First-run setup

Before creating an account, start the backend, configure HTTPS and set BASE_URL to the exact public origin, such as https://mealf.example.com. The console at / and the PWA at /app/ share that origin. See Installation.

Find the one-time setup token

While no household exists, each backend startup writes a setup_required log entry with setup_token. Read it in your container manager's private Logs view, or use:

docker compose -f compose.yml logs --tail=100 mealf

Alternatively, read the restricted file from the running container:

docker compose -f compose.yml exec mealf cat /data/config/setup-token

For a source build, use docker compose logs aircooker and docker compose exec aircooker cat /data/config/setup-token. Do not paste the token or unredacted startup logs into support issues. Set LOG_SETUP_TOKEN=false in the backend's Compose environment if you prefer file-only retrieval, then recreate the container. The token remains available in the file until successful setup.

Create the household

1. Open the public HTTPS origin in your browser. You can also choose Open your kitchen from the PWA onboarding screen.
2. Enter the setup token.
3. Choose your own username and password. The password must contain at least 12 characters. There is no default account.
4. Enter a household name and an IANA time zone, for example Europe/Zurich or Europe/Berlin. Choose the household language where offered.
5. Complete setup, sign in and open /app/.

Setup creates one household transactionally and then locks. The setup-token file is removed and the token cannot be reused. Configured starts stop logging it, although historical log records remain. Public registration is not available after setup.

Review the initial settings

At /, open Household to verify the name, time zone and default language. The household time zone controls meal dates, shopping-week boundaries and reminder times. The container's TZ variable does not replace it. Changing the displayed English/German UI language is separate from saving the household default.

Open Account to review device sessions. The shared account has household-wide access; there are no separate administrator roles. Each device/browser has its own revocable session. Changing the password revokes all sessions, including your own. AI, Bring! and notifications are optional; configure them only when needed.

Recover a forgotten password

A local Docker administrator can run the interactive recovery command:

docker compose -f compose.yml exec -it mealf python -m aircooker.cli recover

For a source build:

docker compose exec -it aircooker python -m aircooker.cli recover

Enter the new password twice when prompted. Recovery changes the password and revokes all device/browser sessions. Sign in again afterward. There is no public email-reset endpoint. Do not delete the database, token file or volume to recover an existing account.

If setup reports that the household already exists, sign in with that account or use local recovery. If a restart unexpectedly offers setup again, stop and verify that the original /data volume is mounted before creating another household.

Source: administration and deployment.