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Getting started

Updated: 2026-08-03

Path for an agency tech lead or SME Magento owner: install the CLI, validate a sample config, then either stay local or create a disposable cloud preview.

Target: under 30 minutes from clone → validated magelift.yaml (local path), or under ~one hour to a cloud preview URL after bootstrap (AWS or GCP).

How to get Magento running with MageLift

  1. Install the CLI — follow Install, then run magelift version.
  2. Choose local or cloud — local vs cloud; local Compose needs no cloud credentials.
  3. Copy the sample shop — examples/sample-shop/magelift.yaml, fill account and secret refs, then magelift config validate --env preview.
  4. Preview on a certified target — AWS ECS Fargate or GCP GKE Autopilot; destroy when done.
  5. Optional migrate — leave ACC/Upsun via weekend-migrate.

1. Install

Follow Install (release archive preferred after the first tag, or go install). Then:

magelift version

2. Local vs cloud

Read local vs cloud. Local Compose is for Magento lifecycle without cloud credentials; it is not a production replica.

magelift dev init
magelift dev up

3. Sample shop config

Copy examples/sample-shop/magelift.yaml from the repository into your Magento repo root. Complete the “What to replace” table in examples/sample-shop/README.md (accounts, domains, secret refs — no plaintext secrets).

magelift doctor
magelift config validate --env preview

Then continue with local vs cloud if you are still offline, or jump to AWS preview below.

4. AWS preview (certified)

Requires AWS credentials and an access-log bucket. Preview stacks are billable in your account: destroy when you are done (magelift destroy --env preview --yes). Prefer free-tier-safe shapes (searchMode: disabled, database queues) unless you intentionally want OpenSearch or a broker. Rough AWS shape estimates: magelift cost --env preview.

  1. magelift bootstrap --env preview --access-log-bucket … --github-owner … --github-repo …
  2. Build or promote a signed image digest into config
  3. magelift preview --env preview then magelift deploy --env preview --yes
  4. magelift outputs / magelift health
  5. Destroy when done: magelift destroy --env preview --yes

4b. GCP preview (certified)

GCP GKE Autopilot is also certified. Stacks are billable in your GCP project: destroy when finished. Set a disposable project ID via env (never commit real IDs):

export MAGELIFT_GCP_PROJECT='your-disposable-project'
  1. Complete WIF / bootstrap for the project (see gcp-acceptance for the operator harness shape, or your own gcloud WIF setup)
  2. Put a pullable Magento image digest in config
  3. magelift preview --env preview then magelift deploy --env preview --yes
  4. magelift outputs / magelift health
  5. magelift destroy --env preview --yes

Maintainer create-once proof and harness details: gcp-acceptance.md. Cost estimates via magelift cost are AWS-oriented today; treat GCP spend as project billing in Cloud Console.

5. Leaving PaaS

Config import + dump + DNS cutover: migrating from PaaS and the weekend packaging guide leave PaaS in a weekend.

More answers

FAQ · Compare to PaaS · pricing

Decision pages

Question Doc
What is production-supported? Capability matrix
Can we cut a public tag? Release readiness
Why not stay on ACC/Upsun? Compare to PaaS
Architecture boundaries Architecture, ADRs

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