Choose your path

Decide between dFlow Cloud and self-hosted dFlow before you open task-by-task guides.

Written By Zoro

Last updated 3 days ago

Pick dFlow Cloud or self-hosted dFlow here at a high level.

When you are ready for numbered onboarding steps, use Choose your path under Getting Started in the sidebar under Getting Started (a separate page with the same intent, tied to the first-run checklist).

dFlow Cloud

Choose this path when you want dFlow to host the control plane, you are comfortable with cloud billing, and you want the shortest path from signup to a running Service.

You will:

  1. Create an account and Organisation workspace (Create your account and workspace under Getting Started in the sidebar).
  2. Follow Quick start for dFlow Cloud under Getting Started in the sidebar.
  3. Complete Deploy your first app under Getting Started in the sidebar.

Also read: dFlow Cloud overview under dFlow Cloud in the sidebar for limits, billing, and managed infrastructure choices.

Self-hosted dFlow

Choose this path when the control plane must run inside your network, you can operate Docker (or your approved install path), and Operators on your team will maintain upgrades and integrations.

You will:

  1. Read Self-hosting overview under Self-Hosting dFlow in the sidebar for requirements and architecture expectations.
  2. Follow Quick start for Self-Hosted dFlow under Getting Started in the sidebar.
  3. Add Worker Nodes and attach them to Environments before expecting production traffic (Attach compute to an environment under Environments in the sidebar).

Operators should skim Environment configuration under Self-Hosting dFlow in the sidebar and your networking approach (for example Tailscale and networking under Self-Hosting dFlow in the sidebar) early.

Understand the model first

If you are new to Applications, Environments, and Services, read How dFlow is structured under Core Concepts in the sidebar before changing production settings.

Migrating from legacy Projects

If your workspace still references legacy Projects, read Legacy Projects vs Applications under Core Concepts in the sidebar and Migrate from legacy Projects to Applications under Migration and Release Notes in the sidebar.

If you get stuck

Use Troubleshooting overview under Troubleshooting in the sidebar and Getting started issues under Troubleshooting in the sidebar.