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Chapter 2. Installing Kaoto

Get started by installing Kaoto in your environment!

This guide covers multiple installation options to get you started quickly.

2.1. Overview
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Choose the installation method that best fits your needs:

  1. VS Code Extension - Recommended for local development and testing
  2. Online Testing Instance - Try Kaoto without installing anything
  3. Podman - Run Kaoto in a containerized environment

2.2. Using Online Testing Instance
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The fastest way to try Kaoto is through our openly available testing instance.

Perfect for:

  1. Quick evaluation and testing
  2. Following our workshops as guides
  3. Learning Kaoto basics without local setup

Next steps:

  1. Learn more about how to use Kaoto in the Quickstart
  2. Explore our workshops for hands-on tutorials

2.3. Using Visual Studio Code
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The VS Code extension provides the most complete Kaoto experience with local development capabilities.

2.3.1. Prerequisites
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Before installing the Kaoto extension, ensure you have:

  1. Visual Studio Code - The code editor

  2. JBang - Required for running Camel integrations locally

    1. macOS/Linux: 

      curl -Ls https://sh.jbang.dev | bash -s - trust add https://github.com/apache/camel

    2. Windows: 

      curl -Ls https://sh.jbang.dev | bash -s - app setup add https://github.com/apache/camel

  3. Verify the installation 

    jbang version
Note

JBang is the only hard requirement. The Kaoto extension will automatically install Camel CLI, and other required dependencies as needed during extension installation and first use.

2.3.2. Installing the Kaoto VS Code Extension
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Note

The Kaoto extension provides all the required functionality to create and run your integrations locally as a standalone extension.

  1. Open Visual Studio Code
  2. Open the Extensions view on the left side panel (or press Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
  3. Type Kaoto in the search field

  4. Click the Install button on the Kaoto extension

    kaoto install rh

Result

  1. Visual designer for Apache Camel routes
  2. Integrated catalog of Camel components and patterns
  3. YAML and XML DSL support
  4. Real-time validation and error checking

2.4. Using Podman
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Run Kaoto in a containerized environment using Podman.

2.4.1. Prerequisites
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  1. Podman installed and running.

2.4.2. Installation Steps
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  1. Pull the Kaoto image: 

    podman pull quay.io/kaotoio/kaoto-app:main

  2. Run the container: 

    podman run -p 8080:8080 quay.io/kaotoio/kaoto-app:main

  3. Access Kaoto:

    1. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:8080
    2. If you used a different port in the -p parameter, adjust the URL accordingly

2.5. Verifying installation
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After installation, verify that Kaoto is working correctly:

2.5.1. Verifying for VS Code Extension
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  1. Open VS Code
  2. Click the Kaoto icon in the left sidebar
  3. Create a new Camel route file
  4. You should see the visual designer interface

2.5.2. Verifying for Podman
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  1. Access http://localhost:8080
  2. You should see the Kaoto web interface
  3. Try creating a simple route to test functionality

2.5.3. Verifying for Online Instance
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  1. Visit https://red.ht/kaoto
  2. The Kaoto interface should load in your browser
  3. Try exploring the catalog and creating a test route

2.6. Troubleshooting issues
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  1. VS Code Extension not appearing:

    1. Ensure VS Code is up to date
    2. Restart VS Code after installation
    3. Check the Extensions view to confirm installation

  2. JBang not found:

    1. Verify JBang is installed: jbang version
    2. Ensure your PATH includes JBang binaries

  3. Podman container won’t start:

    1. Verify Podman is running: podman ps
    2. Check if port 8080 is already in use
    3. Review Podman logs: podman logs kaoto-app

  4. Java version issues:

    1. Verify Java 17 or later is installed: java -version
    2. Set JAVA_HOME environment variable if needed

2.6.1. Getting Help
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If you encounter issues:

  1. Check the Kaoto documentation
  2. Visit the GitHub Issues page
  3. Join the Zulip Chat
  4. Ask in the Discussion Forums

2.7. Additional Resources
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2.7.1. Kaoto Resources
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  1. VS Code Kaoto Extension on Marketplace - Download and reviews
  2. Kaoto GitHub - Main project source code
  3. VS Code Kaoto GitHub Repository - Extension source code
  4. Kaoto Examples - Sample integrations and use cases

2.7.2. Apache Camel Resources
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  1. Apache Camel Documentation - Learn about Apache Camel
  2. Camel JBang Documentation - JBang integration guide

2.7.3. Community
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  1. Community Resources - Get involved with the Kaoto community
  2. Zulip Chat - Real-time chat support
  3. Discussion Forums - Community discussions
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