Install and Initialize
==============================

:::{admonition} You Will Learn:
:class: note
- How to Install ServiceX Client
- How to access ServiceX AF dashboard
- How to authenticate the client with a backend
:::

## Install ServiceX

:::{important}
Using a Python virtual environment is recommended to avoid conflicts with existing packages and to keep the ServiceX setup isolated.

For more information on virtual environments, refer to the [Python documentation](https://docs.python.org/3/library/venv.html).

Virtual environments can also be created and managed directly in VSCode. Instructions are available in the [VSCode documentation](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/environments).
:::

The `servicex` client is installed using `pip`:

```shell
pip install servicex
```

## Initialize ServiceX

With `servicex` installed, the client must be connected to an Analysis Facility. This step authenticates the environment and sets up the required access. The following command launches the setup wizard:

```shell
servicex init
```

The setup wizard guides through configuring the ServiceX client. After selecting an analysis facility, the wizard provides a link to a sign-in page. On that page, click **Sign in with ATLAS**.

After completing the ATLAS sign-in, open the second link provided by the wizard. On this page, click the button to copy the authentication token:

```{image} imgs/setup-token.png
:width: 400px
:alt: Token copy button example
```


Paste the token into the command line when prompted. The wizard verifies that the client is successfully configured. Once verification is complete, a prompt appears to choose a downloads directory. Press Enter to accept the default location.

If setup completes successfully, a **Configuration Complete** message is displayed. The next step is to use the ServiceX dashboard.

## ServiceX Dashboard

This process also authenticates access to the ServiceX dashboard, which provides additional management options beyond token retrieval. From the dashboard, users can view the status of their transformation requests, see why they failed, and cancel any that are currently running.