Quick start

This sets up the panel, its database and one node on the same machine, with Docker Compose. For a setup reachable from the internet, continue with Install the panel.

You need Docker with the Compose plugin, and compose.yml and .env.example from the deploy/ folder of the panel’s repository, in an empty folder.

1. Start the panel

cp .env.example .env          # set POSTGRES_PASSWORD, and PANEL_PUBLIC_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8080
docker compose up -d

Open the link with the setup token that the panel prints to its log (docker compose logs panel | grep setup). The setup wizard asks how you’ll use the panel (homelab or hosting) and creates your operator account and first tenant.

Keep the master key

The first start creates keys/master.key. It encrypts the secrets in the database (Steam passwords, secret variables). Back it up together with the database; without it, stored secrets can’t be decrypted.

2. Add the machine as a node

1. In the panel, go to Nodes → Add node. Enter a name, the address players use (for a test: 127.0.0.1) and a port range, e.g. 30000-30019.
2. The panel shows a command with a one-time token. On this machine, use the compose file’s agent instead: put the token into .env as AGENT_ENROLLMENT_TOKEN=… and run docker compose --profile agent up -d.
3. The node turns online within a few seconds.

3. Create a server

1. Games → Catalogue: add a game, e.g. Minecraft (Paper).
2. Servers → New server: pick the game and the node, keep the suggested values.
3. The install runs and shows its output in the console. Minecraft asks to accept its EULA: the server page shows a button for it.
4. Start. The server page shows the address players connect to.

Next

• Concepts
• Nodes: ports, SFTP and the agent’s settings
• Servers