What is the first step in deploying your application?

The first step in deploying your application is to install Sitecore. This is essential because Sitecore serves as the content management platform upon which your application will operate. Without a proper installation of Sitecore, the subsequent steps such as copying assets, restoring serialized items, and publishing the application cannot be performed effectively.

Once Sitecore is installed, you have established the foundational infrastructure necessary for your application. It ensures that the environment is configured correctly, with the necessary databases, file systems, and services ready to support the application. Only after this foundational step can you begin to build upon it by moving your content and configurations into Sitecore, restoring items, or publishing your application properly.