Chapter 1. Getting Started with Confluence

Atlassian started back in 2002 and they set out to create software that would be inexpensive, easy to use, and would take little effort to install and maintain. Thanks to these principles, the installation process of Confluence is relatively easy and straightforward; there is even a one-click installation wizard available. In this chapter, we will start with a high-level overview of Confluence, looking at the different components that make the application. We'll take a look at the different deployment options available, including distribution choices, application servers, and databases. Finally, we will install our own Confluence application from scratch.

By the end of the chapter, you will have learned about:

• The overall architecture of Confluence

• Platforms and applications supported by Confluence

• Installing Confluence and all of the required software

• Configuring database connections

• Running Confluence, safely