Windows Installation Guide for digna Release 2026.06¶

Release: 2026.06

Last Updated: August 30, 2026

Table of Contents¶

1. Introduction
2. System Requirements
3. Pre-Installation Setup
4. PostgreSQL Server Setup
5. Web Server Configuration
6. Initial Installation
7. Backend Configuration
8. Dashboard Configuration
9. Running digna as a Windows Service
10. Upgrading to a New Release

Introduction¶

About digna¶

digna is a comprehensive AI-driven platform designed to optimize data quality management across various data environments such as warehouses, lakes, and lakehouses. Built to be highly scalable and adaptable, digna addresses modern data challenges through automation, real-time monitoring, and anomaly detection.

digna consists of two main components:

• dignabackend: The core engine of the application, responsible for processing data and performing quality checks.
• dignadashboard: A web-based interface hosted on a web server, providing a user-friendly way to interact with the digna platform and visualize data quality metrics.

What's New in Release 2026.06¶

This release brings data observability capabilities directly into your code, enabling developers to monitor data quality at the source. See the release notes for complete details.

System Requirements¶

Before you begin the installation, ensure that your system meets the following minimum requirements:

Database Installation Options¶

If PostgreSQL is already installed: You can add a new database for digna to your existing PostgreSQL Server.

If installing PostgreSQL on the same machine as digna:

⚠️ Recommended Specifications

• Memory: 32 GB RAM (instead of 16 GB)
• Disk Space: 50 GB available storage (instead of 10 GB)

These higher specifications accommodate both digna and the PostgreSQL database running simultaneously.

Pre-Installation Setup¶

Before installing digna, ensure that two key prerequisites are in place:

1. PostgreSQL Server – for storing calculated metrics and performance data
2. Web Server – for hosting the digna Dashboard

If these components are not already set up, follow the sections below to install and configure them.

PostgreSQL Server Setup¶

If You Already Have PostgreSQL¶

If PostgreSQL is already installed and running on your local machine or if you are using a managed remote PostgreSQL server, you can skip to the next section.

Installing PostgreSQL¶

Follow these steps to install PostgreSQL on Windows:

Step 1: Download PostgreSQL¶

1. Visit the PostgreSQL Downloads page
2. Select Windows
3. Download the latest installer

Step 2: Run the Installer¶

1. Double-click the downloaded installer file
2. Follow the prompts in the setup wizard

Step 3: Choose Installation Directory¶

Select the directory where PostgreSQL will be installed. The default location is usually appropriate.

Step 4: Select Components¶

For a standard setup, keep the default component options selected.

Step 5: Set PostgreSQL Superuser Password¶

Enter and confirm a password for the PostgreSQL superuser (postgres). Save this password securely — you will need it later.

Step 6: Configure Port Number¶

The default PostgreSQL port is 5432. You can use the default or specify a different port if needed.

💡 Tip

If port 5432 is already in use, choose an alternative port and note it for later configuration.

Step 7: Choose Locale¶

Select the locale for your database. The default is usually suitable for most installations.

Step 8: Complete Installation¶

Click Next through the remaining steps, then click Finish.

Step 9: Verify Installation¶

Open Command Prompt and verify PostgreSQL is installed:

psql --version

You should see the PostgreSQL version if the installation was successful.

Web Server Configuration¶

digna requires a web server to host the dashboard. Choose one of the following options:

• Internet Information Services (IIS)
• Apache Tomcat

You only need to install and configure one of these servers.

IIS Setup¶

Overview¶

Internet Information Services (IIS) is Microsoft's web server for hosting websites and web applications.

Enabling IIS¶

1. Open Control Panel
2. Press Win + R

3. Type control and press Enter

4. Navigate to Windows Features

5. Click Programs

6. Select Turn Windows features on or off

7. Enable Internet Information Services

8. Scroll down and find Internet Information Services (IIS)
9. Check the checkbox to enable it

10. Click the + to expand and verify these subcomponents are selected:

    • Web Management Tools
    • World Wide Web Services

11. Click OK to apply changes

12. Verify IIS Installation

13. Open your browser
14. Navigate to http://localhost
15. You should see the IIS Welcome page

Required: URL Rewrite Module¶

IIS requires the URL Rewrite component. Download and install it from the official Microsoft page.

Required: MIME Type for Markdown Files¶

To ensure Markdown files (.md) are served correctly by IIS:

1. Open IIS Manager (press Win + R, type inetmgr, press Enter)
2. Navigate to Your Site > MIME Types
3. Click Add...
4. Configure:
5. File name extension: .md
6. MIME type: text/markdown

⚠️ Important

Without this setting, .md files may not be served properly.

Apache Tomcat Setup¶

Overview¶

Apache Tomcat is an open-source Java servlet container and web server.

Installation¶

1. Download Apache Tomcat
2. Visit Apache Tomcat Downloads

3. Download the Windows ZIP distribution

4. Extract the Archive

5. Extract the ZIP file to a directory on your system

6. Example: C:\Program Files\Apache Tomcat

7. Verify Tomcat is Running

8. Open your browser
9. Navigate to http://localhost:8080
10. You should see the Apache Tomcat welcome page

💡 Tip

Apache Tomcat typically starts automatically after installation. If it doesn't, navigate to the bin folder and run startup.bat.

