Files
Jeroen Ubbink 52742a6a04 docs: align onboarding with UI-managed secrets
The admin password is generated and logged on first start and the nsec is
set from the admin UI; ADMIN_PASSWORD/NSEC in .env are only a legacy seed.
Update the README, quickstart, configuration, and deployment docs to match,
and drop the unused ADMIN_KEY environment variable.
2026-07-23 10:51:21 +02:00

131 lines
3.5 KiB
Markdown

# Quick Start
Start earning Bitcoin by selling AI access in under 5 minutes.
## What You'll Build
A **Routstr Provider Node** acts as a gateway that:
1. **Connects** to upstream AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, etc.)
2. **Accepts** Bitcoin payments via Cashu eCash
3. **Serves** AI requests to clients on the network
You bring the API keys, Routstr handles the billing, payments, and client management.
!!! tip "Future: Node-to-Node Routing"
In future versions, you'll be able to run a node that connects to other Routstr nodes—eliminating the need to configure upstream providers yourself. For now, you'll need your own API credentials.
---
## Prerequisites
- [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) installed
- API credentials from at least one AI provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, etc.)
---
## 1. Prepare Configuration
Create a `.env` file in the root of the project to store your secrets:
```bash
# Encrypts node secrets at rest. Optional — if unset, the node generates a key on
# first start and prints it once (back it up).
ROUTSTR_SECRET_KEY=
# Node Identity
NAME="My AI Node"
DESCRIPTION="Fast access to models"
# Lightning Payouts
RECEIVE_LN_ADDRESS=yourname@wallet.com
```
The admin password is generated and logged once on first start (read it from the
logs to sign in), and your Nostr identity (`nsec`) is configured afterwards from
the admin UI — both are stored encrypted in the database, not in `.env`.
(`ADMIN_PASSWORD` / `NSEC` are still read once as a legacy seed for existing
deployments.)
## 2. Start the Node
The recommended way to run Routstr is using Docker Compose, which handles the node, the UI, and optional services like Tor.
```bash
docker compose up -d
```
Verify it's running:
```bash
curl http://localhost:8000/v1/info
```
### Build from Source (Optional)
If you've cloned the repository and want to build the images yourself:
```bash
docker compose build
docker compose up -d
```
---
## 3. Configure via Dashboard
Open the **Admin Dashboard** at [http://localhost:8000/admin/](http://localhost:8000/admin/).
!!! note "Login"
On first start the node generates an admin password and logs it once — read it from the container logs to sign in. You can change it afterwards from **Settings****Security**.
### Connect Your AI Providers
1. Navigate to **Settings****Upstream**
2. Enter your upstream URL (e.g., `https://api.openai.com/v1`)
3. Enter your API key
4. Save
### Set Your Profit Margin
1. Go to **Settings****Pricing**
2. Configure your markup (default is 10%)
3. Optionally set a fixed price per request instead
### Secure the Dashboard
1. Go to **Settings****Admin**
2. Set a strong password
3. Save and re-login
---
## 3. Start Earning
Once configured, your node is live. Clients pay you in Bitcoin (via Cashu tokens) for every AI request.
### Monitor Your Earnings
The dashboard shows:
- **Total Wallet**: All Bitcoin held by your node
- **User Balances**: Funds belonging to active client sessions
- **Your Balance**: Your profit (`Total - User Balances`)
### Withdraw Profits
1. Go to **Withdraw** in the dashboard
2. Select amount and mint
3. Generate a Cashu token
4. Redeem to your Lightning wallet
---
## Next Steps
- **[Deployment](deployment.md)**: Production setup with Docker Compose and Tor
- **[Dashboard Guide](dashboard.md)**: Full reference for all dashboard features
- **[Pricing](pricing.md)**: Configure pricing strategies and per-model overrides
- **[Discovery](discovery.md)**: Announce your node on Nostr for clients to find you