Getting Started

Here’s a refreshed and clear "Getting Started" section for your GitBook:

---

Welcome to Aether, a framework designed for building decentralized AI systems. This guide will walk you through everything you need to get up and running, from installation to your first working project.

---

Step 1: Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed and configured:

1. Python 3.9 or higher Download Python

2. Redis (for task queues and consensus mechanisms) Install Redis using your system's package manager or via Redis installation guide.

3. Blockchain Node Access

   • Ethereum RPC URL (e.g., Infura or Alchemy)

   • Solana CLI and wallet configuration

4. IPFS Daemon (optional but recommended) IPFS Installation Guide

5. Git (for cloning the repository) Download Git

---

Step 2: Install Aether

1. Clone the Aether repository:

   git clone https://github.com/<your-repo>/aether.git
   cd aether

2. Install required Python dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. (Optional) Set up a virtual environment for isolated dependency management:

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # For Linux/Mac
   venv\Scripts\activate     # For Windows

---

Step 3: Configure Aether

1. Environment Variables Create a .env file in the root directory to securely store configuration details:

   SOLANA_WALLET_PATH=/path/to/solana-wallet.json
   ETHEREUM_WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY=your_private_key_here
   ETHEREUM_RPC_URL=https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/<your-project-id>
   REDIS_HOST=localhost
   REDIS_PORT=6379
   IPFS_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:5001

2. Update the Configuration File Edit the config.yaml file to specify runtime parameters:

   blockchain:
     solana:
       wallet_env_var: "SOLANA_WALLET_PATH"
     ethereum:
       wallet_env_var: "ETHEREUM_WALLET_PRIVATE_KEY"
       rpc_url_env_var: "ETHEREUM_RPC_URL"
   
   swarm:
     consensus_threshold: 3

---

Step 4: Test Your Setup

1. Run the basic setup test to ensure all dependencies and configurations are correct:

   python tests/setup_test.py

2. Verify Redis is running:

   redis-cli ping

   You should see PONG.

3. Test IPFS connection (if enabled):

   ipfs swarm peers

---

Step 5: Build Your First Swarm

1. Create and initialize a swarm with agents:

   from src.swarm.advanced_swarm_behavior import Swarm
   
   swarm = Swarm(10)  # Create a swarm with 10 agents
   swarm.simulate(3)  # Simulate for 3 rounds

2. Log tasks on the blockchain:

   from src.utils.blockchain_manager import BlockchainManager
   
   blockchain = BlockchainManager()
   blockchain.log_task("Analyze trends", "Completed successfully")

3. Share data via IPFS:

   from src.utils.ipfs_client import IPFSClient
   
   ipfs = IPFSClient()
   cid = ipfs.upload_file("data.json")
   print(f"File uploaded to IPFS with CID: {cid}")

---

Step 6: Explore the Modules

1. Swarm Consensus Learn how agents collaborate and reach agreements through voting. Swarm Consensus Documentation →

2. Blockchain Integration Use Ethereum and Solana for on-chain decision-making. Blockchain Integration Documentation →

3. AI Agent Capabilities Build agents with multi-modal processing, reinforcement learning, and more. AI Agent Documentation →

---