Skip to main content

Quickstart

This path takes a new CoderFlow Full server from installation to a verified task. You need an Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS or Debian 12 or 13 host with Docker Engine, an account with sudo permission, a CoderFlow license or trial key, an AI provider account, and some code. A reference app works if you want to try CoderFlow before connecting your own code. No IBM i knowledge is needed. Check the server requirements first.

Install and sign in​

  1. Download the installer as an ordinary Linux user:

    curl --fail --location --proto '=https' --proto-redir '=https' -o install.sh https://coderflow.ai/install.sh

  2. Read it, check the host, and run it. Review the plan before confirming:

    less install.sh
    bash install.sh --preflight-only
    bash install.sh

    The installer creates a dedicated server account and starts CoderFlow. When it asks Create the first administrator now? [y/N], press Enter for No. It then prints a one-time link in your terminal. If you answered y and created the account, sign in at the printed address with that account, then continue at step 4. See Installation for options. Manual installation is the alternative.

  3. Open the one-time link printed in your terminal. It works before a license is installed. Use it straight away, on a machine you trust, because a browser keeps an opened address in its history; the link stops working once it is used, replaced or expired. Enter your username, full name, email and password, then choose Create Administrator. See First sign-in if the link has expired or you must complete MFA.

  4. Install your license or trial key on the License page that follows. The installer prints the Machine ID needed for a machine-bound trial; the page also shows it. Once the key is accepted, the page says Restart the server to finish applying the license. On the host, run:

    sudo systemctl restart coderflow.service

    Then refresh the page and open the dashboard. The page offers Restart Server itself only where web-managed restart was turned on, which a new installation has not; see License administration. The installer normally builds the base image itself. If you used --skip-base-image or that build failed, the image may still be missing. After a licensed start, the server attempts an automatic build only when the image is missing. Before building an environment, check that the Base image row on Server Administration → Setup shows Ready.

Follow the setup guide​

The Setup guide opens on the dashboard. Follow its seven steps in order. Every step works without Ask CoderFlow. The setup guide reference explains the choices and how to return after Finish later.

  1. AI provider — Choose Add Account for your provider and connect a subscription or API key. Select the account under Tasks use. This step is done when an account is ready for tasks. A server Claude API key for Ask and helper features is optional; a task subscription alone does not enable them.

  2. Code — Choose GitHub, Azure DevOps, Other Git host (access token), Host in CoderFlow, or Try a reference app. Connect a provider if you chose GitHub or Azure DevOps. The step is done when that provider is connected, or when one of the other choices is saved; you add its repository in step 4.

  3. What agents work on — Select any of Web app or API, Database, IBM i, and Other. Saving at least one answer completes this step and chooses the sections in step 5.

  4. Environment — Open New Environment or import a reference app. Generate from repository proposes a Draft for you to review. Complete the needed Finish setup items, build its image, set Status to Active on Overview, then Save. Use Back to setup guide to return. This step is done when the server has an Active environment that has been built. If a connection or application setting needs attention, use step 5 and return here afterwards.

  5. System setup — Follow the links for the kinds of work you chose: application settings and tests, a development database, or IBM i connections and source import. Use the environment selected in step 4. Choose Next when you have what you need; this records your confirmation, and items marked Not checked remain unverified.

  6. First task — Choose Start the first task. New Task opens with Get to know this repository applied. Choose your configured agent and Launch task, wait for it to finish, and open its result. Check that the build and tests pass, the app starts, and a screenshot shows it running. Return to the guide and choose I've checked the result after reviewing the evidence. The step is done after that confirmation, or when Setup's First verified task row is Ready.

  7. Team — Use the links to add users, review roles, assign team access, or configure single sign-on. These are optional. Choose Done to finish the guide.

Verify the first task in Setup​

The first task changes no files, so it has nothing to approve. To make Server Administration → Setup → First verified task show Ready, define a named test on the environment's Tests tab, then open the finished task and run it from Testing → Run Test Commands. A passing named test on a finished task, or a person's approval of a later task's changes, makes the row Ready. It stays ready once recorded.

Choosing I've checked the result completes the guide step only; it does not change that row. Missing or skipped build, test, app or screenshot evidence is still unverified. Use the Setup page to review anything left to configure.