---
title: Quickstart
description: Deploy your first app on Futrou in about five minutes.
---

This guide takes you from a new account to a live app. You'll deploy a ready-made web server (`nginx`), open it in your browser, and then clean up. You can do it in the dashboard or with the CLI. Both end in the same place.

## Before you start

You need a Futrou account. If you don't have one yet, sign up at [futrou.com](https://futrou.com). You don't need a domain, a server, or anything installed to use the dashboard.

## Deploy from the dashboard

1. Open the dashboard and go to **Serverlets**.
2. Click **Create** and fill in the dialog:
   - **Serverlet Name**: `hello`
   - **Image**: `nginx:latest`
   - **Architecture**: `AMD64`
   - **Min / Max Instances**: `1` and `1`
   - **Serverlet Plan**: the smallest one is plenty
3. Click **Create**. In a few seconds the serverlet is running.

![Create Serverlet dialog showing name, architecture, image, instance count, and plan selection](/img/docs/v2/serverlet-create.png)

Futrou also creates a [proxy](/docs/proxy/) for you. Open your serverlet and you'll see a `*.futrou.cloud` address. Click it and you'll see the nginx welcome page. Your app is live, with HTTPS already working.

## Deploy with the CLI

Prefer the terminal? Install the [Futrou CLI](/docs/cli/) and sign in:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://futrou.com/install.sh | bash
futrou login
```

On Windows, use `irm https://futrou.com/install.ps1 | iex` instead.

Create a new folder with a file called `futrou.yaml`:

```yaml
# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://futrou.com/futrou.schema.json
project: hello
serverlets:
  web:
    image: nginx:latest
    serverletPlanId: <serverlet-plan-id>
    ports:
      - port: 80
```

Run `futrou init config` if you'd rather start from a generated file. Replace `<serverlet-plan-id>` with the plan you want. You can see the plans in the dashboard's plan selector.

Then check the plan and deploy it:

```bash
futrou deploy --dry-run   # show what will be created
futrou deploy             # create it, after you confirm
futrou serverlet ls       # see your serverlet
futrou logs web           # watch the logs
```

## Make changes

Change the image, the number of instances, or the plan, and run `futrou deploy` again. Futrou only changes what is different. In the dashboard, open the serverlet and edit it there.

To deploy your own app, build it as a Docker image, push it to a registry, and use that image name instead of `nginx:latest`.

## Clean up

Delete the serverlet in the dashboard, or run this in your project folder:

```bash
futrou down
```

A stopped or deleted serverlet costs nothing.

## Where to go next

- [Serverlets](/docs/serverlets/): scaling, environment variables, and plans.
- [Domains](/docs/domains/) and [DNS](/docs/dns/): use your own domain instead of `*.futrou.cloud`.
- [Futrou CLI](/docs/cli/): every command in one place.
- [Futrou MCP](/docs/mcp/): let your AI agent deploy for you.