Installation Guide

Before you can defend your data, you need the right tools. Here's how to install Sietch in any environment-urban, rural, disconnected, or hostile.

Sietch is designed to run on minimal hardware. Even a decade-old laptop or Raspberry Pi can serve as your data fortress.

Prerequisites

  • Operating System: Linux, macOS, or Windows (WSL recommended)
  • Go 1.18+: For building from source
  • Git: For cloning the repository
  • Disk Space: At least 50MB for the binary, plus storage for your vaults

Verify your environment's integrity first

Install Methods

For the security-conscious survivor who trusts only code they've verified and compiled:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/SubstantialCattle5/Sietch.git

# Enter the directory
cd Sietch

# Build the binary
go build -o sietch ./cmd/sietch

# Move to your PATH (optional)
sudo mv sietch /usr/local/bin/
Building from source gives you maximum control and security

First Boot

Once installed, initialize your first vault:

Basic Vault
# Create a basic vault with AES-256 encryption
sietch init --name spice-vault --encrypt aes256
Custom Settings
# Create a vault with custom settings
sietch init --name secure-research \
 --encrypt gpg \
 --key-id your.email@example.com \
 --chunk-size 2MB \
 --compression zstd
Interactive(Recommended)
sietch init --interactive
Scaffold
sietch scaffold --template photoVault --name "my-vault"
✅ Your vault is initialized! The directory structure is created and encryption is set up.

Setting Up Encryption

Protect your vault with strong encryption,one can encryption during initialization.

  • Passphrase: For AES-256 encryption (simpler, faster) - ref link
  • GPG Keys: For asymmetric encryption (more flexible for teams) - ref link

Crucial: Back up your encryption keys

Basic Commands Cheat Sheet

Managing Files

# List your keys
# Add files to your vault
sietch add /path/to/file.pdf /target/dir/

# List files in your vault
sietch list

# Extract files from vault
sietch get document.pdf output/

Syncing

# Discover peers on LAN
sietch discover

# Add a known peer
sietch peer add 192.168.1.42

# Sync with a peer
sietch sync --peer 192.168.1.42

Vault Management


#  Manage deduplication in your Sietch vault
sietch dedup stats     # Show deduplication statistics
sietch dedup gc        # Run garbage collection
sietch dedup optimize  # Optimize storage


# Generate the autocompletion script for the specified shell 
sietch completion

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Can't sync? Check your local network, firewall settings, or try direct IP connection
  • Slow performance? Adjust chunk size with --chunk-size during vault initialization
  • Permission errors? Check file system permissions where your vault is stored
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