Getting Started

This guide walks you through running CompliNIST with Docker and creating your first project.

Step 1: Pull and Run CompliNIST

Requires Docker Desktop or Docker Engine.

1. Install Docker (Docker Desktop on Windows/macOS, or Docker Engine on Linux)
2. Visit complinist.com/download for copy-ready commands, or run:

docker pull ghcr.io/stihelc/complinist-lite:lite
docker run -d --name complinist -p 3000:3000 -v complinist-data:/data ghcr.io/stihelc/complinist-lite:lite

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Step 2: Create Your First Project

1. Click New Project on the welcome screen
2. Enter a Project Name (e.g., "My System Authorization")
3. Select your Security Baseline:
   • LOW - For low-impact systems (~50 controls)
   • MODERATE - For moderate-impact systems (~140 controls)
   • HIGH - For high-impact systems (~200+ controls)
4. Click Create Project

Step 3: Build Your Topology

You now have an empty canvas. You can build your network diagram by:

Option A: Drag and Drop (Manual)

1. Click Add Device in the left toolbar
2. Browse device categories (Azure, AWS, Network, etc.)
3. Drag devices onto the canvas
4. Connect devices by dragging from one to another
5. Add security boundaries using Add Boundary

Option B: Import from Terraform

1. Click Projects in the top navigation
2. Select Import Terraform
3. Upload your Terraform plan JSON file
4. Review the imported resources
5. Click Import to generate your topology

See Topology Canvas and Terraform Import for detailed guides.

Step 4: Generate Your SSP

Once your topology is complete:

1. Click SSP in the top navigation
2. Fill in the required system information
3. Review and customize control narratives
4. Click Generate PDF
5. Your SSP document will be saved to your chosen location

See SSP Generation for the complete guide.

What's Next?

• Learn the Topology Canvas - Master the diagram editor
• Import Terraform - Auto-generate diagrams from IaC
• Manage Control Narratives - Customize your implementations

Data Storage

CompliNIST stores project data in the Docker volume mounted at /data inside the container:

Note: The lite Docker image includes the full compliance toolkit at no cost. An optional subscription provides email support and license code delivery; it is not required to use any feature.