ContactGet SAHARA Core
ProductFeaturesFree ToolsDocsPricingSAHARA LabsContactGet SAHARA Core

Docs

Install SAHARA Core

What you need, the Setup screens one by one, and what Setup creates on your computer.

What you need
Windows Windows 10 (22H2 or later) or Windows 11, 64-bit
Memory At least 4 GB
Disk 3 GB free
Rights An administrator account
Time About 3 to 7 minutes, plus the PDF engine download (about 285 MB) if you choose it

SAHARA Core brings its own database (PostgreSQL 18). It uses its own copy and leaves any other database on the computer alone.

The Setup screens

  1. Welcome.
  2. Licence agreement: tick I accept the licence agreement.
  3. Checking this computer: Windows version, memory, free space, and whether the ports SAHARA Core needs (3100 and 5444) are free. A line marked ✗ stops Setup and says why.
  4. Where to keep things: the program, your books, and your backups. The defaults are C:\Program Files\SAHARA, C:\ProgramData\SAHARA\data and C:\ProgramData\SAHARA\backups. If backups are on the same disk as your books, Setup warns you, because one failed disk would lose both.
  5. Components: the SAHARA server and the database (required), and the server PDF engine (recommended, for saving PDFs). If you untick the PDF engine, Setup tells you what you give up.
  6. Who can open SAHARA: This PC only (recommended), or Shop network so the other computers of your shop can connect. The port is 3100 unless you change it.
  7. The Server Controller: choose the super-administrator password (at least 10 characters), typed twice. Keep it safe: it is also needed for the first run.
  8. Ready to install, then Installing.
  9. Finish: Open SAHARA now is ticked. It opens the first run.

What Setup creates

  • A SAHARA icon in the Start menu and on the desktop. It starts SAHARA Core if needed and opens it in your browser at http://127.0.0.1:3100.
  • A tray icon with Start SAHARA, Stop SAHARA…, Open SAHARA and Open the Server Controller.
  • Windows services that start SAHARA Core with Windows.
  • The Server Controller at http://127.0.0.1:3190, on this PC only. See The shop network and the Server Controller.

If SAHARA Core cannot start, the icon says “SAHARA could not start. Your books are safe.” and offers Try again, Repair SAHARA and Create a file for support.

Uninstall

Use Windows Apps & features. Uninstalling removes the program, the services, the tray icon and the shortcuts, and keeps your books and backups. If you install again later, SAHARA Core finds your books and opens them.

Linux

For technical users and shop servers (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Debian 12 and later, 64-bit), SAHARA Core installs with one command, run as root. It asks for the Server Controller password, sets up the database and the services, and adds the sahara-controller command. There are no desktop shortcuts on Linux.

A Mac version is not available yet.