Getting Started

Platform Setup

Copy page

Once you've deployed OpenCircle using Docker, follow these steps to set up your platform and get started.

Access the Admin Panel

1. Navigate to your admin dashboard: http://localhost:4000 (or your configured ADMIN_URL)
2. Create an Admin Account, Remember that register form is only shown once.

3. After creating an admin account, you will need to log in to access the admin panel.
4. Once logged in, you can manage your platform settings, create channels, and invite users.

Create Your First Channel

Channels are the foundation of community interaction in OpenCircle. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Channels
2. Click Create Channel
3. Fill in the channel details:
   • Name: Give your channel a descriptive name (e.g., "General", "Announcements")
   • Description: Add a brief description of the channel's purpose
   • Emoji: Add a emoji that represents the channel's purpose
   • Visibility: Choose between public or private
4. Click Save to create the channel

Configure Additional Channels (Optional)

Create additional channels for different purposes:

• General: For general discussions
• Announcements: For important updates
• Support: For user support queries
• Random: For off-topic conversations

Access the Platform

1. Navigate to your platform: http://localhost:3000 (or your configured PLATFORM_URL)
2. Users can now sign up or log in
3. They'll see all public channels available to them

Next Steps

• Invite Users: Use invite codes to bring users into your community (found in Admin → Invite Codes)
• Create Content: Add courses, lessons, and articles through the Admin Dashboard
• Customize Settings: Configure app settings, and more in Admin → App Settings

Troubleshooting

Can't access admin panel?

• Verify all services are running: docker compose ps
• Check if port 4000 is accessible: curl http://localhost:4000

Channels not appearing in platform?

• Ensure channels are set to public visibility
• Refresh the platform page and clear browser cache
• Check API connectivity: verify VITE_API_URL in your .env

Users can't log in?

• Verify database is running and accessible
• Check authentication settings in Admin → Core Admin → Auth
• Review API logs: docker compose logs api