Install Blocks

Blocks is a self-hosted SaaS platform. Each installation needs a signed license issued by the Blocks operator through ag-manager. The free evaluation license lasts one month and allows exactly one customer tenant. Since Blocks counts its internal config tenant in the cap, the signed value must be MAX_TENANTS=2.

Linux (x86-64)

Download the Linux x86-64 release · SHA-256 checksums. Extract into a dedicated directory and start the server as the same OS user that owns its data:

curl -fL https://masterbrains.org/downloads/blocks-linux-x86_64.tar.gz -o blocks-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
mkdir -p "$HOME/blocks"
tar -xzf blocks-linux-x86_64.tar.gz -C "$HOME/blocks" --strip-components=1
cd "$HOME/blocks"
./blocks serve

Windows (PowerShell, x86-64)

Download the Windows x86-64 release · SHA-256 checksums.

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://masterbrains.org/downloads/blocks-windows-x86_64.tar.gz" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\blocks-windows-x86_64.tar.gz"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Blocks" | Out-Null
tar -xzf "$env:TEMP\blocks-windows-x86_64.tar.gz" -C "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Blocks" --strip-components=1
Set-Location "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Blocks"
.\blocks.exe serve

For unattended deployment, configure the OS firewall and reverse proxy for HTTPS before exposing Blocks to the internet. Run the process under a dedicated service account, and back up the configured data directory.

First launch and license activation

  1. Open http://localhost:8000/onboarding on the host, or tunnel that port over SSH if installing remotely. If the browser does not open automatically, use the URL manually.
  2. Complete app identity, public base URL, support email, sign-in, and payment settings. For password sign-in, set the first administrator email and a strong password.
  3. In onboarding, select “Generate Request String” under Encrypted License Request and send that string to the Blocks operator. The request does not include plaintext secrets.
  4. The operator issues a one-month evaluation license with MAX_TENANTS=2 (the internal config tenant plus exactly one customer tenant) and the allowed plugin list, then returns the signed license block.
  5. Paste the entire signed license block into “License Block / Signature” in onboarding. Do not edit signed values. Finish onboarding; Blocks stores its private environment file and restarts.
  6. Sign in with the first admin account. Use the admin tenant management / onboarding flow to provision one customer tenant, then follow /admin/getting-started to finish that tenant’s setup.

The license is tied to the installation identity and is validated locally; the install does not call ag-manager at runtime. When evaluation expires or a renewal is needed, request a replacement signed block from the operator.

Updating

Back up the data directory, stop Blocks, download and extract the matching platform release, then replace the binary and its adjacent plugins/ and static/ runtime assets. Preserve the existing private environment file and data directory. Start Blocks again.