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Beginners Guide

A step-by-step guide for getting FiestaBoard running, even if you've never used Docker or the command line before.

What You'll Need​

  • A computer (Mac, Windows, or Linux)
  • A split-flap display that's already set up and working with the board's app
  • Your board's API key (you'll get this in Step 2)
  • About 15 minutes

Step 1: Install Docker​

Docker is the tool that runs FiestaBoard. Think of it as a container that packages everything the app needs.

Mac​

  1. Download Docker Desktop for Mac
  2. Open the downloaded .dmg file
  3. Drag Docker to your Applications folder
  4. Open Docker Desktop from Applications
  5. Wait for Docker to finish starting (the whale icon in your menu bar will stop animating)

Windows​

  1. Download Docker Desktop for Windows
  2. Run the installer
  3. Follow the prompts (enable WSL 2 if asked)
  4. Restart your computer if prompted
  5. Open Docker Desktop

Linux​

# Install Docker
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

# Install Docker Compose
sudo apt-get install docker-compose-plugin

Step 2: Get Your Board API Key​

Your board API key is what lets FiestaBoard send content to your display.

Local API (Recommended — faster, supports animations)​

  1. Open the board's mobile app
  2. Go to Settings → Local API
  3. Copy the API key and note your board's IP address

Cloud API (Alternative — works from anywhere)​

  1. Go to web.vestaboard.com
  2. Log in with your board account
  3. Navigate to the API section
  4. Enable the Read/Write API
  5. Copy the API key — you'll need it in Step 4

Step 3: Download FiestaBoard​

Open Terminal (Mac/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows):

git clone https://github.com/Fiestaboard/FiestaBoard.git
cd FiestaBoard

Option B: Download ZIP​

  1. Go to github.com/Fiestaboard/FiestaBoard
  2. Click the green Code button
  3. Click Download ZIP
  4. Extract the ZIP file
  5. Open a terminal/PowerShell and navigate to the extracted folder

Step 4: Run the Install Wizard​

The install wizard handles everything — it collects your board API key, creates the configuration file, and starts the server.

# Mac/Linux
./scripts/install.sh

# Windows (PowerShell)
.\scripts\install.ps1

The script will guide you through entering your board API key and settings. When it finishes, FiestaBoard is running!

Step 5: Open the Web UI​

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Go to http://localhost:8080
  3. You should see the FiestaBoard dashboard!

FiestaBoard Dashboard

Step 6: Start the Display Service​

  1. In the web UI, click the "▶ Start Service" button
  2. Your board will start updating with content!

Step 7: Enable Plugins​

Now that your server is running, add the data sources you care about:

  1. Go to the Integrations page in the web UI
  2. Enable the plugins you want
  3. For plugins that need API keys (weather, traffic, etc.), enter them directly in the Integrations page — it links to setup instructions for each one

Tip: Many plugins work without any API key — Date & Time, Star Trek Quotes, Guest WiFi, Visual Clock, Sun Art, and more. Start with those!

What's Next?​

Now that FiestaBoard is running:

  • Configure plugins — Go to the Integrations page to enable data sources
  • Create pages — Use the Page Editor to design what appears on your board
  • Set up schedules — Use Schedule Mode to automate when different pages display

Stopping FiestaBoard​

To stop FiestaBoard, press Ctrl+C in the terminal, or run:

docker-compose down

To start it again later (without rebuilding):

docker-compose up

Troubleshooting​

"Docker is not running"​

Make sure Docker Desktop is open and running. Look for the whale icon in your system tray/menu bar.

"Port already in use"​

Another application is using port 8080 or 8000. Stop the other application or change the port in docker-compose.yml.

"Board not updating"​

  1. Check that your board API key is correct in .env
  2. Make sure the display service is started (click the ▶ button in the web UI)
  3. For local mode: verify your board is on the same network
  4. Check the logs: docker-compose logs -f

Need more help?​

Next Steps​