1. Install prerequisites and check Docker

Install Git and Docker Desktop/Engine with Docker Compose v2 on the machine that will stay near this host.

docker version
docker context ls

On Docker Desktop for Windows, docker version must show both Client and Server. Civweave's Anchor image is Linux-based, so Docker Desktop must have its Linux container engine running before continuing.

2. Clone Civweave

git clone https://github.com/cerbanimo-dev/Civweave.git
cd Civweave
cp .env.federated.example .env.federated

Keep the data directory persistent. It contains the node identity, signing material, federation trust, and retained relay state.

3. Start the local companion

docker compose --env-file .env.federated -f docker-compose.federated.yml up -d --build

Run the command as one line. It works in PowerShell as written; do not add Bash-style trailing \ line continuations.

For a laptop-only backup, LAN access is enough. A public tunnel is optional. Civweave should recommend this local copy strongly, but the cloud host remains usable without it.

4. Verify it

curl http://127.0.0.1:8787/api/federation/health

When the local companion reports healthy, return to the host and mark the Anchor as paired. A later pairing pass can replace this acknowledgement with cryptographic reconstruction proofs.

5. Connect steward payouts

Open the local operator console, unlock its controls with this node's internal credential, and choose Connect payouts. Stripe-hosted onboarding collects the steward's identity, tax, bank, and payout details; Civweave stores only the connected-account identifier and readiness status.

A created Stripe account is not enough: steward revenue stays disabled until Stripe reports the connected account's transfer capability as active.