Getting Started
Begin using SolutionEngine by selecting your deployment model and creating your first project.
Before building workflows, the first step is deciding how SolutionEngine will be deployed in your environment.
The platform supports two primary usage models: a managed cloud deployment and a self-hosted private deployment. Both models provide the same workflow design and management experience. The difference lies in where the Control Plane is hosted and how infrastructure is managed.
Deployment Models
Managed Cloud
The managed cloud version provides immediate access to the platform without infrastructure setup. The Control Plane is hosted and maintained externally, allowing you to focus on defining workflows and connecting execution environments.
This option is suitable when:
- You want to start quickly.
- You do not need full infrastructure control.
- Centralized hosting is acceptable for your operational requirements.
All platform features, including projects, workflows, environments, and storage, are available through the web interface.
Self-Hosted (Private Deployment)
In a self-hosted deployment, you install and operate the Control Plane on your own infrastructure.
This model is appropriate when:
- You require full control over hosting.
- Deployment must remain inside a private network.
- External hosting is not permitted.
Self-hosting involves deploying backend services, configuring storage and database components, and ensuring network connectivity for execution environments.
Refer to the Deployment Guide for infrastructure requirements and setup instructions.
The user interface, workflow design process, and execution model remain the same across both deployment options.
Initial Platform Setup
After selecting your deployment model and accessing the platform, the first action is creating a Project.
Projects provide structural isolation. All resources—including datasources, workflows, environments, and storage—exist within a project boundary. This ensures that separate systems can be managed independently without overlap.
Once a project exists, you can begin defining datasources to receive data and workflows to process it. Execution environments can then be connected and assigned to run those workflows.
The platform does not require a predefined sequence beyond this structure. The typical flow is:
- Establish a project.
- Define how data enters the system.
- Define how that data is processed.
- Assign execution to an environment.
Each of these topics is covered in detail in the following sections of the documentation.
Recommended Reading Order
If you are new to the platform, review the following sections next:
- Projects – Understand resource isolation.
- Datasources – Define how data enters the system.
- Workflows – Structure processing logic.
- Environments – Deploy and manage runtime execution.
- Deployment Guide – For private installation details.