Initial Installation¶

Step 1: Set Up the digna Repository¶

The digna repository stores all metrics calculated by digna. It acts as the central database for analytical and performance data.

Create Repository Schema and User¶

Open your PostgreSQL client (pgAdmin, psql, or similar) and execute the following SQL commands:

CREATE SCHEMA <digna_repo_schema>;

CREATE USER <digna_repo_user> WITH PASSWORD '<digna_repo_password>';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON SCHEMA <digna_repo_schema> TO <digna_repo_user>;

Replace the following placeholders:

• <digna_repo_schema> — Your desired schema name (e.g., dignarepo)
• <digna_repo_user> — Your desired username (e.g., digna_user)
• <digna_repo_password> — A secure password for this user

Example:

CREATE SCHEMA dignarepo;

CREATE USER digna_user WITH PASSWORD 'YourSecurePassword123!';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON SCHEMA dignarepo TO digna_user;

✅ Best Practice

Use strong, complex passwords for database users. Avoid easily guessable credentials.

Step 2: Extract the digna Installation Package¶

1. Locate the digna installation ZIP file provided to you
2. Extract it to your desired installation location
3. After extraction, you should see the following items:
4. dashboard/ — Web dashboard interface
5. digna — Main executable (backend + CLI combined)
6. config.toml — Configuration file
7. license.toml — License file (copy yours here)

Step 3: Install the License File¶

⚠️ Important

The license file is not included in the installation package and will be provided separately by digna.

1. Locate the license.toml file provided to you
2. Copy it into the root digna installation directory (where config.toml and the digna executable are located)

Why this matters: The license file contains your customer information, license expiration date, and digital signature. Do not modify this file — any changes will invalidate it.

Directory structure after setup:

digna_installation/
├── config.toml         (configuration file)
├── license.toml        (YOUR LICENSE FILE - copy here)
├── digna               (main executable)
└── dashboard/          (web interface)
    └── (dashboard files)

Backend Configuration¶

Step 1: Create and Edit the Configuration File¶

The config_template.toml file is provided in your digna installation directory. You only need to rename it to config.toml.

Location: digna_installation/config.toml

Open config.toml in a text editor and configure each section below.

[app] Section¶

This section configures the digna backend application settings:

[app]
digna_APP_HOST = "localhost"
digna_APP_PORT = 8082
digna_APP_CORS_ALLOW_ORIGINS = ["http://localhost:5173"]
digna_APP_CORS_ALLOW_CREDENTIALS = true
digna_APP_CORS_ALLOW_METHODS = ["*"]
digna_APP_CORS_ALLOW_HEADERS = ["*"]

[repo] Section¶

This section configures the connection to the PostgreSQL database:

[repo]
digna_REPO_HOST = "localhost"
digna_REPO_PORT = 5432
digna_REPO_DB = "postgres"
digna_REPO_SCHEMA = "dignarepo"
digna_REPO_USER = "digna_user"
digna_REPO_PASSWORD = "YourSecurePassword123!"

[base] Section¶

This section contains security and cookie settings:

[base]
digna_FERNET_KEY = "your-fernet-key"
digna_COOKIE_DOMAIN = "localhost"
digna_COOKIE_PATH = "/"
digna_COOKIE_SECURE = false
digna_COOKIE_HTTPONLY = true
digna_COOKIE_SAME_SITE = "lax"
digna_TOKEN_EXPIRES_IN = 86400
digna_MAX_WORKERS = 4

[logging] Section¶

This section configures logging behavior:

[logging]
digna_LOGGING_MODE = "INFO"
digna_LOGGING_BACKUP_COUNT = 10

Step 3: Initialize the Repository¶

1. Open Command Prompt
2. Navigate to your digna installation directory (where config.toml and the digna executable are located)
3. Run the connection test:

digna repo check

You should see a confirmation that the connection is established (the repository itself hasn't been initialized yet).

Step 4: Install the Repository Schema¶

In the same directory, run:

digna repo install

This command installs the necessary tables and schema in your PostgreSQL database.

Step 5: Start the digna Server¶

In the digna installation directory, start the server with:

digna serve --address <host> --port <port>

Parameters: - --address — Server hostname/IP - --port — Server port

You should see startup messages confirming the server is running:

INFO:     Started server process [1234]
INFO:     Waiting for application startup.
INFO:     Application startup complete
INFO:     Uvicorn running on http://localhost:8082

Step 6: Create an Admin User¶

1. Open a new Command Prompt window
2. Navigate to your digna installation directory
3. Run the following command to create an admin user:

digna user add <username> "<full_name>" <password> --su

Example:

digna user add "Admin User" AdminPassword123! --su

This creates a user with full administrative privileges.

✅ Best Practice

Use a strong password with a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.

