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Installation Guide

This guide will help you install SQLife on your system.

Download SQLife

For End Users

Download the appropriate installer for your operating system from the releases page.

Note: SQLife is currently in active development. Check the releases page for the latest available version.

Installation Steps

Windows

  1. Download the Windows installer (.msi) from the releases page
  2. Run the installer by double-clicking the downloaded file
  3. Follow the installation wizard
    • Accept the license agreement
    • Choose installation location (or use default)
    • Select Start Menu folder
  4. Launch SQLife from:
    • Start Menu shortcut, or
    • Desktop shortcut (if selected during installation)

macOS

  1. Download the macOS package (.dmg) from the releases page
  2. Open the .dmg file by double-clicking it
  3. Drag the SQLife application icon to your Applications folder
  4. Launch SQLife from the Applications folder

First Launch Note: macOS may ask you to confirm opening an application from an identified developer. Click "Open" to proceed.

Linux

Using Package Manager (Recommended)

Debian/Ubuntu (.deb):

# Download the .deb package, then:
sudo dpkg -i sqlife_*.deb

Fedora/RHEL (.rpm):

# Download the .rpm package, then:
sudo rpm -i sqlife-*.rpm

After installation, launch SQLife from your application menu or by running sqlife in terminal.

Running SQLife

Windows

  • Click the Start Menu shortcut, or
  • Click the Desktop shortcut, or
  • Navigate to installation folder and run sqlife.exe

macOS

  • Open from Applications folder, or
  • Use Spotlight: Press Cmd+Space and type "SQLife"

Linux

  • Launch from application menu, or
  • Run sqlife in terminal (if installed via package manager), or
  • Run from installation directory: ./bin/sqlife

First-Time Setup

When you launch SQLife for the first time:

1. Application Data

SQLife creates a data folder in your home directory:

  • Windows: C:\Users\YourName\.sqlife\
  • macOS: /Users/YourName/.sqlife/
  • Linux: /home/yourname/.sqlife/

This folder stores:

  • Application settings
  • Connection configurations
  • SQL history
  • Cache files
  • Log files

Note: This folder is hidden by default. You typically don't need to access it directly.

2. License Activation

For Trial Use:

  • SQLife starts in trial mode automatically
  • Full features available for evaluation

For Commercial Use:

  1. Go to Help → License
  2. Click Activate License
  3. Enter your license key
  4. Click Activate

3. Choose Your Language

SQLife supports 13 languages. To change:

  1. Open Preferences:
    • Windows/Linux: File → Preferences (or press Ctrl+,)
    • macOS: SQLife → Preferences (or press Cmd+,)
  2. Select General section
  3. Choose your language from the dropdown
  4. Click OK
  5. Restart SQLife

Available languages: English, 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese), 繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese), 日本語 (Japanese), 한국어 (Korean), Français (French), Deutsch (German), Español (Spanish), Italiano (Italian), Русский (Russian), Türkçe (Turkish), العربية (Arabic), Português (Portuguese)

4. Create Your First Connection

See the Getting Started Guide for instructions on connecting to your database.

Troubleshooting

Installation Won't Start

Problem: Installer doesn't run or shows an error.

Windows:

  • Right-click the installer and select "Run as Administrator"
  • Check Windows Defender isn't blocking the installer
  • Verify you downloaded the correct version (64-bit)

macOS:

  • Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy
  • Click "Open Anyway" if SQLife is blocked
  • Or: Right-click SQLife in Applications and select "Open"

Linux:

  • Verify the package matches your distribution
  • Check file permissions: chmod +x sqlife-*.run (if applicable)
  • Install required dependencies for your distribution

Application Won't Launch

Problem: SQLife doesn't start after installation.

Solutions:

  1. Restart your computer - Sometimes required after first install
  2. Check system requirements - Verify your OS version is supported
  3. Check logs - Look in ~/.sqlife/logs/ for error messages
  4. Reinstall - Uninstall completely and reinstall

"Access Denied" or Permission Errors

Windows:

  • Run SQLife as Administrator (right-click → Run as Administrator)
  • Install to a location where you have write permissions

macOS/Linux:

  • Check ownership: ls -la ~/.sqlife/
  • Fix permissions if needed: chmod -R u+w ~/.sqlife/

Application Crashes on Startup

Problem: SQLife starts then immediately closes.

Solutions:

  1. Delete cache and state:
    • Close SQLife
    • Delete ~/.sqlife/cache/ and ~/.sqlife/state/
    • Restart SQLife
  2. Check display settings - ensure your monitor resolution is at least 1280x800
  3. Update graphics drivers
  4. Check logs in ~/.sqlife/logs/application.log

macOS: "App is damaged and can't be opened"

Solution:

# Remove quarantine attribute
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/SQLife.app

Or allow in: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General → "Open Anyway"

Slow Performance

Solutions:

  • Close other applications to free up memory
  • Increase available RAM (close browser tabs, etc.)
  • Clear SQLife cache: Delete ~/.sqlife/cache/
  • Check your database server performance

Can't Find Installation Directory

Default Locations:

  • Windows: C:\Program Files\SQLife\
  • macOS: /Applications/SQLife.app
  • Linux (package): /opt/sqlife/ or /usr/local/sqlife/
  • Linux (manual): Wherever you extracted it

Uninstalling SQLife

Windows

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Apps & features
  2. Find SQLife in the list
  3. Click Uninstall
  4. Follow the uninstall wizard

Or use: Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program

macOS

  1. Open Applications folder
  2. Drag SQLife to Trash
  3. Empty Trash

To remove user data:

rm -rf ~/.sqlife

Linux

Package Manager:

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt remove sqlife

# Fedora/RHEL
sudo rpm -e sqlife

Manual Installation:

# Remove installation directory
sudo rm -rf /opt/sqlife

# Remove user data (optional)
rm -rf ~/.sqlife

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here:

  1. Check the FAQ - FAQ Document has solutions to common problems
  2. Check Logs - Look in ~/.sqlife/logs/ for error details
  3. Contact Support - For licensed users, contact technical support

Next Steps

After successful installation:

  • Start Using SQLife: Getting Started Guide
  • First Connection: Learn how to connect to your database
  • Explore Features: Browse the complete user guide

For questions, check the FAQ.

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