> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.alginte.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start

> Run Alginte against your Kafka cluster in one command.

The fastest way to try Alginte is the Docker image. You need a reachable Kafka broker.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Run the image">
    Point Alginte at your broker and expose the UI on port `8888`:

    ```shell theme={null}
    docker run -p 8888:8888 \
      -e SPRING_KAFKA_BOOTSTRAPSERVERS=<kafka-host>:9092 \
      alginte/alginte:latest
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the UI">
    Browse to [http://localhost:8888](http://localhost:8888).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Alginte **fails fast on startup** if the broker is unreachable — this is by design.
  Inside a container, `localhost` is the container itself, so
  `SPRING_KAFKA_BOOTSTRAPSERVERS=localhost:9092` will not find a broker on your host.
  Use a hostname/IP reachable **from the container**, or join the broker's Docker
  network — see [Run with Docker](/installation/docker).
</Warning>

## Prefer no container?

Download the standalone fat JAR and run it with Java 25:

```shell theme={null}
java -jar alginte.jar --spring.kafka.bootstrap-servers=<kafka-host>:9092
```

By default this serves **only your local machine** (`server.address=localhost`). See
[Run with the JAR](/installation/jar) to expose it on a network safely.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configuration" icon="sliders" href="/operate/configuration">
    Wire up Schema Registry, Connect, and ksqlDB.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="lock" href="/operate/authentication">
    Turn on login before exposing Alginte on a network.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>