- 4 minutes to read

Step 1: Basics

Use the first Portal step to create the Nodinite Environment and choose the target runtime model. An Environment is one isolated Nodinite instance, such as DEV, TEST, or PROD, with its own databases, services, and credentials. The Portal stores everything you set in the wizard on the Environment, and every later install or update package is generated from it.

Example of the Portal Basics step in the Environment wizard.

This step sets the Environment metadata and the runtime that the rest of the wizard inherits. Windows Server (IIS) is the default and the production path: on Windows Server, every Core Service is its own IIS web site with its own port. The container runtimes are sandbox tracks for now; see Choose the Runtime Model.

Prerequisites

A valid Nodinite 7 product key
Access in the Nodinite Portal to the target Customer entry
A planned Environment name and operational purpose; the name is permanent
A decision on the runtime: Windows Server or a container sandbox
The server prerequisites in Prerequisites, which you need before Step 7

What This Step Controls

Area	What it does
Environment metadata	Sets the permanent name and the description of the instance
Runtime selection	Chooses Windows Server (IIS) or one of the container runtimes
Deployment starting point	Establishes the base that Step 2: Auth, Step 3: Infrastructure, and Step 4: Servers refine

Choose the Runtime Model

Warning
The Environment name is permanent. Once the Environment is created and installed, never change its name. A new name breaks installation references, database naming, IIS site naming, and operational expectations across the Environment.

Select the runtime that matches your deployment, then continue with the next steps. Container hosting is coming; today the container runtimes deliver the Core Services only, require OAuth 2.0 / OIDC, and suit sandboxes and evaluations. Compare them in the Runtime Environments Overview.

Runtime	Use when	Guidance
Windows Server (IIS)	Production or on-premises deployment, with agents	Default choice and the path these step pages describe
Docker Compose runtime	Local validation or a container sandbox	Container deployment model with Docker Compose
Kubernetes runtime	Cluster-based sandbox or evaluation	Helm-based workflow
OpenShift runtime	Kubernetes-based enterprise sandbox	Route-based deployment pattern
Azure Container Apps runtime	Managed Azure sandbox	Bicep-based Azure deployment

Register the Environment in the Portal

Open the Nodinite Portal and navigate to your Customer entry.

Example of the Customer entry you open before you register a new Environment.
Verify that a Nodinite 7 product key exists. If it does not, create one before you continue.

Example of a Nodinite 7 product key entry in the Portal.
Open the Environment tab and click Add Environment.

Example of the Add Environment action that starts the installation wizard.
In the wizard, select Install Fresh Nodinite 7.

Example of the Install Fresh Nodinite 7 option in the Portal wizard.

Note
The migration wizard uses the same Portal steps (Basics → Auth → Infrastructure → Servers → Agents → Review and Download). For the migration-specific differences, such as the Upgrade from Nodinite 6 mode, the Legacy Nodinite 6 environment path, and deferred agent configuration, see Updating from v6 to v7.
Enter the base Environment values and choose the runtime model.

Example of the Add Environment dialog where you enter the name and select the runtime.
- Name: the permanent name of the Environment, used in the Portal and in the installation. You can't change it later.
- Description: free text that you can update later.
- Runtime: the target runtime. The default is Windows Server (IIS); select a container runtime only for a sandbox.
After you create the Environment, the Portal opens it and the wizard continues with the selected runtime.

Example of the Edit Environment dialog, where you can update the description and review the runtime before you continue; the name stays fixed.