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Start Buster Services

The buster start command launches the Buster services locally using Docker Compose. This creates a fully functional local instance of Buster for development and testing.

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Basic Usage

buster start

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Command Options

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Prerequisites

Before running the start command, ensure you have:

1. Docker and Docker Compose installed on your system
2. Authenticated with buster auth (if needed for your setup)
3. Configured LLM and Reranker settings with buster config (will be prompted if not configured)

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What Happens When You Start

The start command performs these steps:

1. Environment Setup: Creates a .buster directory in your home folder to store configuration
2. Configuration Check: Verifies LLM and Reranker settings, prompting you if needed
3. Docker Container Setup: Launches containers for all Buster services
4. Service Initialization: Configures the services for first use

This is what happens behind the scenes:

1. Extracts embedded assets (Docker Compose files, environment templates)
2. Creates necessary directories for persistent data
3. Sets up the configuration in .env files
4. Launches Docker Compose with the up -d command

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Configuration Management

The command handles several configuration aspects:

• Prompts for OpenAI API key if not already configured
• Manages Reranker settings for improved search results
• Updates LiteLLM configuration for the AI components
• Creates Docker volumes for persistent data storage

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Example Output

Core configuration files found. Skipping initial asset extraction.

--- OpenAI API Key Configuration ---
Checking for existing API key...
Found cached OpenAI API key.

--- Reranker Configuration ---
Checking for existing reranker settings...
Found cached reranker settings.

--- Configuration Setup/Check Complete ---

Using custom LiteLLM configuration: /Users/username/.buster/litellm_config/config.yaml

Starting Buster services... (this may take a few minutes)

Buster services started successfully.

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Telemetry Options

By default, Buster collects anonymous usage data to improve the product. You can disable this by using the --no-track flag:

buster start --no-track

This will set TELEMETRY_ENABLED=false in the environment configuration.

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Accessing Buster Services

After starting the services:

• The Buster web interface is available at http://localhost:3000
• The API is accessible at http://localhost:3001

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Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

• Docker connection errors: Ensure Docker is running on your system
• Port conflicts: Check if other services are using ports 3000-3001
• API key issues: Run buster config to update your API keys
• Slow startup: The first start may take longer to download Docker images

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Stopping the Services

To stop the Buster services, use the buster stop command.

If you need to reset the services to a clean state, use buster reset.

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Best Practices

1. Check Docker First: Ensure Docker is running before starting Buster
2. Manage API Keys: Keep your API keys up to date with buster config
3. Stop When Not in Use: Use buster stop when you’re done to free system resources
4. Monitor Logs: Use Docker’s logging commands for troubleshooting

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Related Commands

• buster stop - Stop the Buster services
• buster reset - Reset the Buster services to a clean state
• buster config - Configure LLM and Reranker settings