# quickstart.sh

The quickstart.sh script creates a Docker compose file that does not require
cloning the repository, and uses pre-built images instead. It is meant to
provide an easy way for people to get started with self hosting Ente without
needing to build museum or the web app from source.

The easiest way to run the script is to copy paste the following command into
your terminal:

```sh
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ente-io/ente/main/server/quickstart.sh)"
```

After the Docker compose cluster starts, you can open the Ente web app at
http://localhost:3000.

> [!TIP]
>
> The verification code when you try to create an account can be seen in the
> logs (See [self hosting
> docs](https://help.ente.io/self-hosting/faq/otp#verification-code) for more
> ways to get it)

## Details

The only requirement the script has is for a recent-ish version of Docker.

The script first creates a directory named `my-ente` and changes to it.

> [!TIP]
>
> "Ente" (pronounced _en-tay_) means "mine" in Malayalam, our Founder's mother
> tongue (the product literally thus means "My Photos"), so our quickstart
> directory name `my-ente` means "my-my".

Then it creates a Docker compose file (`compose.yaml`) from a template, and a
`museum.yaml` with fresh autogenerated credentials.

Finally, it start the Docker compose cluster running

- Ente's own server (museum)
- Ente's web app
- Postgres (DB)
- Minio (S3 storage)

For each of these, it'll use the latest published Docker image.

You can do a quick smoke test by pinging the API:

```sh
curl localhost:8080/ping
```

Or directly start using the web app by opening http://localhost:3000 in your
browser.

The first time around, the cluster will keep running as long as the
`quickstart.sh` script is running (you can stop it by using `Ctrl-C`).

Subsequently, whenever you want to start the cluster, you can go back to the
same directory and run `docker compose up` again.

```sh
cd /path/to/my-ente # Or whichever directory you created
docker compose up
```

If you want to keep it running in the background, you can pass the `-d` flag to
the `docker compose up` command:

```sh
cd /path/to/my-ente
docker compose up -d
```

And then later, to stop the cluster, you can:

```sh
cd /path/to/my-ente
docker compose down
```

Apart from this `my-ente` directory, the script does not install anything else
on your system. All persistent data is saved in volumes managed by Docker.

> [!CAUTION]
>
> You can clear these volumes by
>
> ```sh
> cd /path/to/my-ente
> docker compose down --volumes
> ```
>
> Beware that this will permanently remove these volumes, including any photos
> you added to your self hosted instance.

### Caveat

This sample setup is only intended to make it easy for people to get started. If
you're intending to use your self hosted instance for serious purposes, we
strongly recommend understanding all the moving parts, and consider if you
should use an external S3 (/ DB) instead of the quickstart samples.

> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> Keep a plaintext backup of your photos until you are sure of what you are
> doing and have a [backup
> strategy](https://help.ente.io/self-hosting/faq/backup) worked out.

## Next steps

See **[help.ente.io/self-hosting](https://help.ente.io/self-hosting)** for
guides on connecting to your self hosted instance [using your mobile
app](https://help.ente.io/self-hosting/guides/custom-server/), modifying your
setup to allow
[uploading](https://help.ente.io/self-hosting/guides/configuring-s3) from your
mobile app, and other customizations.