Dashboard Configuration¶

Step 1: Deploy Dashboard to Web Server¶

The digna dashboard has its own separate config.toml file located in the dashboard/ directory. This configuration is already provided and does not require changes during initial setup. You only need to configure it if you need to customize the backend connection.

If you need to modify the dashboard configuration (e.g., for multi-instance deployments), refer to the dashboard's documentation.

Choose your web server and follow the corresponding deployment steps.

Deploying to IIS¶

1. Open IIS Manager

2. Press Win + R, type inetmgr, press Enter

3. Create a New Website

4. In the left panel, right-click Sites

5. Select Add Website...

6. Configure the Website

7. Site Name: Enter a name (e.g., "dignaDashboard")
8. Physical Path: Click Browse and select your dashboard folder

9. Binding: Set IP address and port (default port 80 for HTTP, 443 for HTTPS)

10. Start the Website

11. Click OK to create the site

12. Right-click the new site and select Start

13. Test the Installation

14. Open your browser
15. Navigate to http://localhost (or your configured URL)
16. You should see the digna dashboard login page

Deploying to Apache Tomcat¶

1. Copy Dashboard to Tomcat
2. Copy the dashboard folder to your Tomcat webapps directory
3. Rename it if needed (e.g., to digna)

4. Example: C:\Program Files\Apache Tomcat\webapps\digna

5. Verify Deployment

6. Refresh or reload the Tomcat management page (http://localhost:8080)

7. You should see "digna" (or your chosen name) listed in the deployed applications

8. Access the Dashboard

9. Open your browser
10. Navigate to http://localhost:8080/digna
11. You should see the digna dashboard login page

Running digna as a Windows Service¶

Why Use a Windows Service?¶

Running the digna backend as a Windows service ensures it: - Starts automatically when the server boots - Runs in the background without an open Command Prompt - Restarts automatically if it crashes - Can be managed through Windows Services

Service Management Files¶

All necessary files are located in the digna installation directory under: bin/

The following batch files are available: - install_service.bat — Registers digna as a Windows service - uninstall_service.bat — Unregisters the service - start_service.bat — Starts the running service - stop_service.bat — Stops the running service

⚠️ Administrator Required

All batch files must be executed with Administrator privileges.

Installing the Service¶

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Right-click Command Prompt

3. Select "Run as Administrator"

4. Navigate to the bin Folder

   cd C:\path\to\digna\bin
   

5. Run the Installation Script

   install_service.bat
   

The digna server is now registered as a Windows service with automatic startup enabled. The service does not start immediately — see the next section to start it.

Starting and Stopping the Service¶

To Start the Service¶

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Navigate to digna\bin
3. Run:

   start_service.bat
   

To Stop the Service¶

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Navigate to digna\bin
3. Run:

   stop_service.bat
   

💡 Tip

Always stop the service before updating application files.

Moving the Service to a New Directory¶

If you need to relocate the digna installation:

1. Uninstall the Current Service

   cd C:\old\path\digna\bin
   uninstall_service.bat
   

2. Move the Application Files

3. Move the entire digna installation folder to the new location

4. Reinstall the Service

   cd C:\new\path\digna\bin
   install_service.bat
   

5. Start the Service

   start_service.bat
   

Uninstalling the Service¶

1. Stop the Running Service

   cd C:\path\to\digna\bin
   stop_service.bat
   

2. Uninstall the Service

   uninstall_service.bat
   

The digna server is now unregistered as a Windows service.

Upgrading to a New Release¶

Before You Upgrade¶

Creating a digna Repository Backup is Mandatory

Before upgrading digna, back up your repository (PostgreSQL) to protect against data loss. A backup ensures you can recover if the upgrade encounters unexpected issues.

Upgrade Process¶

Step 1: Stop digna Service¶

If digna is running as a Windows service, stop it first:

cd C:\path\to\digna\bin
stop_service.bat

Step 2: Backup Current Backend Installation¶

In your digna installation directory:

# Rename folder containing dignabackend
ren dignabackend dignabackend_old

# Rename dashboard
ren dashboard dashboard_old

Step 3: Extract and Deploy New Version¶

1. Extract the new digna installation ZIP file
2. Copy the new digna executable, dashboard folder to your installation directory

✅ Important

The config.toml file is never included in the installation ZIP. Your existing configuration remains safe.

Step 4: Restore Your Configuration Files¶

copy dashboard_old\dashboard_config.toml dashboard\dashboard_config.toml

Step 5: Upgrade the Repository Schema¶

Navigate to your digna installation directory and run:

digna repo upgrade

This updates the PostgreSQL schema to the latest version while preserving all existing data.

Step 6: Restart Services¶

If running as a Windows service:

cd C:\path\to\digna\bin
start_service.bat

If running manually, restart the server:

cd C:\path\to\digna
digna serve --address <address> --port <port>

If using IIS or Tomcat, restart the respective web server.

Step 7: Verify the Upgrade¶

1. Access the digna dashboard
2. Verify that the interface loads correctly
3. Check the server logs for any errors