Install
Install Levelrail in one command
For a Linux server you own. Docker is installed for you if it is missing.
curl -fsSL https://levelrail.com/install.sh | sudo sh Pre-release software. A single node is the well-tested path and multi-node is in beta.
Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | Linux, amd64 or arm64, with systemd. Tested in CI on Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 12. Other distros should work but are untested. Windows and other non-Linux systems are not supported. |
| Docker | 24 or newer. The installer sets it up through get.docker.com if it is missing. |
| Access | Root, plus curl. |
| Ports on the control plane node | 80/tcp and 443/tcp inbound. Port 80 is needed for Let's Encrypt HTTP-01. 443/udp is optional, for HTTP/3. |
| Ports on agent-only nodes | None. Agents dial out to the control plane. |
| Starting size | 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM and 10 GB disk boots Docker and the control plane. 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM and 20 GB disk is more comfortable once builds and apps run. No minimum has been benchmarked or published yet. |
What the installer does
- Runs preflight checks (root, architecture, OS, systemd, curl, Docker version, RAM, free disk, ports 80, 443 and 8080). Low RAM only warns, other failed checks stop the install unless you pass --force. If ports 80 or 443 are already held by another service, it switches to coexist mode (ingress on 8088 and 8443, dashboard on loopback) instead of failing.
- Installs Docker if it is missing.
- Downloads the newest stable release for your architecture, verifies its SHA-256 checksum and, when cosign is available, its cosign signature. It installs a pinned cosign if none is present, unless you pass --no-cosign.
- Installs levelrail-cli to /usr/local/bin from the same release.
- Writes a systemd unit, starts it and waits for the health check.
- Checks that ports 80 and 443 answer on the public IP and prints the firewall commands if they do not.
- Prints the dashboard URL, a one-time setup token for the first admin, and a reminder to back up the master key in /var/lib/levelrail-data.
Supported hosts
Any Linux server with systemd on amd64 or arm64: a home server, a VPS, an EC2 instance or a Google Cloud VM. The installer has no distro allowlist, it checks for Linux, systemd, curl and a usable Docker. Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 12 are the ones tested in CI, so treat other distros as untested.
First sign-in
- Open the setup link from the install summary. The dashboard port is 8080 by default, and the installer prints the real one if that was taken.
- Create the admin account. The setup wizard then runs the server checks.
- Enable HTTPS from the Domains page. Until you do, the dashboard shows a banner that the connection is not encrypted.
Back up the master key in /var/lib/levelrail-data. Every stored secret is encrypted with it.
Only the CLI
To control an existing instance from your laptop, install just the CLI. The server installer sets up the server, not a remote client.
curl -fsSL https://levelrail.com/install-cli.sh | sh Docker, pinned versions and source builds
The docs cover running the published Docker images, pinning a release, choosing the beta channel, signature verification and building from source. Read the install docs
Uninstall
This removes the service, unit file and binary, and keeps your data.
curl -fsSL https://levelrail.com/install.sh | sudo sh -s uninstallTo also delete the data directory, which holds the database, the master key and certificates, add --purge. This deletes all app and deploy state and the master key your secrets are encrypted with.
curl -fsSL https://levelrail.com/install.sh | sudo sh -s uninstall --purgeNeither command removes Docker, the containers, images and volumes of your deployed apps, or levelrail-cli.
Install questions
How do I install Levelrail?
Run curl -fsSL https://levelrail.com/install.sh | sudo sh on a Linux server with systemd. It checks the host, installs Docker if needed, installs the control plane and prints a one-time setup link for the first admin.
What are the requirements to install Levelrail?
A Linux server (amd64 or arm64) with systemd, root access, curl and ports 80 and 443 open. 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM and 10 GB disk is a starting point. Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 12 are tested in CI.
Does Levelrail run on Windows or macOS?
No. Nodes must be Linux. You can still control a server from any machine with the CLI or the dashboard.
How do I uninstall Levelrail?
Run the installer with the uninstall argument. It removes the service, unit file and binary and keeps your data unless you add --purge. It does not remove Docker or the containers and volumes of your deployed apps.