> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.letmepost.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick start

> Get the API, worker, and dashboard running locally against a Postgres + Redis you control.

This is the fastest path from a fresh clone to publishing your first post against a self-hosted API. It uses Docker Compose for Postgres + Redis only — the API, worker, and dashboard run via `pnpm` so you keep watch mode, fast iteration, and stack traces in your terminal.

For a production deploy (separate API + worker services, managed Postgres / Redis, custom domain), see [deploying](/self-host/deploying) once you've gotten this working locally.

## Prerequisites

* **Node** `>= 24`
* **pnpm** `10.33.0+` — `corepack enable` if you haven't already
* **Docker** + **Docker Compose** — only for the Postgres + Redis containers
* An S3-compatible bucket for media (you can defer this if you only need text posts to start with)

## 1. Clone and install

```bash theme={"system"}
git clone https://github.com/rosekamallove/letmepost.dev
cd letmepost.dev
pnpm install
```

## 2. Start Postgres and Redis

The repo ships a `docker-compose.dev.yml` that runs **only Postgres and Redis** — nothing else. The API, worker, and dashboard run from your shell via `pnpm`. This keeps reloads instant and stack traces native.

```bash theme={"system"}
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up -d
```

Ports are deliberately non-standard so they don't collide with whatever you already have running:

| Service  | Host port | Container port |
| -------- | --------- | -------------- |
| Postgres | `5433`    | `5432`         |
| Redis    | `6380`    | `6379`         |

The Postgres database is seeded with user `letmepost`, password `letmepost`, db `letmepost`.

## 3. Configure environment

Copy the example file and fill in the bare minimum to boot:

```bash theme={"system"}
cp apps/api/.env.example apps/api/.env
```

The minimum required to start the server is:

```bash theme={"system"}
DATABASE_URL=postgres://letmepost:letmepost@localhost:5433/letmepost
REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6380
KEK_MASTER=$(openssl rand -base64 32)
BETTER_AUTH_SECRET=$(openssl rand -base64 32)
```

`KEK_MASTER` is the AES-256-GCM master key that wraps every encrypted token at rest. **Keep it.** Rotating it without a re-wrap script locks every connected account.

Every other variable is either optional with a sensible default or only required when you connect a specific platform. See [environment](/self-host/environment) for the full list.

## 4. Run database migrations

```bash theme={"system"}
pnpm --filter @letmepost/api db:migrate
```

Schema lives in `apps/api/drizzle/`. Drizzle Kit applies the SQL files in order. Re-running is safe — already-applied migrations are skipped.

## 5. Start the stack

In separate terminal tabs:

```bash theme={"system"}
pnpm --filter @letmepost/api dev        # API → http://localhost:3000
pnpm --filter @letmepost/dashboard dev  # Dashboard → http://localhost:3001
```

Or run everything via Turbo from the repo root:

```bash theme={"system"}
pnpm dev
```

The worker is bundled into the API process in dev mode, so the same `pnpm --filter @letmepost/api dev` command runs the HTTP server and the BullMQ consumer in one process. In production you split them — see [deploying](/self-host/deploying).

## 6. Verify the API

```bash theme={"system"}
curl http://localhost:3000/health
# {"status":"ok"}
```

If you get `connection refused`, check that the Postgres and Redis containers are up: `docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml ps`.

## 7. Sign in and connect Bluesky

Open `http://localhost:3001` and sign up with email + password. Bluesky is the easiest platform to connect for a first smoke test — no OAuth app required, just an [app password](https://bsky.app/settings/app-passwords).

Once the account is connected, copy its `id` from the **Accounts** page and follow [quickstart](/quickstart) — every example works against your local API once you swap `https://api.letmepost.dev` for `http://localhost:3000`.

## Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Environment variables" icon="sliders" href="/self-host/environment">
    Every var the API reads, what defaults to what, and which ones are optional.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Platform credentials" icon="key" href="/self-host/platform-credentials">
    OAuth client setup for LinkedIn, X, Pinterest, Meta, Threads, Instagram.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deploying to production" icon="ship" href="/self-host/deploying">
    Two-service split, managed Postgres + Redis, custom domain.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" icon="stethoscope" href="/self-host/troubleshooting">
    Common boot failures and how to read them.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>