Getting Started

Get your SaaS application up and running in minutes with this comprehensive setup guide. We'll walk you through everything from installation to your first user signup.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed on your system:
1

Node.js 18+ and pnpm

This project uses pnpm as the package manager and requires Node.js 18 or higher.
# Check your Node.js version
node --version

# Install pnpm if you don't have it
npm install -g pnpm
2

PostgreSQL Database

You'll need a PostgreSQL database. We recommend using Neon DB for its simplicity and performance.
  • Create a free account at neon.tech
  • Create a new project
  • Copy your database URL from the connection details
  • Alternative: Supabase, Railway, or other PostgreSQL providers
3

Stripe Account

For payment processing, you'll need a Stripe account:
  • Create an account at stripe.com
  • Get your test API keys from the dashboard
  • Install Stripe CLI for webhook testing (optional but recommended)

Quick Start (5 minutes)

💡 First time? Follow the detailed guides below for step-by-step instructions. This quick start assumes you have all prerequisites ready.
1

Clone and Install

git clone <your-repository-url>
cd next-saas-boilerplate
pnpm install
2

Environment Setup

# Option 1: Use the interactive CLI tool (recommended)
pnpm init:env

# Option 2: Manual configuration
cp .env.example .env.local

# Edit .env.local with your actual values
3

Database Setup

pnpm db:push
pnpm db:seed
⚠️ Database must be properly configured first! If you encounter UUID errors, see Database Setup Guide for required PostgreSQL extensions.
4

Start Development

pnpm dev
Your app will be available at http://localhost:3000

What You'll Have After Setup

Once setup is complete, your application will include:

Ready-to-Use Features

  • User registration and login with email verification
  • Multiple authentication providers (Google, GitHub, etc.)
  • Subscription plans with Stripe checkout
  • Organization creation and team management
  • Admin panel for managing users and content
  • Email notifications working out of the box

Demo Users & Data

The seed script creates demo data you can use immediately: 
Super Admin: admin@example.com / password123
Regular User: user@example.com / password123
Demo Organization: "Acme Corp" with sample projects

Essential Commands

pnpm dev           # Start development server
pnpm db:studio     # Open database GUI
pnpm db:reset-seed # Reset demo data

Next Steps

🎉 Congratulations! Your SaaS application is now running. Here's what to explore next:

Detailed Guides

Try the App

  1. Register a new user account
  2. Create an organization
  3. Test subscription plans
  4. Access admin panel (admin@example.com)
  5. Explore features and functionality
🚀 Problems? Check logs in terminal or review the detailed installation guide for troubleshooting.
    Getting Started | ShipSaaS Documentation | ShipSaaS - Launch your SaaS with AI in days