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Get your first homelab running in under 5 minutes using the managed kombify Cloud platform. No installation required — just sign up, answer a few questions, and deploy.
What you’ll build: A private photo cloud with reverse proxy, monitoring, and photo management — all configured automatically based on your answers.

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Prerequisites

A server

Any Linux server with 4GB+ RAM (VPS, old PC, Raspberry Pi 4+, Mini PC)

SSH access

SSH access to your server with sudo privileges

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Step 1: Create an account

1

Sign up

Go to app.kombify.io and create a free account using your email or GitHub.
2

Verify email

Check your email and click the verification link.
3

Set up passkey (recommended)

For passwordless login, register a passkey using your device’s biometrics or a hardware key.
Passkeys are more secure than passwords and faster to use. kombify recommends registering at least two passkeys for recovery.

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Step 2: Launch kombify TechStack

1

Open tool launcher

From the dashboard, click “Launch Stack” in the tool launcher.
2

Choose deployment mode

Select “Managed” to use Cloud’s hosted Stack instance.
Managed: Stack runs in the cloud, your data stays on your server. Self-hosted: You run Stack yourself — see self-hosted quickstart.
3

Access Stack

You’ll be automatically logged in via SSO — no separate credentials needed.

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Step 3: Create your first stack

This is where the magic happens. The wizard translates your goals into a complete infrastructure configuration.
1

Start the Easy Wizard

Click “New Homelab” and select “Easy Wizard”.
Easy Wizard asks simple questions about what you want to build. Technical Wizard is for experts who want granular control over every setting.
2

Answer the wizard questions

The wizard will guide you through a few simple questions:
QuestionExample AnswerWhat it affects
What do you want to build?”Photo Cloud”Services installed
How many users?“4 (Family)“Resource allocation
Where should it run?”Local Server”Connection method
Do you have a domain?“photos.mydomain.com”SSL and DNS setup
Backup level?”Daily”Backup configuration
3

Review the generated spec

The wizard generates a complete kombination.yaml file:
stackkit: base-kit
version: "1.0.0"

meta:
  name: "My Photo Cloud"
  description: "Private photo cloud for family"

nodes:
  - name: main-server
    type: local
    connection:
      host: 192.168.1.100
      user: kombify

services:
  - traefik      # Reverse proxy with auto-SSL
  - uptime-kuma  # Service monitoring
  - immich       # Photo management with AI

backup:
  enabled: true
  schedule: "0 3 * * *"  # Daily at 3 AM
This file is your single source of truth. It’s version-controlled, shareable, and fully reproducible. You can edit it manually or use the wizard to make changes.
Before deploying to real hardware, test your configuration in a safe virtual environment.
1

Start simulation

Click “Simulate” to launch kombify Simulate. This creates Docker containers that behave like real servers.
2

Wait for startup

The simulation typically takes 30-60 seconds to start. You’ll see:
✅ Creating virtual network...
✅ Starting simulation node: main-server
✅ Installing services...
   ├─ traefik: ready
   ├─ uptime-kuma: ready
   └─ immich: ready
✅ Simulation ready!
3

Test your services

Access the simulated services to verify everything works:
ServiceURLWhat to check
Traefikhttp://localhost:8080Dashboard loads, routing configured
Uptime Kumahttp://localhost:3001Monitoring UI accessible
Immichhttp://localhost:2283Photo upload works
4

SSH into simulation (optional)

For debugging, you can SSH into the simulated server:
ssh -p 2222 root@localhost
# Password: kombisim
This gives you a real shell to inspect logs, check configurations, and troubleshoot.
5

Stop simulation

When satisfied that everything works, click “Stop Simulation” to clean up.
Simulation is optional but strongly recommended for your first deployment. It catches configuration errors before they affect real infrastructure.

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Step 5: Deploy to real hardware

1

Install agent

Copy the agent installation command from the dashboard:
curl -sSL https://install.kombify.io/agent | sudo sh -s -- \
  --token YOUR_UNIQUE_TOKEN \
  --server https://api.kombify.io
Run this on your server.
2

Wait for connection

The dashboard will show “Agent Connected” when ready.
3

Deploy

Click “Apply” to start the deployment.You’ll see real-time progress:
✅ Validating configuration...
✅ Connecting to node: main-server
✅ Installing Docker services...
   ├─ traefik: running
   ├─ uptime-kuma: running
   └─ immich: running
✅ Deployment complete!

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Step 6: Access your services

Your services are now running! Access them at:
ServiceURLPurpose
Traefik Dashboardhttp://your-server:8080Reverse proxy status
Uptime Kumahttp://your-server:3001Service monitoring
Immichhttp://your-server:2283Photo management
If you configured a domain, services will be available at service.yourdomain.com with automatic SSL.

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Next steps

Add more services

Extend your homelab with more services

Set up a domain

Configure DNS and SSL certificates

Explore StackKits

Browse available infrastructure blueprints

Join community

Get help and share your setup

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Troubleshooting

Check the agent status on your server:
sudo systemctl status kombify-agent
sudo journalctl -u kombify-agent -f
Check Docker logs:
docker logs traefik
docker logs immich
  • Check firewall rules: sudo ufw status
  • Verify ports are open: sudo netstat -tlnp | grep -E "80|443|2283"
  • Check Docker network: docker network ls
Need help? Join our Discord community or email support@kombify.dev.