How to Install NextBlock: Every Setup Option Explained

NextBlock is an open-source, AI-native Next.js CMS built on Supabase — and installing it no longer involves config files, terminal wizards, or manual SQL. Below are four ways to get running, ordered from the simplest to the most hands-on: the first is a single click, the last is the full source for people who want to help build NextBlock. They all end in the same place — a browser setup wizard that connects your database, configures media storage, and creates your admin account for you.

Not sure where to start? Work down the list — pick the first option whose requirements you already have. Most people should start with Vercel.

Option 1: One-Click Deploy on Vercel

Step 1 · EasiestBest for a live site with the least possible effort — no terminal, no accounts to wire up.

The fastest way to get a production NextBlock site. One button creates your own copy of NextBlock on GitHub, provisions a managed Supabase database, and deploys the site — you never open a terminal or copy a single key.

1. Click Deploy to Vercel and sign in — Vercel clones NextBlock into a new repository you own.
2. Name the repository — and make it Public. On Vercel’s first step you choose the repository name; set its visibility to Public rather than Private. A public repo is what unlocks one-click automatic updates later, so it’s the recommended choice.
3. Create the Supabase database when prompted: pick a name and a region. Vercel connects it to the project and injects the keys before the first build.
4. Open your new site once the build finishes. Every fresh instance takes you straight to the setup wizard.
5. Create your administrator account. It is confirmed instantly — no verification email — and you land in the CMS dashboard.

Option 2: npm create nextblock → Docker (100% Local)

Step 2 · EasyBest for trying everything on your own machine with zero cloud accounts. Needs Docker Desktop.

Run NextBlock entirely on your own machine with no cloud accounts at all. The CLI scaffolds a standalone Next.js app and then boots the full stack in Docker for you: Supabase’s Postgres and auth engines, a PostgREST API behind a Kong gateway, S3-compatible MinIO storage, and the CMS itself — ideal for evaluations, air-gapped environments, and anyone who wants complete data ownership.

Before you start, install Node.js 20 or newer (it includes npm) and Docker Desktop, and make sure Docker Desktop is running.

npm create nextblock@latest my-site

1. Choose the hosting profile. At the first prompt, pick Local Self-Hosted Docker Mode (One-Click Local Sandbox), then confirm that Docker Desktop is installed and running.
2. Let it run. The CLI copies the template, installs dependencies, generates secure keys, and boots the whole stack with a single Docker command — no questions asked. The first run pulls images and builds the app, so give it a few minutes; every database migration is applied automatically as the stack comes up.
3. Open http://localhost:3000 — it redirects to the setup wizard. Because the database and MinIO storage are already wired up, the connection and media-storage steps are skipped: the only thing left is creating your administrator (confirmed instantly, no email required). You land in the CMS dashboard.

# rebuild and restart the stack
npm run docker:up

# stop the stack (your data persists in Docker volumes)
npm run docker:down

# follow the application logs
npm run docker:logs

Option 3: npm create nextblock → Your Own Supabase + Cloudflare

Step 3 · IntermediateBest for building your own site on managed cloud. Needs a Supabase project and an R2 bucket.

The best starting point for building your own site on managed cloud. The CLI scaffolds a standalone Next.js application with NextBlock already wired in — no monorepo, no workspace tooling — pointed at a Supabase project and Cloudflare R2 bucket you control, and it deploys anywhere Next.js runs.

Before you start, install Node.js 20 or newer, create a free project at supabase.com, and set up a Cloudflare R2 bucket for your images and files.

npm create nextblock@latest my-site
cd my-site
npm run dev

At the first prompt, choose Managed Cloud Mode (Vercel + Supabase Cloud) and name your project. Then open http://localhost:3000/setup and let the wizard take over:

1. Connect Supabase — paste your project URL, publishable (anon) key, secret (service role) key, and a personal access token so the wizard can apply the database schema for you.
2. Add Cloudflare R2 — enter your R2 account ID, bucket name, access key ID, secret access key, and the bucket’s public URL for serving images and files.
3. Create your administrator — the wizard applies every migration, generates the app secrets, writes .env.local, creates your confirmed admin account, and signs you in. Restart npm run dev once afterwards so the fresh environment is baked into the app.

Option 4: Clone the Repository

Step 4 · AdvancedBest for contributors and teams who want to customize the platform itself. Needs Node.js and git.

Run the full Nx monorepo: the CMS application, every shared package, the CLI source, and the documentation. This is the path for people who want to take part in the project — contributors, plugin authors, and teams that customize the platform itself.

git clone https://github.com/nextblock-cms/nextblock.git
cd nextblock
npm install
npx nx serve nextblock

Open http://localhost:4200 — a fresh install redirects every page to /setup, where the same three-step wizard connects Supabase, configures storage, and creates your admin. It validates your keys, writes .env.local with generated secrets, and applies all migrations over the Supabase Management API — no Supabase CLI required.

npm run docker:setup

After You Install: Your First 10 Minutes

Every path drops you at /cms/dashboard, signed in as the first administrator. A built-in onboarding checklist walks you through the rest:

• Add your branding — upload your logo and set the site title.
• Set your footer — copyright line and footer navigation.
• Configure email (SMTP) — under Settings, so password resets and invitations can send.
• Optional extras — connect analytics, enable bot protection, and (on Vercel) turn on automatic updates.

From there, see how the platform fits together in How NextBlock Works, add a storefront with the Commerce guide, or meet your AI copilot in the Cortex AI guide.

Installation FAQ

What do I need installed?

Nothing for the Vercel path — it runs entirely in the browser. For npm create nextblock in Docker mode: Node.js 20+ and Docker Desktop. For the managed-cloud path: Node.js 20+ plus a Supabase project and a Cloudflare R2 bucket. For the cloned repository: Node.js 20+ and git (add Docker Desktop if you want to run the local stack).

Is NextBlock free?

Yes — the core of NextBlock is a 100% free, open-source CMS (AGPL). Premium packages such as e-commerce and Cortex AI are optional and activate with a license key. Both Vercel and Supabase offer free tiers, so a starter site can run at no cost.

Do I need a Supabase account?

On Vercel, the database is created for you during the deploy. For the managed-cloud npm create nextblock path and the cloned repository you bring a free Supabase project. With Docker — whether through the CLI’s Docker mode or npm run docker:setup in the clone — you need no cloud accounts at all.

Do I have to run migrations or SQL by hand?

No. The setup wizard, the Vercel build, and the Docker stack all apply the database schema automatically — and re-running is always safe.

Can I switch paths later?

Yes. Every path runs the same application and the same database schema, so you can prototype locally with Docker today and deploy to Vercel tomorrow. NextBlock deploys like any standard Next.js app.

How do I update NextBlock?

On Vercel, the Connect GitHub onboarding step enables a daily automatic sync with upstream (this needs your repository to be public). On a cloned repository, git pull, run npm run db:migrate, then restart (on production builds, pending migrations apply automatically). With Docker, pull the latest code and run npm run docker:up.