---
title: "Quick Start: Evaluate Rocket.Chat"
slug: "evaluate-rocketchat"
updated: 2026-09-03T18:13:43Z
published: 2026-09-03T18:13:43Z
canonical: "docs.rocket.chat/evaluate-rocketchat"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rocket.chat/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start: Evaluate Rocket.Chat

This guide gets you from nothing to a running Rocket.Chat workspace you can evaluate. The fastest self-managed path is a Starter workspace deployed with Docker Compose.

> [!NOTE]
> A Starter workspace is provisioned automatically when you deploy Rocket.Chat (as of version 6.5). It is free, supports up to 50 users, and includes most paid capabilities with usage limits. See [Our Plans](/v1/docs/our-plans) for details.

## Before you begin

- A Linux server that meets the [System Requirements](/v1/docs/system-requirements).
- A domain whose A record (or CNAME record) points to your server's public IP address.

## Deploy an evaluation workspace

1. Install Docker and Git on your server:

```plaintext
curl -L https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo apt install git
```
2. Clone the official Rocket.Chat compose repository and enter the directory:

```plaintext
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/RocketChat/rocketchat-compose.git
cd rocketchat-compose
```
3. Create your configuration file from the example:

```plaintext
cp .env.example .env
```
4. Edit `.env` and set the `RELEASE` variable to an exact Rocket.Chat version and your workspace domain. Pin a fixed version instead of `latest` for predictable behavior. The [Deploy with Docker and Docker Compose](/v1/docs/deploy-with-docker-docker-compose) guide explains each variable, including the monitoring stack options.
5. Start the deployment:

```plaintext
docker compose up -d
```
6. Open your workspace URL in a browser and follow the on-screen prompts to create the first admin user. Your workspace and email are registered to the Rocket.Chat Cloud portal during this setup.

## What to evaluate first

- Create channels and teams, and invite a few test users.
- Connect your identity provider. LDAP, SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect setup guides are in the Secure Rocket.Chat section.
- Install an app or two from the [Marketplace](/v1/docs/rocketchat-marketplace).

## If Starter cannot represent your target deployment

For classified or air-gapped environments, sovereign cloud requirements, federation scenarios, or architectures beyond Starter limits, request a guided evaluation. Rocket.Chat offers a scoped Proof of Concept for these engagements. See the PoC section in [Our Plans](/v1/docs/our-plans).

> [!NOTE]
> If you exceed Starter limits, the workspace is restricted from adding new users. Existing users and data remain accessible, and you can upgrade to a paid plan without data migration.