This quick start uses the supplied Windows setup bundle and a prepared Debian-family Linux controller. Complete the prerequisite checklist first.
1. Extract the release
Extract the complete BFC release archive to a local folder. Keep these items together:
BFC.SetupTool.exe
images/
files/
_volumes/
The Setup Tool searches the nearby images folder for the Gateway and Console image matching the controller architecture. It also uses files/node-red-bfc-gateway.tgz when setting up Node-RED.
2. Connect to the controller
- Run
BFC.SetupTool.exe. - Select Connect to host.
- Select Add connection.
- Enter a descriptive name, the controller host or IP address, its SSH username, and password.
- For password-based SSH, enable Store password on this computer.
- Save the entry, select it, and press Connect.
After connection, the main window shows all Docker containers on the controller. A connection failure normally means SSH, the Linux distribution, the CPU architecture, Docker access, or curl is not ready.
Saved connections are written to a local JSON file. Stored passwords are not encrypted in the current preview. Use a trusted workstation and protect the extracted folder.
3. Load and provision services
Use the commissioning actions in this order:
- Upload images — streams the architecture-specific BFC Console and Gateway images to Docker on the controller.
- Setup gateway — creates the BFC network, MariaDB volume, MariaDB, phpMyAdmin, and Gateway containers.
- Setup Node-RED — optional; creates Node-RED and installs the BFC Gateway node and FlowFuse Dashboard package.
Wait for each progress operation to finish. The container overview refreshes automatically.
4. Check the Gateway
From a browser on the same network, open:
http://CONTROLLER_IP:5000/
The Gateway home page links to the active-tag view, Swagger API explorer, and phpMyAdmin. Confirm the health endpoint:
http://CONTROLLER_IP:5000/api/health
The first empty database is seeded with the preview account admin / admin. Do not expose this installation to an untrusted network.
5. Run a script
- In the Setup Tool, select Upload script.
- Choose
_volumes/__lua_scripts/examples/hello-world.luafrom the extracted release. - Wait for a new container named similar to
BFC-hello-world. - Select Console on that row to see its log output.
The hello-world script logs a success message and requests its own shutdown. For a continuous example, copy a script from _volumes/__lua_scripts/production, update its device addresses and credentials, then upload the copy.