FAQ

What is Automaton?

An open-source platform for deploying web apps, APIs and jobs on servers you control. See Is Automaton for you?.

Does it cost anything?

The software is free under Apache 2.0. You pay for your servers, domain and any AI services you choose. There is no required Automaton subscription.

How long does install take?

About 94 seconds for the installer on Debian 12, and 2-3 minutes from the first command to a working server on Ubuntu 24.04, including the administrator and a Runner. See Install with your AI agent and the measurements.

Do I need an AI coding agent?

No, but Automaton is designed around one. The CLI generates an AGENTS.md and checks so a coding agent can build, validate, deploy and verify an app. You can also write the app yourself.

What can I run?

Static sites, APIs and long-running servers in containers, and finite jobs called Actions. See Build an Automaton app.

What can I not run?

Apps that need autoscaling or multi-region failover; see Current limitations.

Can strangers sign up on my server?

No. Self sign-up is disabled. An administrator creates or invites each user.

Where does my data live?

On your servers. Studio, the API, the database and every app run on machines you install them on.

How do updates work?

Run automaton server update --wait or use Admin → Installation → Update in Studio. See Update the server.

How are backups handled?

Nightly local backups of the database and keys are kept for 7 days. See Back up and restore.

Can I use more than one server?

Yes. Install a Runner on each machine. With one Runner, automaton deploy uses it automatically; with several, you pick one per app (automaton set-runner). There is no automatic balancing or failover.

Is it production-ready?

It runs on our own production server. Fresh-server installs, a restore onto a clean second server, and two-user isolation have been tested; see Current limitations and the measured runs.

How do I report a problem or ask a question?

Open an issue on GitHub.