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Getting started
Dataplicity helps teams operate commercial Linux IoT fleets deployed into customer networks, remote sites, vehicles, kiosks, factories, farms, and other field environments. It also works for individual development devices.
This section walks you through connecting your first Linux device. Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, and Debian are common starting points. Validate other Linux images before deploying them to a fleet.
What Dataplicity is
Dataplicity helps teams build, support, and manage Linux IoT devices after they ship. It provides secure remote access, fleet visibility, diagnostics, logs, alerts, scheduled tasks, and operational workflows for devices running in the field.
For a fuller picture of what the product covers, see What Dataplicity is for.
When to use it
Use Dataplicity when you need to:
- Access devices behind NAT and customer firewalls without port forwarding or VPN setup
- Support field-deployed devices from a central console
- See which devices are online, what customer or site they belong to, and what state they are in
- Collect logs and diagnostics tied to a specific device
- Give support teams controlled access with an audit trail
Supported devices
Dataplicity runs on supported Linux-based edge hardware. Compatibility depends on the distribution, architecture, and current agent release.
See Supported operating systems for details.
Install the agent
Before you start
Your Linux device needs a working internet connection. See Connect your device to the internet for basic Ethernet and WiFi guidance.
Connect a Linux device to Dataplicity:
- Open dataplicity.com and sign up or log in.
- Add a device from your account dashboard. Dataplicity generates a one-line install command for your account.
- Copy and run that exact command on the Linux device you want to manage.
The generated command contains a provisioning credential. Do not publish it, put it in documentation, or replace it with a command copied from another organisation. Always use the command shown for your organisation.
This command installs the device agent on the Linux device. It is separate from the Dataplicity CLI, which operators and developers can install on a workstation.
Follow the app's provisioning guidance before reusing a command in manufacturing or fleet automation.
Confirm the device is online
After installation completes, return to your Dataplicity dashboard. The device should appear in your device list with an online status.
If the device does not appear:
- Check that the device has outbound HTTPS access (see Firewall requirements)
- Verify the system clock is correct - HTTPS will fail on devices with a wildly inaccurate clock
- Review Troubleshooting for agent log guidance
Open a remote shell
Click the device in your dashboard to open a browser-based remote shell. This gives you command-line access to the device without SSH port forwarding or a VPN.
Remote shell works like SSH for most tasks - you can run diagnostics, restart services, read logs, and fix issues while the device stays in the field.
See Remote access for shell, Wormhole, and resilient file-retrieval guidance.
Add fleet context
Once your first device is online, add context so you can find it later:
- Rename the device to something meaningful (customer name, site, serial number)
- Add tags to group devices by customer, region, firmware version, or deployment stage
- Set device properties that your support team will search on
See Fleets and tags for how tagging works at scale.
Add logs, monitors, and tasks
As you move beyond a single test device:
- Logs - collect application and system output tied to each device
- Monitors - watch services, user journeys, scheduled work, and device connectivity
- Scheduled tasks - trigger HTTP automation on a cron schedule
- Fleet jobs - run guarded commands across selected devices with progress and history
- Alerts - get notified when a monitor fails or a device goes offline
These features are covered in Core concepts. Detailed setup guides are in the fleet operations and production deployment sections.
Invite team members
If more than one person will access devices, set up a team rather than sharing account passwords. Teams let you control who can access which devices and maintain an audit trail of operational access.
Next steps for production devices
When you are ready to move from a prototype to field deployment:
- Prepare a Linux device for production
- Install the agent during device imaging
- Review the security model
- Map devices to customers and sites