Update installation.md

Author: pareenaverma

content/learning-paths/servers-and-cloud-computing/flink-on-gcp/installation.md

@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ layout: learningpathall
 ---
 
 ## Install Apache Flink on GCP VM
-This guide walks you through installing **Apache Flink** and its required dependencies on a **Google Cloud Platform (GCP) SUSE Arm64 Virtual Machine (VM)**. By the end of this section, you will have a fully configured Flink environment ready for job execution and benchmarking.
+In this section you will install Apache Flink and its required dependencies on a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) SUSE Arm64 Virtual Machine (VM). By the end, you will have a fully configured Flink environment ready for local execution, standalone clusters, or benchmarking Flink workloads on Arm.
 
 ###  Update the System and Install Java
-Before installing Flink, ensure your system packages are up to date and Java is installed.
-
+Apache Flink requires a Java runtime (JRE) and development kit (JDK).
+Update the system and install Java:
 ```console
 sudo zypper refresh
 sudo zypper update -y
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ sudo zypper install -y java-17-openjdk java-17-openjdk-devel
 This step ensures you have the latest system updates and the Java runtime needed to execute Flink applications.
 
 ### Download Apache Flink Binary
-Next, download the pre-built binary package for **Apache Flink** from the official Apache mirror.
+Navigate to /opt (a standard location for system-wide tools) and download the official Flink distribution:
 
 ```console
 cd /opt
@@ -32,45 +32,42 @@ This command retrieves the official Flink binary distribution for installation o
 Flink 2.0.0 introduced Disaggregated State Management architecture, which enables more efficient resource utilization in cloud-native environments, ensuring high-performance real-time processing while minimizing resource overhead.
 You can view [this release note](https://flink.apache.org/2025/03/24/apache-flink-2.0.0-a-new-era-of-real-time-data-processing/)
 
-The [Arm Ecosystem Dashboard](https://developer.arm.com/ecosystem-dashboard/) recommends Flink version 2.0.0, the minimum recommended on the Arm platforms.
+For best performance on Arm, the [Arm Ecosystem Dashboard](https://developer.arm.com/ecosystem-dashboard/) recommends using Flink ≥ 2.0.0.
 {{% /notice %}}
 
 ### Extract the Downloaded Archive
-Extract the downloaded `.tgz` archive to make the Flink files accessible for configuration.
+Untar the archive:
 
 ```console
 sudo tar -xvzf flink-2.1.1-bin-scala_2.12.tgz
 ```
 After extraction, you will have a directory named `flink-2.1.1` under `/opt`.
 
-**Rename the extracted directory for convenience:**
-For easier access and management, rename the extracted Flink directory to a simple name like `/opt/flink`.
-
+Rename it for convenience:
 ```console
 sudo mv flink-2.1.1 /opt/flink
 ```
-This makes future references to your Flink installation path simpler and more consistent.
+This makes configuration, upgrades, and scripting easier for your Flink installation.
 
 ### Configure Environment Variables
-Set the environment variables so the Flink commands are recognized system-wide. This ensures you can run `flink` from any terminal session.
+Add Flink to your shell environment:
 
 ```console
 echo "export FLINK_HOME=/opt/flink" >> ~/.bashrc
 echo "export PATH=\$FLINK_HOME/bin:\$PATH" >> ~/.bashrc
 ```
-
-Additionally, create a dedicated log directory for Flink and assign proper permissions:
+Create a logging directory and assign proper permissions:
 ```console
 sudo mkdir -p /opt/flink/log
 sudo chown -R $(whoami):$(id -gn) /opt/flink/log
 sudo chmod -R 755 /opt/flink/log
 ```
-
-**Apply the changes:**
+Apply the changes:
 
 ```console
 source ~/.bashrc
 ```
+Adding Flink to the global PATH lets you use commands like `flink`, `start-cluster.sh`, and `taskmanager.sh` from any terminal.
 
 ### Verify the Installation
 To confirm that Flink has been installed correctly, check its version: