Leap Academy · Customer deployment

Self-hosted Docker installation

Install Ideas-to-Action on your own infrastructure using pre-built Docker images. You do not need application source code or Git access — only the deployment package, registry credentials, and a license key from Leap Academy.

What you received

Item	Description
Deployment files	`docker-compose.yml`, `nginx.conf`, `.env.example`
Docker images	Pre-built Ideas-to-Action API (`ideas-to-action-api`) and Web (`ideas-to-action-web`) images from a private registry
Registry credentials	Username / password (or token) to pull images
License key	Organization subscription key from Leap Academy
`APP_KEY`	Laravel encryption key (from support if not included)

The Compose stack runs Nginx, Next.js, Laravel API, MySQL, Redis, a queue worker, and a scheduler.

1. Server requirements

Requirement	Minimum
OS	Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+ or equivalent)
Docker	24+ with Compose v2 (`docker compose`)
CPU / RAM	2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
Disk	20 GB free (grows with DB + uploads)
Outbound HTTPS	Required for license activation and validation

2. DNS

Point your portal hostname at the server (or load balancer) that will run Docker. Use the same hostname everywhere in .env.

Record	Example	Points to
`A`	`portal.yourcompany.com`	Public IP of your server
`CNAME`	`portal.yourcompany.com`	Load balancer hostname

3. HTTPS (TLS)

The bundled Nginx container listens on port 80. Terminate TLS in front of Docker:

Cloudflare, AWS ALB, Azure App Gateway, or host Nginx / Caddy
Forward https://portal.yourcompany.com → http://<server-ip>:80
Preserve Host, X-Forwarded-For, X-Forwarded-Proto

After TLS works, all URLs in .env should use https://.

4. Configure .env

cp .env.example .env

Edit .env before starting the stack.

Required

Variable	Notes
`APP_KEY`	`base64:...` from Leap Academy if blank
`APP_URL` / `NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL`	Public site URL, e.g. `https://portal.yourcompany.com`
`LICENSE_DOMAIN`	Hostname only (no scheme)
`LICENSE_INSTALL_URL`	`https://portal.yourcompany.com/setup`
`DB_PASSWORD` / `DB_ROOT_PASSWORD`	Strong MySQL passwords
`REDIS_PASSWORD`	Required — container will not start without it
`API_IMAGE` / `WEB_IMAGE`	`ideas-to-action-api` and `ideas-to-action-web` tags from Leap Academy
`ORGANIZATION_LICENSE_SERVER_URL`	Leap Academy cloud control plane (not your instance)
`ORGANIZATION_LICENSE_HMAC_SECRET`	Shared secret with cloud — `openssl rand -hex 32`

Fill every blank secret in .env.example before starting. Enterprise administrators are created in the /setup wizard — not via Docker env vars.

Customer instance mode (leave as shipped)

APP_INSTANCE_MODE=customer
LICENSE_REQUIRE_ACTIVATION=true
ORGANIZATION_LICENSE_USE_LOCAL=false
NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=/api

Recommended — mail

Set MAIL_HOST, MAIL_PORT, MAIL_USERNAME, MAIL_PASSWORD, MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS, and MAIL_FROM_NAME for password resets and notifications.

5. Install

On the server, in the folder that contains docker-compose.yml:

docker login registry.ideastoaction.com
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

docker compose ps
curl -s https://portal.yourcompany.com/api/v1/health

Allow 1–2 minutes for MySQL and the API to become healthy before opening the setup wizard.

6. First-time setup wizard

Open /setup on your domain (for example https://portal.yourcompany.com/setup).

Step	What you do
Welcome	Confirm you are on the correct domain
Requirements	Auto-checks PHP, DB, Redis, permissions
Database	Confirms MySQL connectivity
License	Enter the license key from Leap Academy
Administrator	Create the first Enterprise admin
Install	Activates the instance and binds your domain
Completed	Redirect to Enterprise login

Setup can only be completed once per installation. Keep the admin credentials secure.

7. First login

Portal	URL
Enterprise	/enterprise
Setup (first install only)	/setup

Branding (logo, colors, company name) is configured in Enterprise settings after login — not baked into the Docker images.

8. Updates

When Leap Academy publishes a new version:

# Update API_IMAGE / WEB_IMAGE in .env if instructed
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

MySQL volumes and uploaded files are preserved across updates.

9. Optional — external database or Redis

By default Compose starts bundled MySQL and Redis. To use managed services instead:

Set DB_HOST, DB_PORT, DB_DATABASE, DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD to your database
Set REDIS_HOST, REDIS_PORT, REDIS_PASSWORD to your Redis
Remove or comment out the mysql / redis services in docker-compose.yml if you do not need them locally

Queue workers and the scheduler stay in Compose — they reuse the backend image and your .env.

10. Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check
`502` on `/api`	Backend still booting — wait, then `docker compose restart nginx`. If it persists, check `docker compose logs backend` for missing secrets in `.env`.
License invalid	Key typo, wrong domain, or cloud cannot reach instance
Site loads, API fails	`APP_URL` / `LICENSE_DOMAIN` mismatch
Mail not sending	Fill `MAIL_*`, then recreate containers
View logs	`docker compose logs -f backend`

11. Support

When contacting Leap Academy, include your domain, APP_VERSION from .env, and the output of docker compose ps.