diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..bd18d18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Illuscape installer
+# Usage: ./install.sh [--preset=cc|cs6] [--yes]
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PRESET=""
+AUTO_YES=0
+
+# ── Parse args ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    case "$arg" in
+        --preset=cc|--preset=cs6) PRESET="${arg#--preset=}" ;;
+        --yes|-y)                  AUTO_YES=1 ;;
+        --help|-h)
+            echo "Usage: ./install.sh [--preset=cc|cs6] [--yes]"
+            echo "  --preset=cc   Illustrator CC shortcuts (default)"
+            echo "  --preset=cs6  Illustrator CS6 shortcuts"
+            echo "  --yes         Skip confirmation prompts"
+            exit 0 ;;
+        *) echo "Unknown argument: $arg"; exit 1 ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+# ── Check dependencies ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+check_deps() {
+    if ! command -v inkscape &>/dev/null; then
+        echo "✗ Inkscape is not installed. Install Inkscape first, then run Illuscape."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    local version
+    version=$(inkscape --version 2>/dev/null | grep -oP '\d+\.\d+' | head -1)
+    local major minor
+    IFS='.' read -r major minor <<< "$version"
+    if (( major < 1 )) || (( major == 1 && minor < 2 )); then
+        echo "⚠ Inkscape $version detected. Illuscape targets Inkscape 1.2+."
+        echo "  Some settings may not apply correctly. Continue anyway? [y/N]"
+        [[ $AUTO_YES == 1 ]] || { read -r ans; [[ "$ans" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]] || exit 0; }
+    fi
+
+    if ! command -v python3 &>/dev/null; then
+        echo "✗ python3 is required. Install it and try again."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+# ── Detect platform ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+detect_config() {
+    source "$SCRIPT_DIR/scripts/detect_platform.sh"
+    echo "→ Inkscape config: $INKSCAPE_CONFIG ($INKSCAPE_INSTALL_METHOD)"
+}
+
+# ── Backup ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+backup_config() {
+    local backup_dir="${INKSCAPE_CONFIG}.bak-illuscape-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
+
+    # If any illuscape backup already exists, skip (idempotent)
+    if ls "${INKSCAPE_CONFIG}".bak-illuscape-* &>/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "→ Backup already exists — skipping (idempotent)"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if [[ -d "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG" ]]; then
+        cp -r "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG" "$backup_dir"
+        echo "→ Backed up to: $backup_dir"
+    else
+        echo "→ No existing config to back up (fresh install)"
+    fi
+}
+
+# ── Prompt for preset ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+choose_preset() {
+    [[ -n "$PRESET" ]] && return 0
+    echo ""
+    echo "Which Illustrator era are you coming from?"
+    echo "  [1] CC — current Creative Cloud (default)"
+    echo "  [2] CS6 — last perpetual license"
+    printf "Choice [1]: "
+    if [[ $AUTO_YES == 1 ]]; then
+        echo "1 (auto)"
+        PRESET="cc"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    read -r choice
+    case "${choice:-1}" in
+        2) PRESET="cs6" ;;
+        *) PRESET="cc"  ;;
+    esac
+    echo "→ Using preset: $PRESET"
+}
+
+# ── Merge preferences ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+merge_prefs() {
+    local prefs_file="$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/preferences.xml"
+    python3 "$SCRIPT_DIR/scripts/merge_prefs.py" \
+        --prefs "$prefs_file" \
+        --patch "$SCRIPT_DIR/config/preferences-patch.xml" \
+        --preset "$PRESET"
+}
+
+# ── Copy config files ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+copy_files() {
+    mkdir -p \
+        "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/keys" \
+        "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/palettes" \
+        "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/templates" \
+        "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/symbols" \
+        "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/splashscreens"
+
+    cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/config/keys/illustrator-${PRESET}.xml" \
+       "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/keys/"
+
+    cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/config/palettes/"*.gpl "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/palettes/"
+    cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/config/templates/"*.svg "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/templates/"
+    cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/config/symbols/"*.svg   "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/symbols/"
+
+    echo "→ Config files copied"
+}
+
+# ── Install desktop launcher + icons (Linux native only) ─────────────────────
+install_desktop() {
+    [[ "$INKSCAPE_INSTALL_METHOD" != "native" ]] && return 0
+
+    local app_dir="$HOME/.local/share/applications"
+    local icon_src="$SCRIPT_DIR/assets/illuscape.svg"
+    local splash_src="$SCRIPT_DIR/assets/splash.svg"
+    local icon_sizes=(16 32 48 64 128 256 512)
+
+    mkdir -p "$app_dir"
+    cp "$SCRIPT_DIR/assets/org.inkscape.Inkscape.desktop" "$app_dir/"
+
+    # Rasterize icon at each size (prefer rsvg-convert, fall back to Inkscape)
+    for size in "${icon_sizes[@]}"; do
+        local icon_dir="$HOME/.local/share/icons/hicolor/${size}x${size}/apps"
+        mkdir -p "$icon_dir"
+        if command -v rsvg-convert &>/dev/null; then
+            rsvg-convert -w "$size" -h "$size" "$icon_src" \
+                -o "$icon_dir/illuscape.png" 2>/dev/null && continue
+        fi
+        if command -v inkscape &>/dev/null; then
+            inkscape "$icon_src" --export-png="$icon_dir/illuscape.png" \
+                --export-width="$size" --export-height="$size" 2>/dev/null && continue
+        fi
+        echo "⚠ Could not rasterize icon at ${size}px (install rsvg-convert for icons)"
+    done
+
+    # Splash screen (600x400)
+    if command -v rsvg-convert &>/dev/null; then
+        rsvg-convert -w 600 -h 400 "$splash_src" \
+            -o "$INKSCAPE_CONFIG/splashscreens/illuscape-splash.png" 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+
+    update-desktop-database "$app_dir" 2>/dev/null || true
+    echo "→ Desktop launcher installed"
+}
+
+# ── Main ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+main() {
+    echo "╔══════════════════════════════╗"
+    echo "║       Illuscape Installer    ║"
+    echo "╚══════════════════════════════╝"
+    echo ""
+
+    check_deps
+    detect_config
+    backup_config
+    choose_preset
+    merge_prefs
+    copy_files
+    install_desktop
+
+    echo ""
+    echo "✓ Illuscape installed (preset: $PRESET)"
+    echo ""
+    echo "  Open Inkscape to start using your Illustrator-style workspace."
+    echo "  To uninstall: ./uninstall.sh"
+    echo ""
+}
+
+main