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Quickstart

New to layline.io? This section takes you from zero to a working data pipeline in under 30 minutes.

What You'll Learn​

The Quickstart guide is designed to give you hands-on experience with layline.io's core concepts:

  1. Understand the platform — What layline.io is and what problems it solves
  2. Grasp the mental model — Projects, Assets, Workflows, and Deployment
  3. Install and run — Get layline.io running on your machine
  4. Build your first pipeline — Create a complete end-to-end workflow
  5. Know where to go next — Navigate the documentation for deeper learning

By the end of this section, you'll have a running layline.io instance and a working data pipeline that reads, transforms, and routes data.

Prerequisites​

Before starting, ensure you have:

RequirementDetails
Hardware2 GB RAM minimum, 350 MB disk space
PlatformWindows (x86), macOS (x86 or Apple Silicon), or Linux (AMD or ARM)
BrowserChrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari (last 4–10 versions)
Docker (optional)If choosing the Docker installation route

No prior experience with stream processing or data pipelines is required.

Follow these pages in order for the best learning experience:

1. layline.io at a Glance​

Time: 5 minutes

Get the 60-second overview: what layline.io does, the problems it solves, and how the components fit together. Start here if you're completely new to the platform.

2. Core Concepts in 5 Minutes​

Time: 5 minutes

Understand the six concepts that cover 90% of what layline.io does:

  • Projects — Top-level containers for everything you build
  • Assets — Reusable building blocks (formats, connections, processors)
  • Workflows — The core unit of execution
  • Data Formats — How layline.io understands your data structure
  • Deployment — How configurations become running pipelines

Read this before installing — it makes the Configuration Center UI much clearer.

3. Installation Overview​

Time: 2 minutes

Review your installation options:

  • Full local installation — Complete setup, persistent state, run multiple versions
  • Docker image — No installer, pre-installed samples, non-intrusive

Choose the path that fits your environment.

4. Install layline.io​

Pick one installation method:

OptionTimeBest For
Install Locally10–15 minDevelopment, production deployments, persistent state
Install via Docker5 minQuick evaluation, pre-installed samples, no system changes
Production Deployments

For high-availability production deployments across multiple machines with clustering, see the Multi-Node Cluster Setup guide.

5. Your First Workflow​

Time: 15–20 minutes

Build a complete data processing pipeline:

  • Read CSV transaction files
  • Transform records into a different structure
  • Route records based on content
  • Write to multiple output files
  • Add optional trailer calculations with JavaScript

This is a hands-on tutorial — you'll create Assets, configure processors, and see data flow through your pipeline.

6. Where Next​

Time: 2 minutes

Recommended paths after completing Quickstart:

Time Summary​

SectionTime
layline.io at a Glance5 min
Core Concepts5 min
Installation Overview2 min
Installation (Local or Docker)5–15 min
Your First Workflow15–20 min
Total32–47 min

Common Questions​

Do I need to read everything?

If you're eager to get hands-on: Install first, then come back to Core Concepts if you get stuck.

If you prefer understanding before doing: Read layline.io at a Glance and Core Concepts first.

Can I skip the tutorial?

The Your First Workflow tutorial teaches patterns used throughout layline.io. Even experienced developers benefit from walking through it once.

What if I get stuck?

See Also​

  • Concepts — Deeper dive into layline.io's design philosophy and architecture
  • Project — Working with projects in the Configuration Center
  • Assets — Complete reference for all source, processor, and sink types
  • Operations — Monitoring and managing running workflows
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