Getting Started

This section will take you from zero to a fully operational incident management system. By the end, you'll have OpsKnight running, your first service configured, and understand how to create and manage incidents.

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What You'll Learn

Guide	What You'll Accomplish
Installation	Get OpsKnight running with Docker, Kubernetes, or locally
Configuration	Understand environment variables and system settings
First Steps	Create your first service, incident, and on-call schedule

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Prerequisites

Before installing OpsKnight, ensure you have the following:

For Docker Deployment (Recommended)

• Docker Engine v20.10 or later
• Docker Compose v2.0 or later
• 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended)
• 10GB disk space for images and data

For Kubernetes Deployment

• Kubernetes v1.24 or later
• Helm v3.10 or later (for Helm deployments)
• kubectl configured for your cluster
• Persistent Volume provisioner for PostgreSQL storage

For Local Development

• Node.js v18 or later
• PostgreSQL v14 or later
• npm or yarn package manager
• Git for cloning the repository

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Deployment Options

Choose the deployment method that fits your needs:

Method	Best For	Complexity
Docker Compose	Development, small teams, quick evaluation	Low
Kubernetes (Kustomize)	Production, scaling, existing K8s infrastructure	Medium
Kubernetes (Helm)	Production with templated configuration	Medium
Local Development	Contributing, debugging, testing changes	Medium

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Quick Start (5 Minutes)

Want to get started immediately? Here's the fastest path:

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dushyant-rahangdale/opsknight.git
cd opsknight

# 2. Copy and configure environment
cp env.example .env
# Edit .env: Set NEXTAUTH_SECRET (generate with: openssl rand -base64 32)

# 3. Start all services
docker compose up -d

# 4. Open OpsKnight
open http://localhost:3000

First-Time Setup: On first launch, you'll be directed to /setup where you create your admin account by entering your name and email. A secure password is generated for you — save it immediately as it's shown only once.

That's it! Log in with your credentials and start exploring.

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What Happens After Installation

Once OpsKnight is running, you'll want to:

1. Create a Service — Represent a system you want to monitor (e.g., "Payment API")
2. Set Up an Escalation Policy — Define who gets notified when incidents occur
3. Create an On-Call Schedule — Assign team members to rotation shifts
4. Configure Notifications — Set up Email, SMS, Slack, or Push notifications
5. Connect Integrations — Route alerts from Datadog, Prometheus, or other tools

The First Steps Guide walks you through all of these in detail.

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Minimum Environment Variables

At minimum, you need these environment variables configured:

# Database connection (PostgreSQL)
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://opsknight:password@localhost:5432/opsknight_db

# Authentication
NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=your-32-character-secret-key-here

# Application URL (used in notification links)
APP_URL=http://localhost:3000

See the Configuration Guide for the complete reference.

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Verifying Your Installation

After starting OpsKnight, verify everything is working:

1. Application Loads

Navigate to http://localhost:3000 — you should see the login page.

2. Login Works

Log in with your admin credentials — you should reach the dashboard.

3. Database Connected

Create a test service in Services — if it saves, the database is working.

4. Health Check (Optional)

curl http://localhost:3000/api/health
# Expected: {"status":"ok","database":"connected"}

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Common Issues

Port 3000 Already in Use

# Check what's using port 3000
lsof -i :3000

# Or change the port in docker-compose.yml:
ports:
  - '3001:3000'

Database Connection Failed

# Check PostgreSQL is running
docker compose logs postgres

# Reset everything and try again
docker compose down -v
docker compose up -d

Login Redirects to Error Page

• Verify NEXTAUTH_URL matches your actual URL (including port)
• Regenerate NEXTAUTH_SECRET if sessions aren't persisting
• Check browser console for specific error messages

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Next Steps

Ready to continue? Here's your path:

1. Installation Guide — Detailed installation for all deployment methods
2. Configuration Reference — Complete environment variable documentation
3. First Steps — Create your first service and incident

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Need Help?

• Check the GitHub Issues for known problems
• Join the community Discord for real-time help
• Review the Architecture section for deeper understanding