Getting Started

Note

Start with the First pipeline guide for the full evaluation flow. If you want the 15-minute single-host experience, begin with the Evaluation Quickstart and come back here when you are ready to convert the pilot into a long-running service.

Before you begin, complete steps 1–2 in the First pipeline guide so the binary is on disk and your host meets the prerequisites. Community Edition runs entirely from this single binary—no license key is required to follow the steps below.

1. Start the server

./lyftdata run server

The first launch prompts you to accept the EULA and then enters Initial Setup Required. On a local terminal, the ready splash may show the full one-time setup URL. LyftData also writes the same link to <staging-dir>/bootstrap/initial-admin.url.

By default the server listens on 127.0.0.1:3000. To expose it to your network later, set --bind-address or the LYFTDATA_BIND_ADDRESS environment variable after the first admin is in place.

2. Complete initial setup and review the dashboard

Open the one-time setup URL from the terminal output or inspect <staging-dir>/bootstrap/initial-admin.url to retrieve it. Choose the admin password in the setup form, then sign in to https://localhost:3000 as admin. The landing page should open to the dashboard.

If you browse to the normal login page first, LyftData explains that setup is still required and shows the setup URL file path, but the actual token is only present in the one-time setup link.

In Community Edition the server is ready to use immediately: the built-in worker is the only worker available and no license is necessary. If you are preparing for a production rollout, review the Licensing guide to learn how to upgrade and automate activation.

3. Confirm the built-in worker

The built-in worker registers with the server automatically. Verify it is online before building jobs:

1. Open Workers in the navigation.
2. The list should show the built-in worker as Online with type builtin.

If you later upgrade with a license, you can add external workers from this page. Follow the platform-specific guides under Install & Configure when you reach that stage.

4. Verify connectivity

Before building jobs, make sure the control plane and built-in worker see each other:

• The dashboard should list the built-in worker with a green status badge.
• curl -ksS https://localhost:3000/api/workers should include a worker with status set to online. -k accepts the evaluation server’s self-signed certificate; use normal CA verification in managed environments.
• If jq is installed, curl -ksS https://localhost:3000/api/workers | jq '.[].status' should return "online".
• The Issues panel on the dashboard should be empty.

5. Next stop: build a pipeline

With the server running and the built-in worker online you are ready to author jobs. Continue with Running a Job to create your first pipeline and learn how staging, running, and deploying workflows fit together.

If you deliberately started the server with --disable-tls, replace https://localhost:3000 with http://localhost:3000 and omit -k. Do not use plain HTTP for a remote or shared environment.

Tip

If you run into setup issues (UI not accessible, EULA prompts in automation, worker not connecting), see the Troubleshooting page.