System Prerequisites

Before you can start running Knapsack, it’s essential to prepare your system to ensure a smooth setup process. This document provides detailed information on the necessary software and configurations required for a successful Knapsack implementation.

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Overview

Following these prerequisites will enable you to utilize Knapsack’s full potential and avoid common setup issues. If your system already meets these requirements, you can proceed directly to the setup and running of your Knapsack workspace.

Operating System Requirements

Knapsack requires a POSIX-compliant environment to run properly. This means you can run Knapsack on:

  • Linux
  • macOS
  • Windows (with Windows Subsystem for Linux/WSL enabled)

Windows Users

If you’re running Windows, you’ll need to have WSL installed and enabled. Please refer to Microsoft’s official WSL installation guide for setup instructions.

Note: Running Knapsack directly on Windows (without WSL) is not supported and may cause render errors or other unexpected behavior.

Software Requirements

Knapsack workspaces build and run locally on your machine, so you need to install a few software packages. The following software must be installed before you set up and run Knapsack on your local machine:

SoftwareDescription
GitVersion control system for tracking changes in your code.
Node.js v18 or v20JavaScript runtime (NVM recommended for managing Node versions).
npm version 7 or higherPackage manager for JavaScript.
Yarn 1.22.19Alternative to npm, optimized for speed.
Python 3Programming language for various build and deployment scripts.

Supported Browsers

BrowserSupported Versions
ChromeThe last 4 major versions
FirefoxThe last 3 major versions
SafariThe last 2 major versions
iOS SafariThe last 2 major versions

Twig renderer

As the Twig renderer relies on PHP, the following packages must also be installed:

SoftwareDescription
PHP 8.1 or laterServer-side scripting language.
ComposerDependency manager for PHP.