---
title: Your First Deployment
description: "Deploy Uptime Kuma in under 5 minutes with a single Docker command. Your first taste of self-hosting freedom."
---

# Your First Deployment

**By the end of this page**, you'll have [Uptime Kuma](https://thealtstack.com/alternative-to/uptime-kuma) — a beautiful uptime monitor — running on your machine. It takes about 5 minutes.

We're starting with Uptime Kuma because:
- It's a single Docker command (no compose file needed)
- It has a gorgeous UI you'll actually enjoy using
- It's immediately useful — it monitors your other self-hosted tools
- It proves that self-hosting isn't scary

## Prerequisites

- Docker installed on your machine ([install guide](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/))
- A terminal (Terminal on Mac, PowerShell on Windows, or any Linux terminal)

> 💡 **Why?** Docker is how we package and run software without dependency hell. If you haven't installed it yet, the link above takes 3 minutes.

## Let's Ship It

Open your terminal and run this single command:

```bash
docker run -d \
  --restart=unless-stopped \
  -p 3001:3001 \
  -v uptime-kuma:/app/data \
  --name uptime-kuma \
  louislam/uptime-kuma:1
```

That's it. Not kidding.

### What just happened?

| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
| `-d` | Runs in the background (detached) |
| `--restart=unless-stopped` | Auto-restarts if your server reboots |
| `-p 3001:3001` | Makes it accessible on port 3001 |
| `-v uptime-kuma:/app/data` | Saves your data in a Docker volume (survives restarts) |
| `--name uptime-kuma` | Gives the container a human-readable name |

## See It Live

Open your browser and go to:

```
http://localhost:3001
```

You should see the Uptime Kuma setup screen. Create an admin account, add a monitor for `https://google.com` to test it, and watch the green dots roll in.

**Congratulations. You just self-hosted your first tool.** 🎉

## You Did It. Now What?

You just proved to yourself that self-hosting works. Here's where to go next:

1. **[Choosing a Server](/quick-start/choosing-a-server)** — Move from localhost to a real VPS so others can access your tools
2. **[Docker Basics](/concepts/docker-basics)** — Understand what Docker Compose is (spoiler: it's the next level)
3. **[Deploy Plausible](/deploy/plausible)** — Replace Google Analytics entirely
4. **[The Bootstrapper Stack](/stacks/bootstrapper)** — Deploy an entire SaaS toolkit for $0/mo

> 🏆 **The Verdict:** If this felt easy, that's because it *is* easy. The rest of our guides follow the same pattern: copy a config, run a command, own your software.