> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.trilio.io/kubernetes/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.trilio.io/kubernetes/installation/installation.md).

# Installation Guide

Install Trilio for Kubernetes on any Kubernetes platform using Helm.

## Quick Start

Basic installation using Helm. This is the Helm Quickstart method — it installs the `triliovault-operator` chart, which then creates a cluster-scoped `TrilioVaultManager` (TVM) custom resource named `triliovault-manager` that deploys T4K.

```bash
# Add the Trilio Helm repository
helm repo add triliovault-operator https://charts.k8strilio.net/trilio-stable/k8s-triliovault-operator

# Install T4K (default configuration)
helm install tvm triliovault-operator/k8s-triliovault-operator -n trilio-system
```

To enable the preflight check during install:

```bash
helm install tvm triliovault-operator/k8s-triliovault-operator \
  --set preflight.enabled=true,preflight.cleanupOnFailure=true,preflight.storageClass=<storage-class-name> \
  -n trilio-system
```

For manual installation (operator only, no T4K auto-deploy):

```bash
helm install tvm triliovault-operator/k8s-triliovault-operator \
  --set installTVK.enabled=false \
  -n trilio-system
```

Verify installation:

```bash
kubectl get pods -n trilio-system
```

Expected output: All pods should be in `Running` state.

## Prerequisites

Before installing:

* [Licensing](/kubernetes/installation/licensing.md) - License activation and management
* Kubernetes cluster 1.20+
* CSI driver with snapshot support
* Storage backend (S3, NFS, or compatible)

## Platform-Specific Installation

Choose your Kubernetes platform:

### Enterprise Distributions

* [Red Hat OpenShift (OCP)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/red-hat-openshift.md) - OpenShift Container Platform
* [Upstream Kubernetes (K8S)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/upstream-kubernetes.md) - Vanilla Kubernetes
* [VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/vmware-tanzu-kubernetes-grid-tkg.md) - Tanzu Kubernetes Grid
* [Mirantis Kubernetes Engine (MKE)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/mirantis-kubernetes-engine.md) - Mirantis Kubernetes Engine
* [Rancher](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/rancher-deployments.md) - Rancher Kubernetes Engine

### Cloud Platforms

* [AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/aws-eks.md) - Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service
* [Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/eks-aks-gke.md) - Google Kubernetes Engine
* [Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/azure-cloud-aks.md) - Azure Kubernetes Service
* [IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service (IKS)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/ibm-cloud.md) - IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service
* [DigitalOcean Kubernetes (DOKS)](/kubernetes/installation/platforms/digital-ocean-cloud.md) - DigitalOcean Kubernetes

## Special Installation Scenarios

* [Air-Gapped Installation](/kubernetes/installation/restricted-network-installation-for-tvk-on-rancher-upstream.md) - Restricted network environments

## Post-Installation

After installation:

* [Upgrade Trilio](/kubernetes/installation/upgrade.md) - Upgrade to newer versions
* [Uninstall Trilio](/kubernetes/installation/uninstall-triliovault-for-kubernets.md) - Remove Trilio from cluster

## Next Steps

Once installed:

1. **Configure storage targets** - See [User Guide](/kubernetes/user-guide/user-guide.md)
2. **Create backup plans** - Protect your applications
3. **Set up monitoring** - See [Observability](/kubernetes/configuration/observability.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.trilio.io/kubernetes/installation/installation.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.