diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 0b9993a..3105b5e 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -82,27 +82,89 @@ echo ""
 
 info "Checking prerequisites..."
 
+# Detect package manager
+install_pkg() {
+  if command -v apt-get &>/dev/null; then
+    sudo apt-get update -qq && sudo apt-get install -y -qq "$@"
+  elif command -v dnf &>/dev/null; then
+    sudo dnf install -y -q "$@"
+  elif command -v yum &>/dev/null; then
+    sudo yum install -y -q "$@"
+  elif command -v apk &>/dev/null; then
+    sudo apk add --quiet "$@"
+  else
+    fatal "Could not detect package manager. Install manually: $*"
+  fi
+}
+
 # Docker
 if command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
   DOCKER_VER=$(docker --version 2>/dev/null | head -1)
   success "Docker found: $DOCKER_VER"
 else
-  fatal "Docker is not installed. Install it from https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/"
+  warn "Docker is not installed."
+  echo -en "${CYAN}Install Docker now? [Y/n]:${NC} "
+  read -r install_docker
+  if [[ ! "$install_docker" =~ ^[Nn] ]]; then
+    info "Installing Docker via official install script..."
+    curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sudo sh
+    sudo systemctl enable --now docker 2>/dev/null || true
+    # Add current user to docker group so sudo isn't needed
+    if ! groups | grep -q docker; then
+      sudo usermod -aG docker "$USER"
+      warn "Added $USER to docker group. You may need to log out and back in."
+      warn "For now, the script will use sudo for docker commands."
+      # Use sudo for docker for the rest of this script
+      DOCKER_SUDO="sudo"
+    fi
+    success "Docker installed: $(docker --version 2>/dev/null || sudo docker --version 2>/dev/null)"
+  else
+    fatal "Docker is required. Install it from https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/"
+  fi
 fi
 
+DOCKER_SUDO="${DOCKER_SUDO:-}"
+
 # Docker Compose v2
-if docker compose version &>/dev/null; then
-  COMPOSE_VER=$(docker compose version 2>/dev/null | head -1)
+if ${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose version &>/dev/null; then
+  COMPOSE_VER=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose version 2>/dev/null | head -1)
   success "Docker Compose found: $COMPOSE_VER"
 else
-  fatal "Docker Compose v2 not found. Install it: https://docs.docker.com/compose/install/"
+  warn "Docker Compose v2 not found."
+  echo -en "${CYAN}Install Docker Compose plugin now? [Y/n]:${NC} "
+  read -r install_compose
+  if [[ ! "$install_compose" =~ ^[Nn] ]]; then
+    info "Installing Docker Compose plugin..."
+    if command -v apt-get &>/dev/null; then
+      sudo apt-get update -qq && sudo apt-get install -y -qq docker-compose-plugin
+    else
+      # Manual install for non-apt systems
+      COMPOSE_VERSION=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/docker/compose/releases/latest | grep '"tag_name"' | head -1 | cut -d'"' -f4)
+      sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins
+      sudo curl -SL "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/${COMPOSE_VERSION}/docker-compose-linux-$(uname -m)" \
+        -o /usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
+      sudo chmod +x /usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
+    fi
+    success "Docker Compose installed: $(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose version 2>/dev/null)"
+  else
+    fatal "Docker Compose v2 is required. Install it: https://docs.docker.com/compose/install/"
+  fi
 fi
 
 # OpenSSL
 if command -v openssl &>/dev/null; then
   success "OpenSSL found"
 else
-  fatal "OpenSSL is not installed. Install it: apt install openssl"
+  warn "OpenSSL not found. Installing..."
+  install_pkg openssl
+  success "OpenSSL installed"
+fi
+
+# curl (needed for health checks)
+if ! command -v curl &>/dev/null; then
+  warn "curl not found. Installing..."
+  install_pkg curl
+  success "curl installed"
 fi
 
 # Compose file exists
@@ -232,13 +294,13 @@ echo ""
 info "Building Docker images (this may take a few minutes on first run)..."
 echo ""
 
-docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" build --no-cache
+${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" build --no-cache
 
 echo ""
 info "Starting services..."
 echo ""
 
-docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" up -d
+${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" up -d
 
 # ─── Step 6: Health Check ───────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -251,11 +313,11 @@ INTERVAL=5
 
 while [[ $ELAPSED -lt $MAX_WAIT ]]; do
   # Check database
-  DB_HEALTHY=$(docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps --format json 2>/dev/null | \
+  DB_HEALTHY=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps --format json 2>/dev/null | \
     grep -o '"db"[^}]*"healthy"' 2>/dev/null && echo "yes" || echo "no")
 
   # Check app
-  APP_RUNNING=$(docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps --status running --format json 2>/dev/null | \
+  APP_RUNNING=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps --status running --format json 2>/dev/null | \
     grep -o '"app"' 2>/dev/null && echo "yes" || echo "no")
 
   if [[ "$DB_HEALTHY" == *"yes"* ]] && [[ "$APP_RUNNING" == *"yes"* ]]; then
@@ -273,7 +335,7 @@ echo ""
 SERVICES_UP=true
 
 for service in db minio app; do
-  STATUS=$(docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps "$service" --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
+  STATUS=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps "$service" --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
   if echo "$STATUS" | grep -qi "up\|running\|healthy"; then
     success "$service: $STATUS"
   else
@@ -283,17 +345,17 @@ for service in db minio app; do
 done
 
 # Check migrate completed
-MIGRATE_STATUS=$(docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps migrate --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
+MIGRATE_STATUS=$(${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ps migrate --format "{{.Status}}" 2>/dev/null || echo "not found")
 if echo "$MIGRATE_STATUS" | grep -qi "exited (0)\|completed"; then
   success "migrate: completed successfully"
 else
-  warn "migrate: $MIGRATE_STATUS (check logs: docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs migrate)"
+  warn "migrate: $MIGRATE_STATUS (check logs: ${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs migrate)"
 fi
 
 if [[ "$SERVICES_UP" == "false" ]]; then
   echo ""
   error "Some services failed to start. Check logs:"
-  echo "  docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs"
+  echo "  ${DOCKER_SUDO} docker compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE logs"
   exit 1
 fi