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5-Minute Quick Start

Deploy your first app to Flux Network! No Docker knowledge needed. Just follow these simple steps.

Step 1: Get a Flux Account​

First, you need a Flux Cloud account:

  1. Visit cloud.runonflux.com
  2. Login with your preferred method:
    • Email
    • Google
    • Apple ID
    • Wallet
    • And more options
  3. You're ready to deploy!

Step 2: Deploy Your First App​

Option A: Deploy Our Demo App​

Let's start with a working Next.js blog to see the magic:

In Flux Cloud → Register New App:

App Name: my-first-app
Docker Image: runonflux/orbit:latest
Port 1: 3000
Port 2: 9001  # For webhooks (optional)

Environment Variables:
  GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/timlrx/tailwind-nextjs-starter-blog
  APP_PORT: 3000
  POLLING_INTERVAL: 300  # Auto-update every 5 minutes (optional)

Click Deploy → Pay the deployment cost → Wait 2 minutes → Your app is live! 🎉

Pro tip: With POLLING_INTERVAL: 300, your app will automatically check for updates every 5 minutes. No webhook setup needed!

Your app will be available at: my-first-app.app.runonflux.io

Option B: Deploy Your Own Code​

Have a GitHub repo? Deploy it:

App Name: your-app-name
Docker Image: runonflux/orbit:latest
Port: 3000  # Change to match your app

Environment Variables:
  GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/YOU/YOUR-REPO
  APP_PORT: 3000  # Must match the port above
  POLLING_INTERVAL: 300  # Auto-update every 5 minutes (optional)

That's it! Flux-Orbit will:

  • ✅ Detect your framework (React, Vue, Django, Rails, etc.)
  • ✅ Install the right runtime (Node.js, Python, Ruby)
  • ✅ Install dependencies
  • ✅ Build your app
  • ✅ Start it running

Step 3: Watch It Deploy​

After clicking deploy and completing payment, you can watch the magic happen in the Flux Cloud dashboard logs:

[SETUP] Cloning your repository...
[SETUP] Detected Node.js project!
[SETUP] Installing dependencies...
[BUILD] Building your application...
[START] Your app is running on port 3000!

Common App Examples​

React/Next.js App​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/you/react-app
APP_PORT: 3000

Python/Django App​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/you/django-app
APP_PORT: 8000

Ruby on Rails App​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/you/rails-app
APP_PORT: 3000

Vue.js App​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/you/vue-app
APP_PORT: 8080

Private Repository?​

Add your GitHub token:

Environment Variables:
  GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/you/private-repo
  GIT_TOKEN: ghp_your_github_token_here
  APP_PORT: 3000

How to get a token:

  1. GitHub → Settings → Developer Settings
  2. Personal Access Tokens → Generate Token
  3. Give it repo permission
  4. Copy to Flux app settings

Enable Auto-Deploy (Optional)​

Want your app to update when you push code?

Option 1: Easy Mode (Polling)​

Add this environment variable:

POLLING_INTERVAL: 300  # Check every 5 minutes

Option 2: Instant Updates (Webhooks)​

  1. Add webhook secret: 
    WEBHOOK_SECRET: choose-any-secret
  2. In GitHub → Settings → Webhooks → Add:
    • URL: https://your-app-9001.app.runonflux.io/webhook
    • Secret: Same as above

Now every git push auto-deploys!

Troubleshooting​

"Build Failed"​

Your app might need a specific build command:

BUILD_COMMAND: npm run build:production

"App Won't Start"​

Your app might use a different start command:

RUN_COMMAND: npm run start:prod

"Wrong Node/Python Version"​

Specify the version you need:

NODE_VERSION: 18.17.0  # For Node.js
PYTHON_VERSION: 3.11   # For Python
RUBY_VERSION: 3.0      # For Ruby

Deploy from Monorepo?​

Deploy a specific folder:

PROJECT_PATH: apps/frontend

Check Your App​

Once deployed, you can:

  • Visit your app: your-app-name.app.runonflux.io
  • View logs: Check Flux Cloud dashboard
  • Monitor health: Flux shows uptime stats

Quick Commands Cheat Sheet​

View Logs (if you have SSH access)​

docker logs your-app-name

Restart App​

docker restart your-app-name

Update Manually​

docker exec your-app-name /usr/local/bin/flux-entrypoint.sh update

Real Examples That Work​

Deploy a Blog​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/timlrx/tailwind-nextjs-starter-blog
APP_PORT: 3000

Deploy a Dashboard​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/shadcn-ui/ui
APP_PORT: 3000
PROJECT_PATH: apps/www

Deploy an API​

GIT_REPO_URL: https://github.com/tiangolo/fastapi-realworld-example-app
APP_PORT: 8000

What's Next?​

You did it! Your app is live on the decentralized web. Here's what to explore:

Need Help?​

🎉 Congratulations! You've just deployed to the decentralized web. No Docker knowledge required. That's the Flux-Orbit magic!

Remember: Your code deserves better than a 47-tab Docker tutorial. That's why we built this.