Getting Started

Goal: install Cultiva on Windows, open the app, and know where your data lives.

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Download

Grab the latest build from GitHub Releases.

Artifact	Use case
Installer (Cultiva-Setup.exe)	Recommended — Start menu, uninstaller, shortcuts
Portable (Cultiva-Portable.exe)	Run from a folder or USB without a full install

Both targets are 64-bit Windows for now. macOS/Linux builds are in progress (1.7 Tier 4).

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First launch

1. Run the installer or portable executable.
2. Windows SmartScreen may prompt once — unsigned builds show a generic warning.
3. First open may take a moment while IndexedDB initializes.
4. First-run wizard (1.7+) guides theme and background selection.
5. Open Settings (gear) for language, appearance, plugins, backup.

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Settings overview

Section	What you can change
Appearance	Theme (Auto / Light / Dark groups), ambient or custom photo background
Plugins	Master toggle, catalog install, per-plugin settings
Backup	JSON export, ZIP export, iCal export, auto-backup status
Statistics	Completion rates and streak overview (1.7+)
Notifications	Native OS notifications where supported
Language	English / Russian

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Where data is stored

Data	Location
Habits & settings	Electron userData → IndexedDB
Plugin installs	userData/cultiva-plugins/
Auto-backups	userData/backups/ (7 rotating ZIPs)
Custom background photo	userData/ (local file)

Portable builds: data path follows Electron portable configuration.

Your habits do not require a cloud login.

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Back up your garden

Settings → Backup:

• Export JSON — full data dump
• Export ZIP — portable archive
• Export iCal — calendar subscription file

Auto-backup runs silently (1.7+) — check userData/backups/.

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Next steps

• Explore features: Features
• Personalize: Themes and Backgrounds
• Learn habits: Habits
• Add widgets: Plugins
• Problems? Troubleshooting