Get started

Let's get backscatter running on your computer. You don't need any technical experience — just follow the steps for your computer and copy a few lines when asked.

How it works (the short version)

It's four small steps, and these guides walk you through each one with pictures:

1. Install Docker. Docker is a free helper program that runs backscatter for you in a tidy, self-contained way — so you don't have to install a pile of other things. (We'll explain everything; you just click along.)
2. Download backscatter. One folder of files from GitHub.
3. Tell it where you live. A two-line edit so it shows your local radar.
4. Start it. One command, then open it in your web browser.

The first start takes a few minutes (Docker sets things up once). After that it opens in seconds.

Roughly 15–20 minutes, mostly waiting

Most of the time is Docker installing and the first build running. The parts you actually do are short.

Pick your computer

• Windows

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  Windows 10 or 11.

  Set it up on Windows

• macOS

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  Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3…) or Intel.

  Set it up on macOS

• Linux

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  Ubuntu and other common distributions.

  Set it up on Linux

Not sure which you have?

If your computer came from the Microsoft/Windows world, choose Windows. If it's a Mac (MacBook, iMac, Mac mini), choose macOS. If you specifically installed Linux yourself, choose Linux — if you're not sure, it's almost certainly not Linux.