how do the rest of you install a dishwasher?

If it's replacing an old one in the same gap it's not bad at all. Water and power off. There are three connections: water supply (usually a valve under the sink), the drain hose, and power. The drain hose wants a high loop up under the worktop before it drops to the sink trap or the disposal - skip that and dirty sink water siphons back into the machine. Level it with the feet before you screw it to the worktop, otherwise the door won't seal properly. Then run an empty cycle and actually stay there watching underneath.