Z.E.N. can run locally for development or be deployed to a server for always-on operation.
Deployment Options
| Method | Best For | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Local | Development, personal use | Local Development |
| Docker | Self-hosted servers, CI environments | Docker |
| Cloud VPS | 24/7 operation with automatic HTTPS | Cloud Deployment |
| Windows | Native Windows or WSL2 | Windows |
Database Options
| Option | Setup | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| SQLite (default) | Zero config, just omit DATABASE_URL | Single-user, CLI usage, local development |
| Remote PostgreSQL | Set DATABASE_URL to hosted DB | Cloud deployments, shared access |
| Local PostgreSQL | Docker --profile with-db | Self-hosted, Docker-based setups |
SQLite stores data at ~/.zen/zen.db (or /.zen/zen.db in Docker). It is auto-initialized on first run.
Testing
| Guide | Audience |
|---|---|
| E2E Testing | Developers and operators |
| E2E Testing on WSL | Developers on Windows |