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Installation

NetPad is a Next.js application that can be deployed to Vercel or self-hosted. This guide covers both deployment options.

Prerequisites​

  • Node.js 18 or higher
  • MongoDB connection (Atlas, self-hosted, or cloud)
  • npm or yarn package manager

Quick Setup (Vercel - Recommended)​

The fastest way to get NetPad running is to deploy to Vercel:

  1. Fork or Clone the Repository:

    git clone https://github.com/mrlynn/netpad-v3
    cd netpad-v3

  2. Install Dependencies:

    npm install

  3. Configure Environment Variables: Create a .env.local file with the required variables (see Configuration for details)

  4. Deploy to Vercel:

    • Connect your GitHub repository to Vercel
    • Configure environment variables in Vercel dashboard
    • Deploy automatically on push

Local Development Setup​

For local development:

  1. Clone the Repository:

    git clone https://github.com/mrlynn/netpad-v3
    cd netpad-v3

  2. Install Dependencies:

    npm install

  3. Set Up Environment Variables:

    cp .env.example .env.local
    # Edit .env.local with your configuration

  4. Generate Encryption Keys:

    # Generate SESSION_SECRET
    openssl rand -base64 32

    # Generate VAULT_ENCRYPTION_KEY
    openssl rand -base64 32

  5. Set Up MongoDB:

    • Create a MongoDB database named form_builder_platform
    • Organization databases will be created automatically as org_{orgId}

  6. Run Development Server:

    npm run dev

    The application will be available at http://localhost:3000

Self-Hosted Deployment​

For self-hosted deployments:

  1. Build the Application:

    npm install
    npm run build

  2. Set Environment Variables: Configure all required environment variables (see Configuration)

  3. Start the Application:

    npm start

  4. Use a Process Manager (Recommended):

    # Using PM2
    pm2 start npm --name "netpad" -- start

  5. Configure Reverse Proxy (nginx example):

    server {
      listen 80;
      server_name yourdomain.com;
      
      location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
      }
    }

Docker Deployment (Future)​

Docker deployment support is planned for a future release. See Deployment Guide for details.

Verification​

After installation, verify your setup:

  1. Visit your NetPad URL
  2. Sign up for an account
  3. Create your first form
  4. Connect to a MongoDB instance

Troubleshooting​

Common installation issues:

  • Connection Errors: Verify MONGODB_URI is correct
  • Encryption Errors: Ensure VAULT_ENCRYPTION_KEY is properly set
  • Build Errors: Clear .next folder and rebuild
  • Port Conflicts: Change port with PORT=3001 npm run dev

For more help, see Troubleshooting or open an issue on GitHub.

Next Steps​