Step‑by‑Step Guide to Docassemble App Download & Setup

Introduction

If you work at a legal aid organization, you’ve probably felt this pressure: do more with less, serve clients faster, and still produce court-ready documents that don’t bounce back for small mistakes. That’s exactly why people search for a docassemble app download—because they want a straightforward way to turn intake + forms into a guided, mobile-friendly experience.

But here’s the truth (and it’s actually good news): Docassemble isn’t a mobile app you install from an app store. Docassemble is a web-based platform you run on a server. Once it’s running, clients can use it from any phone or laptop, and your team can build interviews that collect answers and generate documents (PDF/DOCX/RTF) reliably. The fastest way to “try it” is to download and run Docassemble using Docker, then move to a production deployment when your pilot interview is stable.

This guide walks you through the safest setup path that works for US legal aid teams: pilot first, production second.

Step 1: Confirm what “Docassemble app download” really means

When most teams say “docassemble app download,” they’re really looking for one of these:

1. A way to run Docassemble locally for quick testing
   
2. A way to deploy Docassemble on a server so staff and clients can use it
   
3. A way to start authoring interviews (often with templates and existing tools)
   

Docassemble itself describes the easiest way to test it: use Docker.
So we’ll start there.

Step 2: Choose your setup path (Pilot vs Production)

Option A — Pilot setup (recommended for legal aid teams)

Use Docker to run Docassemble on a development machine or a simple VM. This lets you validate:

• the interview flow
  
• document output quality
  
• language clarity
  
• staff workflow changes
  

Docassemble’s Docker docs recommend a machine/VM with at least 4GB RAM and 40GB disk. 

Option B — Production setup (after the pilot works)

For production, you’ll want:

• HTTPS + stable domain
  
• backups
  
• monitoring
  
• admin controls
  
• a reliable upgrade strategy
  

Docassemble’s deployment guidance also points to Docker/Docker Compose/Helm as common deployment approaches.

Step 3: Do the official Docassemble download (pilot)

Use this external link in your blog:

• Download docassemble (official)
  

Docassemble’s own guidance is clear: if you want to test it out, download and run it using Docker.

What you’ll do at a high level

• Install Docker
  
• Run the Docassemble Docker image
  
• Open Docassemble in your browser
  
• Create your first admin login
  
• Start building in the Playground
  

If your team is non-technical, this is still very doable as a pilot—especially if you treat it like a “sandbox” environment.

Step 4: Install Docker (and why legal aid teams should care)

In legal aid settings, technology often fails at the handoff: the tool works on one laptop but not the next, or there’s “tribal knowledge” around setup. Docker prevents that by packaging the environment consistently.

Use this external anchor:

• Install docassemble with Docker (recommended for testing)
  

Docassemble notes Docker is the strongly recommended path for trying it out.

Step 5: First run checklist (what to verify immediately)

Once Docassemble is running, do these checks before you write any serious interview logic:

1. Can you log in as admin?
   
2. Can you access the Playground? (that’s where interview authoring happens)
   
3. Can you generate a sample PDF/DOCX? (even a basic one)
   
4. Can you upload a template? (DOCX/PDF templates often drive legal forms)
   
5. Does it load well on mobile? (most legal aid users are mobile-first)
   

External anchors you can include:

• Use the Docassemble Playground to test interviews
  
• Assembling documents in Docassemble
  

Step 6: Your first “legal aid” interview: keep it tiny

A mistake teams make is trying to automate a 12-page form on day one. For legal aid orgs, a high-value first win is usually:

• simple intake summary letter
  
• eligibility pre-screening
  
• a one-page motion or cover sheet
  
• an affidavit with basic facts
  

Docassemble is meant for guided interviews that ask one question at a time and end in a document or action.

This is where legal document assembly software becomes real: you’re not just collecting answers—you’re shaping the path so clients don’t fall into traps.

Step 7: Add packages safely (don’t copy random snippets)

Docassemble supports packaging your work so it can move cleanly from dev → production.
This matters because legal aid workflows change often (court updates, form updates, language changes). Packaging prevents chaos.

External anchor:

• Manage Docassemble packages and updates
  

If you want a strong legal aid starting point, the Suffolk LIT Lab Assembly Line project provides structured building blocks for court form automation on top of Docassemble.
External anchors:

• Suffolk LIT Lab’s Assembly Line (legal aid starter framework)

Step 8: When you’re ready for production, follow a real deployment plan

A production Docassemble instance is not just “the pilot, but bigger.” Production means:

• stable uptime
  
• backups and restore testing
  
• user permissions (staff vs public)
  
• secure configuration
  
• planned upgrades
  

Docassemble’s deployment page explains Docker is the easiest way to deploy and also mentions other production approaches like Docker Compose or Helm. 

Step 9: Where “Docassemble API” fits (and where it doesn’t)

Most legal aid orgs don’t need the docassemble api on day one. The API becomes valuable when you need:

• pulling/pushing data to case management
  
• integrating authentication
  
• submitting forms or filings (workflow dependent)
  
• analytics/operational reporting
  

But step one is still: ship a working interview with reliable document outputs. That’s the foundation of legal document assembly.

Common pitfalls we see in legal aid rollouts

Here’s what usually causes frustration:

• Treating docassemble app download like a mobile app store install
  
• Starting with the hardest form instead of a small, high-impact workflow
  
• No “template strategy” (DOCX/PDF templates aren’t organized)
  
• No packaging/versioning plan (edits happen directly in production)
  
• No upgrade rhythm (security updates become scary)

FAQs 

1) Is there a Docassemble mobile app I download from the App Store?

No. When people search docassemble app download, they usually mean downloading/running Docassemble on a server so interviews run in a browser on any device.

2) What’s the easiest way to try Docassemble for a legal aid pilot?

Use Docker. Docassemble recommends Docker as the simplest way to test it quickly.

3) What hardware do we need for a pilot instance?

Docassemble’s Docker docs recommend at least 4GB memory and 40GB disk for running it comfortably.

4) Where do we actually build the interviews?

Inside the Playground. It includes folders for interviews, templates, and other resources used during development.

5) How do we move work from pilot to production without breaking things?

Package your interviews properly and install packages on production rather than editing live. Docassemble’s admin and package docs explain this workflow.

6) Should we use Assembly Line tools for court forms?

If you’re automating court forms for self-represented litigants, Suffolk LIT Lab’s Assembly Line project is a strong foundation with reusable interview patterns.