upstream-mattermost/docs/main/deployment-guide/quick-start-evaluation.mdx

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title: "Quick Start Evaluation"
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This guide provides instructions for quickly trying out Mattermost using either Docker or Azure Marketplace. These options are ideal for testing and evaluation purposes as they allow you to quickly get a Mattermost instance up and running for exploration and testing. However, these quick start options are not recommended for production use. They are configured for demonstration purposes only.

## Deployment options

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<TabItem value="azure-marketplace" label="Azure Marketplace">

Mattermost is published as an **Azure Marketplace** solution that deploys a single Ubuntu virtual machine with Mattermost, PostgreSQL, network configurations, and the necessary Azure resources. This quick start evaluation option is preferred for customers already using Azure, as it integrates seamlessly within their existing infrastructure.

## Prerequisites

- An active **Azure subscription** with permission to create resources and accept **Azure Marketplace** billing terms for the offer.
- Familiarity with the **Azure portal** (resource groups, networking, and virtual machines).

## What gets deployed

The template provisions a small, self-contained stack in the resource group you select, including:

1.  **Virtual machine (Linux):** Runs Mattermost, PostgreSQL, and the reverse proxy.
2.  **Public IP address:** Allows access to the Mattermost workspace over the public internet, enabling users to connect to the platform securely.
3.  **Network interface:** Facilitates communication between the Virtual Machine and other Azure resources through a defined network layer.
4.  **Network security group:** Acts as a virtual firewall, controlling inbound and outbound traffic to protect the deployed resources from unauthorized access.
5.  **Managed OS disk:** Provides persistent storage mounted to the Virtual Machine for storing files generated by Mattermost, including uploaded documents and system configurations.
6.  **Virtual network:** An isolated network environment for the deployed resources, enabling private and controlled connectivity between infrastructure components. This can be a newly created or existing environment depending on your selection in the portal.

## Step 1: Select a plan and start creation

Go to the [Mattermost - Quick Start Evaluation (VM)](https://azuremarketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/apps/mattermost.mattermost-all-in-one) Azure Marketplace application to begin. Click **Get it now**, then select the **Mattermost - Quick Start Evaluation (VM)** plan, and click **Create** to open the deployment wizard.

## Step 2: Basic Configuration

On the **Basics** tab, configure the following:

1.  **Subscription:** Choose the Azure subscription where the deployment will live.
2.  **Resource group:** Either select an existing resource group or create a new one. Using a **new** resource group keeps evaluation resources easy to find.
3.  **Region:** Select the deployment region for your Virtual Machine (for example, **East US** or **West Europe**).
4.  **Virtual Machine name:** Provide a unique name for your Virtual Machine.
5.  **Username:** Linux administrator account on the VM.
6.  **Email:** Used for Let's Encrypt registration when the instance requests a TLS certificate. Use a mailbox you can access since you may receive operational emails from the certificate authority.
7.  **Support email:** Contact email for end users to reach the instance administrator for troubleshooting.
8.  **Authentication type:** **Password** or **SSH public key** only for Linux sign-in to the VM. Password is often simpler for a quick trial; SSH key is appropriate if your organization requires key-based Linux access.

## Step 3: Virtual Machine Settings and Network Configuration

On **Virtual Machine Settings** tab, configure the following:

1.  **Virtual machine size:** For trials, we recommend **Standard_F2s_v2** size but you can choose any other size available in your region.
2.  **Public IP address:** Typically **create new**. You must set a **DNS prefix** (label) that is **globally unique** in Azure; it forms part of your URL. This DNS will allow public access to your workspace. It is important that you do not already have a matching DNS name within your Azure subscription, or your deployment may fail later in the process.
3.  **Virtual network:** **Create new** with the suggested address space, or attach an existing VNet and subnet that meet the constraints. Using a new virtual network avoids collisions with overlapping address spaces in the same subscription.

The portal may show a preview of your URL in the form `https://<dns-label>.<region>.cloudapp.azure.com`. That is the address you will use once TLS and Mattermost are ready.

## Step 4: Review and create

Review settings, accept any **Marketplace** terms if prompted, then select **Create**. Provisioning usually takes a few minutes, and the first-boot configuration may take more time before HTTPS works reliably.

**After deployment completes:**

- In the Azure portal, open the **resource group** you used.

- Open the **Public IP address** resource (often named `<your-vm-name>-ip` unless you changed it).

- Under **Essentials**, note the **DNS name**. Your site URL is:

  `https://<dns-label>.<region>.cloudapp.azure.com`

  Example: `https://myorg.eastus.cloudapp.azure.com`

Use **https**; the deployment is intended to serve Mattermost over TLS.

## Step 5: Open Mattermost and create your administrator

In a browser, go to your **HTTPS** URL. Mattermost will prompt you to **create the first user**, which becomes the **System Administrator**. That account is different from the **Linux** username and password (or SSH key) you configured in Step 3.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully deployed Mattermost for evaluation.

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<TabItem value="docker-preview-container" label="Docker Preview Container">

The fastest way to try Mattermost is using the official Docker preview container. This method requires minimal setup and provides a fully functional Mattermost instance.

## Docker Preview Prerequisites

- Docker installed on your system
- At least 1GB of available RAM
- At least 1GB of available disk space

## Run Mattermost using Docker

1.  Pull and run the Mattermost preview container:

> ``` bash
> docker run --name mattermost-preview -d --publish 8065:8065 mattermost/mattermost-preview
> ```

2.  Access Mattermost at `http://localhost:8065`
3.  Create your first admin account when prompted.

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## Next steps

After setting up your Mattermost instance using either method:

- Create your first team and channels
- Invite users to join your workspace
- Explore Mattermost features and integrations
- Review the [Application architecture](/deployment-guide/application-architecture) to understand the system better
- [Plan your deployment](/deployment-guide/server/server-deployment-planning) before moving to production

For additional help or questions, visit the [Mattermost community forums](https://forum.mattermost.com/) or refer to the [Deployment troubleshooting](/deployment-guide/server/troubleshooting) guide.

[Book a live demo](https://mattermost.com/request-demo/) or [talk to a Mattermost expert](https://mattermost.com/contact-sales/) to explore tailored solutions for your organization's secure collaboration needs. Or try Mattermost yourself with a [1-hour preview](https://mattermost.com/sign-up/) for instant access to a live sandbox environment.