• IIS 7.0 or later
• .NET Framework 4.8.1
• One of the supported databases: Microsoft SQL Server (2012 or later), MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite

Download the install package from the releases page and unzip it into the folder the forum will run from. By default, IIS expects websites in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\....

1. Create a new website, or an application below an existing website, that points to the folder from step 1. See Sites, applications and virtual directories in IIS.
2. Set the .NET CLR version of the application pool to v4.0 and the pipeline mode to Integrated.

Create an empty database and a database user with permission to create tables. When the forum starts for the first time, the installation wizard detects the empty database and creates the tables.

Copy the file recommended.web.config to the forum root folder and rename it to web.config.

Enter the connection string to your database in the <connectionStrings> section. The file contains an example for each database; uncomment the one you need.

Generate a machine key and paste it into the <system.web> section of the web.config.

YAF.NET is designed to run as the root application of a website. To run it in a sub folder instead:

1. Copy the files from the bin folder of the ZIP file into the bin folder of the website root.

2. In the <appSettings> section of the web.config, add (or uncomment) the YAF.AppRoot key with the path of the forum. Example for a forum in /forum/yaf/:

   <add key="YAF.AppRoot" value="/forum/yaf/" />

Enter your SMTP server in the <mailSettings> section of the web.config.

Open install/default.aspx on your website, e.g. http://localhost/yetanotherforum.net/install/ when testing on your local computer. The wizard guides you through the installation.