diff --git a/templates/dropshell-agent/install.sh b/templates/dropshell-agent/install.sh
index 3684afc..2c3c368 100644
--- a/templates/dropshell-agent/install.sh
+++ b/templates/dropshell-agent/install.sh
@@ -5,4 +5,72 @@
 # It is used to install the service on the server.
 # It is called with the path to the server specific env file as an argument.
 
-echo "Installation of dropshell-agent complete"
+
+attempt_install_prerequisite() {
+    local prerequisite="${1}"
+    echo "Attempting to install prerequisite: ${prerequisite}"
+
+    # test if root, and test sudo otherwise.
+    SUDO_CMD=""
+    if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
+        if ! sudo -v; then
+            echo "--------------------------------"
+            echo "Prerequisite: ${prerequisite} is not installed."
+            echo "Please run the script with sudo privileges or as root to automatically install the prerequisite."
+            echo "--------------------------------"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        SUDO_CMD="sudo "
+    fi
+
+
+    # separate install for each prerequisite
+    case "${prerequisite}" in
+        "bash")
+            $SUDO_CMD apt-get install -y bash
+            ;;
+        "curl")
+            $SUDO_CMD apt-get install -y curl
+            ;;
+        "wget")
+            $SUDO_CMD apt-get install -y wget
+            ;;
+        "docker")
+            # install docker using the official script.
+            curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
+            $SUDO_CMD sh get-docker.sh
+            rm get-docker.sh
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "--------------------------------"
+            echo "Prerequisite: ${prerequisite} is not installed."
+            echo "Please install it manually and try again."
+            echo "--------------------------------"
+            exit 1
+    }
+install_prerequisites() {]
+    # this script works on debian, ubuntu and Raspberry Pi OS
+    # it checks the following prerequisites, and installs them if missing. 
+    # if the user is root it proceeds, otherwise it checks for sudo privileges.
+    # if neither exists, and a prerequisite is missing, the script exits with failure.
+
+    # prerequisites:
+    # - bash
+    # - curl
+    # - wget
+    # - docker
+
+    PREREQUISITES=("bash" "curl" "wget" "docker")
+
+    # check if all prerequisites are installed
+    for prerequisite in "${PREREQUISITES[@]}"; do
+        if ! command -v "${prerequisite}" &> /dev/null; then
+            attempt_install_prerequisite "${prerequisite}"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
+install_prerequisites
+exit 0
+