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ServFlow Pro is a visual backend engine for building and running APIs. This guide covers all available installation methods to get ServFlow Pro running on your system.
Looking to set up a local development environment with tracing and debugging? See the Local Environment Setup guide.

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Prerequisites

  • A terminal or command-line interface
  • One of the following: Docker, Homebrew, npm, or Go (depending on your installation method)

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Quick Start

The fastest way to get started: 
# Using Homebrew (macOS/Linux)
brew install Servflow/servflow/servflow-pro
servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard

# Or using Docker
docker run -p 8080:8080 -p 3000:3000 servflow/servflow-pro
Access the dashboard at http://localhost:3000

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Installation Methods

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Homebrew (macOS / Linux)

The recommended installation method for macOS and Linux users: 
brew install Servflow/servflow/servflow-pro
After installation, verify it works: 
servflow-pro --version

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npm

Install globally using npm: 
npm install -g servflow-pro
After installation, verify it works: 
servflow-pro --version

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Docker

Pull the latest image from Docker Hub: 
docker pull servflow/servflow-pro:latest
Run with default configuration: 
docker run -p 8080:8080 -p 3000:3000 servflow/servflow-pro
Run with custom configuration and persistent storage: 
docker run -d \
  --name servflow-pro \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  -v $(pwd)/config.toml:/data/config.toml \
  -v $(pwd)/configs:/data/configs \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/data \
  servflow/servflow-pro
This command:
  • Exposes port 8080 for the API server
  • Exposes port 3000 for the dashboard
  • Mounts your configuration file and data directories for persistence

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Binary Downloads

Download pre-built binaries from the Releases page. Available platforms:
  • Linux (x86_64, arm64)
  • macOS (x86_64, arm64)
# Download and extract (example for Linux x86_64)
tar -xzf servflow-pro_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz

# Make executable
chmod +x servflow-pro

# Run
./servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard

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From Source

Build from source using Go: 
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Servflow/servflow-pro.git
cd servflow-pro

# Build
go build -o servflow-pro

# Run
./servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard
Building from source requires Go 1.21 or later.

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Configuration

ServFlow Pro uses a TOML configuration file. Create a config.toml with the following setup: 
[server]
port = "8080"
config_folder = "./configs"
env = "production"

[dashboard]
port = "3000"
configs_folder = "./configs"
master_key = "your-secure-master-key"

[sqlite]
path = "./data/servflow.db"
Never commit your master_key to version control. Use environment variables for sensitive values in production.

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Running Without SQLite

ServFlow can run without SQLite by omitting the [sqlite] section or leaving the path empty. In this mode, ServFlow uses file-based storage.
Running without SQLite disables certain features:
  • Secrets Management — Encrypted storage for API keys and credentials
  • OAuth Integrations — OAuth provider configurations and token storage
  • Metrics Storage — Usage and performance metrics persistence

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Running ServFlow Pro

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Command Line Options

FlagDescription
--config, -cPath to TOML configuration file (required)
--dashboardStart the web dashboard interface
--import-configsImport API configs from config folder to SQLite (requires --dashboard)

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Dashboard Mode

Include the --dashboard flag to start the visual web interface: 
servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard
This starts both the API server (port 8080) and the dashboard UI (port 3000). Use this mode for:
  • Building and testing APIs visually
  • Managing secrets and integrations through the UI
  • Learning ServFlow with immediate visual feedback

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Headless Mode

Omit the --dashboard flag to run without the UI: 
servflow-pro start --config config.toml
This starts only the API server. Use this mode for:
  • Production deployments
  • CI/CD pipelines
  • Containerized environments
  • GitOps workflows
Both modes read API configurations from the same config_folder. You can develop with the dashboard, then deploy the same YAML files in headless mode. See Running Modes for a detailed comparison.

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Next Steps

Quickstart

Build and deploy your first API with ServFlow.

Configuration Reference

Explore all configuration options and environment variables.

Secrets Management

Learn how to manage secrets securely.

Local Development

Set up a local development environment with tracing.