New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips

[mouse77]

I recently got a VPS plan through hostinger. I installed it and got stuck on the sign up page. could you let me know how to fill the details. Could someone let me know how to upload an image on this post to show you where I'm stuck at?

the main reason I choose Cloudron was that I heard the dashboard was user friendly for dockers usage

[nebulon]

Welcome here

Not sure at which setup screen you got stuck, but the first step in Cloudron is to give it a dashboard domain to have a way to access the dashboard to then configure it and install apps. We have docs for this at https://docs.cloudron.io/installation/#domain-setup

Afterwards you will be asked to create the owner account of that Cloudron, before you hit the actual dashboard then.

Do you have any questions about a specific step there?

[robi]

@mouse77 said in New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips:

Could someone let me know how to upload an image on this post to show you where I'm stuck at?

You can always take a screenshot and paste it here as an image.

No need to save and then upload, however you can do that too if you want to mark it up with this icon in the larger dual pane editor. Doesn't show up in the quick reply.

[joseph]

@mouse77 said in New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips:

the main reason I choose Cloudron was that I heard the dashboard was user friendly for dockers usage

just a heads up but Cloudron is not a docker frontend .

[mouse77]

What do you mean docker is not frontend? You have to do it through a terminal?

[mouse77]

The domain that is a url? Does my VPS plan have a url or is that the IP address? DNS provider is that my hosting company? What is the secret access key and Key ID referring to?

[necrevistonnezr]

@mouse77 said in New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips:

The domain that is a url? Does my VPS plan have a url or is that the IP address? DNS provider is that my hosting company? What is the secret access key and Key ID referring to?

• Cloudron is not a frontend to random Docker Apps. Only apps listed in the app store are available, https://www.cloudron.io/store/
• at domain you enter your domain url where you want to access Cloudron
• DNS provider is pretty self-explanatory - it‘s possible that it’s your hosting company but not necessarily
• secret access key and key ID refers to the DNS provider you have selected as per your screenshot (AWS)

Maybe familiarize yourself with what Cloudron does (and doesn’t) to avoid frustrating yourself and others: https://docs.cloudron.io/

[mouse77]

Thanks for the documentation. These apps are these through dockers? I read that installing apps through dockers was by a GUI?

[nebulon]

Yes, apps on Cloudron are in the end running as docker container on the system. But that should be more seen as a techical detail and not very relevant to the end-user.

[jdaviescoates]

@nebulon said in New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips:

apps on Cloudron are in the end running as docker container on the system.

But, to be clear, all Cloudron apps (which you can indeed install with a few clicks using the GUI - you almost never have to use the command line with Cloudron!) are using docker, but they are all specifically designed and packaged for Cloudron, you cannot just run upstream docker images on Cloudron.

If you want to understand how Cloudron actually works, I'd recommend watching this video:

https://videos.cloudron.io/w/206fc4b7-9641-4453-8be0-67450f2574b1

See also my notes on that video here: https://forum.cloudron.io/post/21183

[mouse77]

I've encountered another issue, while I am able to view my profile on Cloudron, I cant install apps without signing up which is weird, trouble is I can't register. I thought I already had an account when I did the Domain setup when I first accessed Cloudron

[joseph]

@mouse77 said in New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips:

I cant install apps without signing up which is weird, trouble is I can't register

Are you referring to the login page in the App Store view? If so, this is the cloudron.io account . This account lets you manage the subscriptions (you can login in the future at https://console.cloudron.io/ )

This is separate from the initial account you created. The initial account during Domain setup is just a local admin account .

[mouse77]

This post is deleted!

[mouse77]

@joseph

Hey I think I'm back at the initial issue I had with domain setup. I was not able to access the cloudron site so I decided to reinstall cloudron but now I have a question. for Domain Setup form, the domain part, do I have to use a subdomain and park my VPS server under it? Also later on when I install and self host other apps/software, I would need subdomains for that as well?

[jdaviescoates]

@mouse77 said in New user sign up and docker questions as well best practices, tips:

do I have to use a subdomain and park my VPS server under it? Also later on when I install and self host other apps/software, I would need subdomains for that as well?

No and no, but also sort of yes.

Let me explain:

When setting up you enter a domain (or a subdomain if you wish) and the your Cloudron Dashboard will be installed at my.(sub)domain.tld

Once it's all set-up you can then add as many domains as you wish and then install apps at either the top level domain, or at subdomains.

e.g. when setting up my Cloudron I entered https://uniteddiversity.coop as my domain, and so my Cloudron Dashboard is at https://my.uniteddiversity.coop

But I've also added loads of other domains like e.g. https://bettermedia.uk (where I've installed a WordPress), plus apps on subdomains like https://forum.bettermedia.uk (where I've got a Discourse).

But I also have previously installed a Cloudron at e.g. https://status.uniteddiversity.coop and then for that my Cloudron Dashboard was https://my.status.uniteddiversity.coop

So long as you use a supported domain dns provider (see https://docs.cloudron.io/domains/#dns-providers ) Cloudron will set-up all your DNS records for you. It also sorts out Lets Encrypt SSL certificates.

[mouse77]

What does this mean? What do I do to configure this?

[nebulon]

Since you have selected the wildcard DNS backend, you need to setup a wildcard A record for your domain pointing to your server's IPv4 address as mentioned in the info below the selection input.

[mouse77]

@nebulon I have pointed DNS record but I am still experiencing issues going past the first screen.

I am using a sub domain from a previous url, do I need to purchase a new domain for using cloudron?

If I dont use the wildcard option what else can I consider?

What is most minimal setup path I can take to lower complexity?

[jdaviescoates]

@mouse77 if you buy or transfer a domain to one of supported domain dns provider (see https://docs.cloudron.io/domains/#dns-providers ) it's all automated. Personally I use Gandi

[scooke]

wowzers!