Local Mode
Run Canine on your local machine using Docker Compose. This is the fastest way to get started with a self-hosted instance.
Prerequisites
- Docker with the Compose plugin (
docker compose)
Installation
Option 1: Install Script
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/czhu12/canine/refs/heads/main/install/install.sh | bash
This will:
- Clone the Canine repository to
~/.canine/src - Detect your Docker socket
- Generate a
SECRET_KEY_BASE - Start all services via Docker Compose
Option 2: Canine CLI
canine local start
See the CLI local command docs for more options.
Onboarding
Once Canine is running, navigate to http://localhost:3456 (or your custom port). You'll see the onboarding screen where you create your admin account.
[TODO: screenshot of local mode onboarding screen]
After onboarding completes:
- Sign-up is disabled — no one else can register via the sign-up page.
- Additional users can be invited by the admin through the team management UI.
Managing the Instance
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
canine local start | Start services |
canine local stop | Stop services |
canine local status | Check service status |
canine local upgrade | Pull latest images |
Environment Variables
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
BOOT_MODE | local | Set automatically by the Docker Compose file |
SECRET_KEY_BASE | (generated) | Rails secret key |
PORT | 3456 | Port Canine listens on |
LOCAL_MODE_PASSWORDLESS | false | Enable passwordless login (for trusted networks only) |
File Locations
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
~/.canine/src/docker-compose.yml | Docker Compose configuration |
~/.canine/src/.env | Environment variables |