docs: improved masterkey setup documentation

README.md

@@ -27,7 +27,37 @@ git clone https://<your-gitea-host>/coulomb/railliance-hosts.git
 cd railiance-hosts
 ```
 
+## 📦 Prerequisites
 
+To use RailianceHosts, make sure you have the following tools installed on your workstation:
+
+- **Git** → for version control  
+- **age** → for key management and encryption ([Install guide](docs/age-keys.md))  
+- **SOPS** → for managing encrypted secrets ([SOPS GitHub](https://github.com/getsops/sops))  
+- **Terraform** → for provisioning infrastructure ([Terraform Downloads](https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/downloads))  
+- **Ansible** → for server configuration ([Ansible Installation Guide](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/installation_guide/))  
+- **Make** → to run the included `Makefile` tasks  
+
+### Example installation (Ubuntu/Debian)
+
+```bash
+# System tools
+sudo apt update
+sudo apt install -y git make ansible
+
+# Terraform
+sudo apt install -y wget unzip
+wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/terraform/1.9.5/terraform_1.9.5_linux_amd64.zip
+unzip terraform_1.9.5_linux_amd64.zip
+sudo mv terraform /usr/local/bin/
+
+# age 
+sudo apt install age 
+
+# SOPS Get the latest release (example: v3.10.2 — check GitHub for updates)
+wget https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/download/v3.10.2/sops_3.10.2_amd64.deb
+sudo apt install ./sops_3.10.2_amd64.deb
+```
 
 ## 🔑 Secrets Management
 

docs/age-keys.md

@@ -5,15 +5,33 @@ You need to create your own **age keypair**, add the public key to the repo, and
 
 ---
 
+## 0. Install Age & Sops
+
+First, make sure **age** is installed on your workstation.
+
+```bash
+sudo apt update
+sudo apt install age
+age --version
+```
+
+To install Sops grab the binary release and install it.
+
+```bash
+wget https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/download/v3.10.2/sops_3.10.2_amd64.deb
+sudo apt install ./sops_3.10.2_amd64.deb
+```
+
+
 ## 1. Generate an Age Keypair
 
 On your workstation, run:
 
 ```bash
-age-keygen -o ~/.config/age/key.txt
+age-keygen -o ~/.config/sops/age/key.txt
 ```
 
-- This creates a new keypair and stores it at `~/.config/age/key.txt`.
+- This creates a new keypair and stores it at `~/.config/sops/age/key.txt`.
 - The private key must **never** be committed to Git. Keep it safe (e.g., in your password manager or vault).
 - The public key looks like this: