--- title: "New Environment Setup" slug: "new-environment-setup" description: "Set up your new Unqork environment correctly with this guide, ensuring proper configuration of roles, services, and security for seamless access." tags: ["administration"] updated: 2026-09-11T19:59:04Z published: 2026-09-11T19:59:04Z canonical: "docs.unqork.io/new-environment-setup" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.unqork.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # New Environment Setup A new Unqork environment arrives empty. Before Creators can build and before end-users can access anything, an administrator must configure the foundational settings in the correct order. Skipping steps or performing them out of order can leave Creators without access, services broken, or end-users unable to log in. An Unqork representative typically guides organizations through the initial setup of a new environment. This guide covers the recommended configuration sequence so administrators understand what is involved and can work alongside their Unqork representative or complete setup independently. It assumes the genesis user account is available and that the environment URL is known. ## Setup Sequence ### 1. Sign In as the Genesis User Unqork creates the genesis user account when provisioning the environment. The genesis user has full administrator access and is the only account that exists before any other setup, making it effectively the environment's first administrator. Use the genesis user credentials to complete the initial configuration, then create a named Creator account for ongoing administrative work. If the environment uses a custom domain, the root URL loads the Express application and does not provide a Creator login. To access the Creator platform on a custom domain, append `-designer` to the subdomain — for example, `identity.unqork.io` becomes `identity-designer.unqork.io`. If the genesis user credentials are not available, contact an Unqork representative. ### 2. Configure Creator Roles Creator roles define what Creators can access and do in the environment. Setting up roles before adding Creator accounts ensures that every Creator receives the correct permissions from the beginning. Navigate to [Creator Role Administration](/unqorkai/docs/creator-role-administration) and create the roles the organization needs. At minimum, create: - A role with full access to all administration pages (for example, **Administrator**) - A role with access to Module Builder, Workflow Builder, and workspace management (for example, **Builder**) - Any additional roles for read-only reviewers, QA engineers, or release managers Role names are defined by the organization; Unqork does not prescribe specific names. Limit Production promote permissions to a small group. See [Promoting Resources](/unqorkai/docs/promoting-resources) for the recommended approach. ### 3. Add Creator Accounts After creating roles, add Creator accounts in [Creator User Administration](/unqorkai/docs/creator-user-administration). Assign each Creator to the appropriate role from the previous step. If the organization uses SSO for Creator login, configure SSO in step 5 before adding Creators. Unqork creates SSO-authenticated Creator accounts automatically on first login and assigns the role the SSO configuration specifies. ### 4. Configure Services Services define how modules connect to external systems. Configuring services early ensures that modules can reference them as soon as Creators begin building. Navigate to [Services Administration](/unqorkai/docs/services-administration) and add the service configurations the organization requires: API endpoints, authentication methods, headers, and connection settings. Services are environment-specific. A service configured in Staging must be configured separately in QA, UAT, and Production. If the service credentials or endpoints differ between environments, configure each environment independently. See [Configuration Management Across Environments](/unqorkai/docs/configuration-management-across-environments) for guidance. ### 5. Configure SSO (if applicable) If the organization uses SSO for Creator or end-user authentication, configure it before Creators begin building modules that depend on user identity. Navigate to [SSO (Single Sign-On) Management](/unqorkai/docs/single-sign-on-sso-management) and add an SSO configuration for the appropriate domain: **Designer** for Creator login, **Express** for end-user login. Test the configuration by logging in with a representative account before moving on to the next step. ### 6. Set Global Variables Global Variables store environment-specific values (API base URLs, feature flags, or configuration identifiers) that modules reference by key. Setting them early means modules built in this environment can reference the correct values immediately. Navigate to [Global Variables Administration](/unqorkai/docs/global-variables-administration) and define the key-value pairs the organization needs. Each environment holds its own Global Variables independently; they do not transfer during promotion. Define them separately in each environment. ### 7. Configure Express Roles and Groups Express roles control what end-users can access in published applications. Express groups let administrators assign roles to collections of end-users. Navigate to [Express Role Administration](/unqorkai/docs/express-role-administration) and create the roles end-users need to access published applications. If the organization manages end-users in bulk, also navigate to [Express Group Administration](/unqorkai/docs/express-group-administration) and create the appropriate groups. Express roles and groups are promotable between environment levels. Configure them in Staging and promote to higher environments as part of the standard promotion pipeline. ### 8. Configure Styles Styles control the visual appearance of Express applications. An environment must have at least one style configured before end-users can access published applications. Navigate to [Style Administration](/unqorkai/docs/style-administration-1) and upload or configure the style the organization uses. Set a default style so all applications in the environment inherit a consistent appearance. Styles are promotable. Configure the style in Staging and promote it through the pipeline to Production. ### 9. Configure Environment Security Settings Each environment has independent security settings for authentication, sessions, file uploads, and network policies. Review and configure the following in [Environment Administration](/unqorkai/docs/environment-administration): - **Session management**: Inactivity timeout, absolute session expiry - **Account lockout**: Failed login attempt threshold and lockout duration - **File upload limits**: Maximum file size for end-user uploads - **Content Security Policy (CSP)**: Allowed external resources for Express applications - **Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)**: Allowed origins for API requests These settings do not transfer during promotion. Configure them independently in each environment. ### 10. Verify the Setup Before handing the environment off to Creators: 1. Log in as a Creator with the appropriate build role and confirm access to the Module Builder and workspace tools. 2. Open a service in Services Administration and confirm it connects and returns a response from the target system. 3. If SSO is active, log in with a representative Creator account to confirm the SSO flow completes and the correct role is assigned. 4. Create a test module that references each Global Variable and confirm the expected values appear at runtime. 5. Open Express View on a module and confirm the default style renders correctly. ## Environment-Specific Configuration Reference | Setting | Where to configure | Transfers on promotion? | | --- | --- | --- | | Creator roles | Creator Role Administration | No | | Creator accounts | Creator User Administration | No | | Services | Services Administration | No, configure per environment | | SSO | SSO Management | No | | Global Variables | Global Variables Administration | Yes (promotable) or configure manually | | Express roles | Express Role Administration | Yes (promotable) | | Express groups | Express Group Administration | Yes (promotable) | | Styles | Style Administration | Yes (promotable) | | Session and security settings | Environment Administration | No | --- **Changelog** | Date | Change | | --- | --- | | 2026-08-30 | Initial publication (EN-8074). | Also known as Unqork Users, or Designer Users; is anyone who is inside the Unqork platform. End-users, also known as Express Users, are the individuals accessing an application through Express View. In most cases, end-users are the customers using the product. A URL (uniform resource locator) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the internet. Also known as a web address. Also known as Unqork Users, or Designer Users; is anyone who is inside the Unqork platform. The Unqork front-end application framework that delivers Creator-built applications to end-users. Express is the layer end-users interact with—the published forms, screens, and navigation built in the Module Builder. Express is distinct from Express View, which is a Creator-facing preview tool in the IDE. Use your QA (quality assurance) environment to test applications to ensure reliability, security, and functionality before releasing them to the end-user. The Production environment is the final stage of the development process. Use this environment to promote tested and functioning application so your end-user can interact with it. Single Sign-On is an authentication scheme that enables users to use one set of login credentials across multiple services. APIs (application programming interfaces) are a set of protocols and definitions developers use to build and integrate application software. APIs act as the connective tissue between products and services. An API endpoint is the location where an API receives requests for a specific resource on its server. It's the point of contact between an API client and an API server, and is usually a uniform resource locator (URL) that provides the location of the resource. The Staging environment is the first level of application building in Unqork. Use it to build, test, and style your applications. Use the UAT (user acceptance testing) environment to realistically test and navigate your applications as end-users would use them. End-users, also known as Express Users, are the individuals accessing an application through Express View. In most cases, end-users are the customers using the product. A functionality of a software. For example, Copy and Paste is a feature of a computer's operating system. A key-value pair is a fundamental data structure where a unique "key" is associated with a specific "value," used for organizing and retrieving data efficiently, like in dictionaries or databases. A CSP (cloud service provider) is a company that delivers cloud computing services like storage, databases, and infrastructure to organizations over the internet, allowing users to access computing power, data storage, and applications on demand without managing their own physical hardware, typically paying only for the resources they use. Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) lets you control access to resources located outside a given domain. Express View is how your end-user views your application. Express View also lets you preview your applications to test your configuration and view the styling. This is also the view your end-users will see when interacting with your application. After configuring a module, click Preview in the Module Builder to interact with the module in Express View. Rendering is the process of loading components and displaying the final result on the front-end screen. ## Related - [Configuration Management Across Environments](/configuration-management-across-environments.md) - [Audit Logs](/audit-logs-overview.md)