Quickstart

Three steps: create a backend, install ownbackend on the device that will run it, connect the two.

1. Create a backend

Sign in at https://app.ownbackend.com with your email: you get a code by email, no password. Your account is created the first time.

Choose New backend and pick a name: lowercase letters, digits and dashes, like bookings or my-shop. Your app will be at https://<name>.ownbackend.app. The page then shows the commands for step 2 and 3, with a one-time connect code (valid for 30 minutes).

2. Install ownbackend on your device

On Linux or macOS:

curl -fsSL https://ownbackend.com/install.sh | sh

It installs the ownbackend command to ~/.local/bin, without admin rights. On Windows, download ownbackend-windows-amd64.exe.

3. Connect and start

In the folder where your app's backend should live (the dashboard shows the exact command, code included):

ownbackend connect --relay wss://app.ownbackend.com <code>
ownbackend serve

connect links this device to your backend and shows a backup recovery code: keep it somewhere safe, it's the only way to read your backups on another device. serve starts the backend; your app is online at https://<name>.ownbackend.app within seconds. It also prints the command that connects your AI agent to the backend.

The backend keeps its files in a hidden .ownbackend folder next to where you run it (its data there is git-ignored). Your app's built frontend goes in dist/ (Vite's default build folder), and it's served at your app's address.

Or let your AI agent do it

With ownbackend's MCP server, an agent can create the backend (you approve it in the browser), link the device and design the data.

Or start from the device

Without a code, ownbackend serve --relay wss://app.ownbackend.com shows a link and a code; open the link, sign in, pick the name and approve.

Keep it running when you close the terminal or restart: ownbackend service install (Running on your device).
Build your app on it: connect your AI agent (the command serve prints, or the MCP server page) and ask it to build the app. Details for the agent: Using your backend from an app.