constellation/docs/versioned_docs/version-2.3/getting-started/first-steps.md

# First steps with Constellation

The following steps guide you through the process of creating a cluster and deploying a sample app. This example assumes that you have successfully [installed and set up Constellation](install.md),
and have access to a cloud subscription.

:::tip
If you don't have a cloud subscription, check out [MiniConstellation](first-steps-local.md), which lets you set up a local Constellation cluster using virtualization.
:::

## Create a cluster

1. Create the configuration file for your selected cloud provider.

    <tabs groupId="csp">
    <tabItem value="azure" label="Azure">

    ```bash
    constellation config generate azure
    ```

    </tabItem>
    <tabItem value="gcp" label="GCP">

    ```bash
    constellation config generate gcp
    ```

    </tabItem>
    <tabItem value="aws" label="AWS">

    ```bash
    constellation config generate aws
    ```

    </tabItem>
    </tabs>

    This creates the file `constellation-conf.yaml` in your current working directory.

2. Fill in your cloud provider specific information.

    First you need to create an [IAM configuration](../workflows/config.md#creating-an-iam-configuration). The easiest way to do this is the following CLI command:

    <tabs groupId="csp">

    <tabItem value="azure" label="Azure">

    ```bash
    constellation iam create azure --region=westus --resourceGroup=constellTest --servicePrincipal=spTest
    ```

    This command creates IAM configuration on the Azure region `westus` creating a new resource group `constellTest` and a new service principal `spTest`.

    Note that CVMs are currently only supported in a few regions, check [Azure's products available by region](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/global-infrastructure/services/?products=virtual-machines&regions=all). These are:
    * `westus`
    * `eastus`
    * `northeurope`
    * `westeurope`

    </tabItem>

    <tabItem value="gcp" label="GCP">

    ```bash
    constellation iam create gcp --projectID=yourproject-12345 --zone=europe-west2-a --serviceAccountID=constell-test
    ```

    This command creates IAM configuration in the GCP project `yourproject-12345` on the GCP zone `europe-west2-a` creating a new service account `constell-test`.

    Note that only regions offering CVMs of the `N2D` series are supported. You can find a [list of all regions in Google's documentation](https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/regions-zones#available), which you can filter by machine type `N2D`.

    </tabItem>

    <tabItem value="aws" label="AWS">

    ```bash
    constellation iam create aws --zone=eu-central-1a --prefix=constellTest
    ```

    This command creates IAM configuration for the AWS zone `eu-central-1a` using the prefix `constellTest` for all named resources being created.

    Constellation OS images are currently replicated to the following regions:
     * `eu-central-1`
     * `us-east-2`
     * `ap-south-1`

    If you require the OS image to be available in another region, [let us know](https://github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/issues/new?assignees=&labels=&template=feature_request.md&title=Support+new+AWS+image+region:+xx-xxxx-x).

    You can find a list of all [regions in AWS's documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/using-regions-availability-zones.html#concepts-available-regions).

    </tabItem>
    </tabs>

    Now, fill the output values of the command into the corresponding fields of the `constellation-conf.yaml` file.

    :::tip

    To learn how to delete your IAM configuration and to get more detailed information on the IAM process and the VM types supported by Constellation, see the [Configuration workflow](../workflows/config.md).

    :::

<!--
    :::info

    In case you don't have access to CVMs on Azure, you may use less secure  [trusted launch VMs](../workflows/trusted-launch.md) instead. For this, set **confidentialVM** to `false` in the configuration file.

    :::
-->

3. Create the cluster with one control-plane node and two worker nodes. `constellation create` uses options set in `constellation-conf.yaml`.

    :::tip

    On Azure, you may need to wait 15+ minutes at this point for role assignments to propagate.

    :::

    ```bash
    constellation create --control-plane-nodes 1 --worker-nodes 2 -y
    ```

    This should give the following output:

    ```shell-session
    $ constellation create ...
    Your Constellation cluster was created successfully.
    ```

4. Initialize the cluster

    :::caution

    Initialization on **Azure** might be slow and might take up to 60 minutes to initialize all Kubernetes nodes. We're already working with Microsoft to resolve the issue. The stability of already initialized clusters isn't affected.

    :::

    ```bash
    constellation init
    ```

    This should give the following output:

    ```shell-session
    $ constellation init
    Your Constellation master secret was successfully written to ./constellation-mastersecret.json
    Initializing cluster ...
    Your Constellation cluster was successfully initialized.

    Constellation cluster identifier  g6iMP5wRU1b7mpOz2WEISlIYSfdAhB0oNaOg6XEwKFY=
    Kubernetes configuration          constellation-admin.conf

    You can now connect to your cluster by executing:
            export KUBECONFIG="$PWD/constellation-admin.conf"
    ```

    The cluster's identifier will be different in your output.
    Keep `constellation-mastersecret.json` somewhere safe.
    This will allow you to [recover your cluster](../workflows/recovery.md) in case of a disaster.

    :::info

    Depending on your CSP and region, `constellation init` may take 10+ minutes to complete.

    :::

5. Configure kubectl

    ```bash
    export KUBECONFIG="$PWD/constellation-admin.conf"
    ```

## Deploy a sample application

1. Deploy the [emojivoto app](https://github.com/BuoyantIO/emojivoto)

    ```bash
    kubectl apply -k github.com/BuoyantIO/emojivoto/kustomize/deployment
    ```

2. Expose the frontend service locally

    ```bash
    kubectl wait --for=condition=available --timeout=60s -n emojivoto --all deployments
    kubectl -n emojivoto port-forward svc/web-svc 8080:80 &
    curl http://localhost:8080
    kill %1
    ```

## Terminate your cluster

```bash
constellation terminate
```

This should give the following output:

```shell-session
$ constellation terminate
You are about to terminate a Constellation cluster.
All of its associated resources will be DESTROYED.
This action is irreversible and ALL DATA WILL BE LOST.
Do you want to continue? [y/n]:
```

Confirm with `y` to terminate the cluster:

```shell-session
Terminating ...
Your Constellation cluster was terminated successfully.
```

Optionally, you can also [delete your IAM resources](../workflows/config.md#deleting-an-iam-configuration).