <li><strong>Download Files</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Download the latest release from our repository</li>
            <li>Extract files to your web directory</li>
            <li>Ensure proper file permissions (755 for directories, 644 for files)</li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>Install Dependencies</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Run <code>composer install</code> to install PHP dependencies</li>
            <li>Run <code>npm install</code> to install Node.js dependencies</li>
            <li>Compile assets with <code>npm run build</code></li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>Database Setup</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Create a new MySQL database</li>
            <li>Create a database user with full privileges</li>
            <li>Note down database credentials for configuration</li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>Environment Configuration</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Copy <code>.env.example</code> to <code>.env</code></li>
            <li>Configure database connection settings</li>
            <li>Set application URL and environment</li>
            <li>Configure mail settings for notifications</li>
            <li>Set encryption key (generate with <code>php artisan key:generate</code>)</li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>Run Migrations</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Execute <code>php artisan migrate</code> to create database tables</li>
            <li>Run <code>php artisan db:seed</code> to populate initial data</li>
            <li>Verify all tables are created successfully</li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>File Permissions</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Set write permissions for <code>storage/</code> directory</li>
            <li>Set write permissions for <code>bootstrap/cache/</code> directory</li>
            <li>Ensure web server can read all files</li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>Web Server Configuration</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Configure document root to <code>public/</code> directory</li>
            <li>Set up URL rewriting for clean URLs</li>
            <li>Configure SSL certificate for HTTPS</li>
            <li>Restart web server to apply changes</li>
        </ul>
    </li>

    <li><strong>Final Setup</strong>
        <ul>
            <li>Access the application in your browser</li>
            <li>Create administrator account</li>
            <li>Configure system settings</li>
            <li>Test basic functionality</li>
        </ul>
    </li>
</ol>

<h2>Post-Installation Checklist</h2>
<ul>
    <li><strong>Security</strong> - Change default passwords and configure firewall</li>
    <li><strong>Backup</strong> - Set up automated backup procedures</li>
    <li><strong>Monitoring</strong> - Configure error logging and monitoring</li>
    <li><strong>Updates</strong> - Set up update notifications</li>
    <li><strong>Documentation</strong> - Review user guides and API documentation</li>
</ul>

<h2>Troubleshooting</h2>
<ul>
    <li><strong>Permission Errors</strong> - Check file and directory permissions</li>
    <li><strong>Database Connection</strong> - Verify database credentials and connectivity</li>
    <li><strong>Composer Issues</strong> - Clear composer cache and reinstall dependencies</li>
    <li><strong>Web Server</strong> - Check error logs and configuration</li>
</ul>

<p>After completing the installation, your License Management System will be ready to use. Access the admin panel to start configuring your system and managing licenses.</p>