Quick Start¶

From zero to a running Kamerplanter instance with your first plants in 5 minutes.

Prerequisite

Docker and Docker Compose must be installed. If not, follow the Installation guide first.

1. Download the repository¶

Download the source code and navigate to the directory:

git clone https://github.com/nolte/kamerplanter.git
cd kamerplanter

Don't have Git installed?

You can also download the repository as a ZIP file: Go to the GitHub page, click the green Code button and choose Download ZIP. Extract the file and open a terminal in the extracted folder.

2. Create configuration¶

Copy the example configuration and adjust the passwords:

cp .env.example .env

Open the .env file in a text editor and change at least the passwords:

.env

# Set secure passwords (at least 12 characters recommended)
ARANGO_ROOT_PASSWORD=your-secure-password      # (1)!
ARANGODB_PASSWORD=your-secure-password          # (2)!

The database password. Choose a secure password — it won't be shown in the browser.
Must be identical to ARANGO_ROOT_PASSWORD.

Generate a secure password

On Linux/macOS you can generate a random password:

openssl rand -base64 24

Copy the output and use it as the password in your .env file.

You can leave the remaining settings at their default values for now.

3. Start Kamerplanter¶

Start all services with a single command:

docker compose up -d

Docker downloads the required images on first start. This may take 2–5 minutes depending on your internet connection. Subsequent starts are much faster.

Check that all services are running:

docker compose ps

You should see five services, all with status running or healthy:

NAME                  STATUS
kamerplanter-arangodb-1        running (healthy)
kamerplanter-valkey-1          running (healthy)
kamerplanter-backend-1         running (healthy)
kamerplanter-celery-worker-1   running
kamerplanter-celery-beat-1     running
kamerplanter-frontend-1        running (healthy)

A service shows 'unhealthy' or 'restarting'?

Wait 30 seconds and run docker compose ps again — some services take a bit longer to start. If the problem persists, check the logs:

docker compose logs backend

4. Open Kamerplanter in your browser¶

Open your browser and go to:

http://localhost:8080

Since Kamerplanter starts in Light Mode by default, there is no login screen. You'll go straight to the Onboarding Wizard.

5. Walk through the Onboarding Wizard¶

The wizard guides you through setup in five steps:

Step 1: Experience level¶

Choose how much experience you have with plant care:

Beginner — Shows only the core features. Great for getting started.
Intermediate — Adds fertilization, tanks, and sensors.
Expert — All features visible.

You can change the level at any time later.

Step 2: Environment & location¶

Describe where your plants are — e.g. "Kitchen window" or "South balcony". Kamerplanter uses this information to suggest suitable starter kits.

Step 3: Choose a starter kit¶

Select a pre-configured scenario. The starter kit automatically creates matching plant species, growth phases, and fertilization plans.

Starter Kit	For whom?
Windowsill Herbs	Basil, parsley & co. on the windowsill
Houseplant Starter	The most popular houseplants
Pet-Friendly Houseplants	Non-toxic plants for homes with pets
Balcony Tomatoes	Growing tomatoes on the balcony
Succulents & Cacti	Low-maintenance succulents
Mediterranean Herbs	Rosemary, thyme, oregano
Balcony Chillies	Chilli growing on the balcony
Vegetable Bed	Vegetables in an outdoor bed
Indoor Grow Tent	Controlled indoor growing

Step 4: Plants & favorites¶

Specify how many plants of each type you want to create, and mark your favorite plants.

Step 5: Summary¶

Review the summary and click Finish. Kamerplanter creates everything automatically and takes you to the dashboard.

Done!¶

Your Kamerplanter is running. From here you can:

View plants and track growth status
Check tasks created by the starter kit
Adjust locations — rename rooms, add new ones
Add more plants — via the "Master Data" menu

Useful commands¶

Command	What it does
`docker compose up -d`	Start all services
`docker compose stop`	Stop all services (data is preserved)
`docker compose down`	Stop and remove containers (data is preserved)
`docker compose down -v`	Stop everything and delete all data (fresh start)
`docker compose logs -f backend`	Follow backend logs live
`docker compose ps`	Show status of all services

Deleting data

The command docker compose down -v permanently deletes all stored data. Only use it if you want a complete fresh start.

Access points¶

Service	URL	Description
User interface	http://localhost:8080	The Kamerplanter app
API documentation	http://localhost:8000/api/v1/docs	Interactive API reference (Swagger UI)
Database UI	http://localhost:8529	ArangoDB web interface (for advanced users)