Instructions

Every service installed on StartOS ships with an Instructions page, accessible from a tab on the service details page sidebar (just below Dashboard). Instructions are written by the package’s developer for you, the person actually running the service — they explain what the service is, walk you through getting it set up on StartOS, and tell you how to use it once it’s running.

When to Read Them

The first time you install a service is the most useful moment to open Instructions. Many services have a small number of setup steps that need to happen before they’re truly usable — creating an admin password, importing a config, installing a dependency, registering a domain, and so on. Instructions are where the developer documents that path, in the order you should follow it.

After initial setup, Instructions remain a quick reference for day-to-day use: which interfaces the service exposes, which actions in the sidebar do what, and any limitations you should know about.

What’s In Them

A well-written Instructions page typically covers:

• What the service is — a short description of what it does.
• What you get on StartOS — how this packaged version looks and behaves on your server.
• Getting set up — numbered steps to take the service from a fresh install to a usable state.
• Using the service — the interfaces, actions, and tasks you’ll work with.
• Limitations — anything that behaves differently from the upstream version of the software.
• External links — the project’s home page, upstream documentation, and support channels for when you need to go deeper.

Instructions vs. README

A package’s GitHub README is a technical document for developers and contributors — how the package is built, how it differs internally from the upstream service. Instructions, by contrast, are written for you: practical, step-by-step, focused on what to click and what to expect. If you ever want both perspectives, the README lives in the package’s repository, linked from the About tab.

Missing or Empty Instructions

If a service was installed before its developer added an Instructions page (or hasn’t published instructions yet), the tab will display a notice that no instructions are provided. In that case, check the service’s About tab for links to the package repository and upstream docs, or wait for an update that includes instructions.