Onboarding

Happier always follows the same high-level flow:

1. Choose a Relay (Happier Cloud is recommended to start; self-hosting is optional).
2. Sign in / create an account on that Relay.
3. Use the desktop app or web client as your control panel. Both can start and drive sessions; desktop can also install and manage the local background service.
4. Get a machine ready:
   • This computer: configure the local background service from the app.
   • Remote machine: bootstrap it over SSH from the app.
5. Optionally enable private access (for example Tailscale) for self-hosted/local Relay access from other devices.

Choose your setup

Option A — Hosted (recommended to start)

You use Happier Cloud as your Relay.

1. Open the desktop app (recommended for local setup) or web app.
2. Choose Happier Cloud when the app asks you which Relay to use. It is a deliberate choice, not a migration of an account from another Relay.
3. Sign in.
4. In the desktop app, open /setup and choose Set up this computer.
   • This configures the local background service against the Relay you just selected.
   • If the app detects Relay drift later, it shows a repair action instead of silently leaving the daemon on another Relay.

Optional CLI path:

# Node-free (recommended): install the CLI binary via the official installer
curl -fsSL https://happier.dev/install | bash
happier setup

happier setup chooses the relay before authentication, then signs in, registers this machine, and reconciles automatic startup. The lower-level happier auth login command remains available when the relay profile and machine lifecycle are already configured.

Notes:

• The desktop app and the installer-installed CLI are self-contained; you do not need system Node/Yarn installed.
• If you prefer an npm workflow, see CLI install (requires Node).

Option B — Self-host Relay only (background service on your laptop)

You run your own Relay (remote machine, LAN box, or even your own computer), but keep the background service on another machine.

1. Install your Relay (examples):

   • Proxmox: see Proxmox deployment.
   • Any machine (managed service): install the CLI, then run happier relay host install --mode system (or remote: happier relay host install --ssh user@host --mode system)
   • Docker: see Deployment → Docker.

2. Open the desktop app or web UI and choose that Relay.

   • Some installers print one-click links/QRs that prefill the Relay URL.
   • Otherwise, open the app and add/select it in Relay settings.

   Use an address every device can actually reach. For Tailscale, each device must be on the same tailnet and the Relay must be published with Tailscale Serve or listen on a reachable Tailscale address; merely installing Tailscale is not enough. For LAN access, bind the Relay to a non-loopback address and allow its port through the host firewall. A Relay bound to localhost inside a VM is local to that VM, not to the Mac or PC hosting it.

3. Create an account / sign in on that Relay.

4. In the desktop app, decide which machine should run the background service:

   • This computer: use /setup → Set up this computer.
   • Another machine: use Add machine over SSH from the Machines settings screen.

If you need an advanced CLI fallback for the daemon host:

# Recommended remote-machine setup:
happier machine setup --ssh user@host --install-relay-runtime

Troubleshooting-only (manual daemon setup on the remote host):

happier server add --name company --server-url https://YOUR_SERVER_URL --webapp-url https://YOUR_WEBAPP_URL --use
happier auth login
happier daemon service install

--use sets the default Relay profile for that CLI installation, but the app-first flow is preferred because it keeps Relay/account selection visible.

Option C — Devbox (server + daemon on the same machine)

You install both the Relay and the background service on one box.

1. Install the stack (for example via hstack setup-from-source --profile=selfhost or the Proxmox “devbox” option).
2. Open the desktop app or web UI and choose that Relay (use the printed configure-server link/QR if available).
3. Sign in / create an account.
4. In the app, use /setup → Set up this computer if you are on that machine, or set up the box over SSH if you are operating it remotely.
5. If the Relay is local/self-hosted, optionally enable private access so phones and other devices can reach it without exposing it publicly.

Recommended for first setup:

• Use the same Relay on every device before linking more machines.
• Use the desktop app as the main control panel for daemon setup, Relay runtime control, and repair actions.

Multiple Relays (personal + company)

• The app and CLI support multiple saved Relay profiles.
• Credentials/state are scoped per Relay, so switching does not overwrite other accounts.
• Accounts are per Relay. Using the same login provider on two Relays still creates two independent server-side account contexts.
• Switching profiles selects another Relay and its account; it does not migrate an account, sessions, or settings between Relays.
• Web: you can switch the Relay for this tab or make it the device default.

CLI: target a server per invocation

happier --server company auth login
happier --server company daemon start

CLI: run multiple daemons on one machine (one per Relay)

Requires Happier 0.2.13 or later. Update earlier versions before following this recipe.

happier --server personal daemon service install --instance personal
happier --server company daemon service install --instance company

Then verify (cross-platform):

happier daemon status --all
happier --server personal daemon service status --instance personal
happier --server company daemon service status --instance company

For complete profile/switching behavior and CLI reference, see Features → Multi-server.