Skip to content

For administrators

This section is for the person who runs Initiative for their group — installing it, configuring it, and keeping it healthy.

If you only use Initiative, you can happily skip this section. Everything you need is in Using Initiative.

You don't need to be a server expert

The recommended setup uses Docker Compose, which is mostly copy-a-file-and-edit-a-few-values. If you can follow a recipe and edit a text file, you can run Initiative. The deeper topics are here when you need them.

What's in this section

  • Installation

    Get Initiative running with Docker Compose.

    Installation

  • Configuration

    The settings that control how your server behaves.

    Configuration

  • Single sign-on

    Connect your identity provider (OIDC).

    Single sign-on

  • Email

    Set up outgoing email for invites and reminders.

    Email

  • Push notifications

    Enable mobile push via Firebase.

    Push notifications

  • File & object storage

    Keep uploads on disk, or use S3-compatible storage.

    Object storage

  • Platform roles

    Server-wide roles, capabilities, and break-glass access.

    Platform roles

  • Backups & updates

    Protect your data and stay current.

    Backups & updates

  • Maintaining these docs

    Build, preview, and publish this help center.

    Maintaining these docs

The first thing to know

The first person to register on a fresh Initiative server automatically becomes the owner — the top administrator, the only role that can change server-wide settings. So the very first sign-up should be you (or whoever will run the server). See Platform roles.