Kickstarting your Catalyst journey

• If you’re new to cloud development, you’ve probably heard terms like cloud platforms, PaaS, and full stack development. But what do they really mean, and how can you get started quickly?
• This guide will break down these concepts in simple terms and introduce you to Catalyst, a powerful full-stack cloud development platform, and how its CLI (Command Line Interface) can make your development faster and easier.

What are cloud platforms?

• Cloud platforms are online environments  that provide computing resources over the internet. Instead of buying and managing your own servers, you use these platforms to build, deploy, and scale your applications.

• They offer various services like storage, databases, networking, and even machine learning, all accessible remotely so you don’t need to worry about physical hardware.

What is PaaS?

• PaaS stands for platform as a service. It’s a cloud service model that provides a ready-to-use platform where you can develop, run, and manage applications without dealing with the underlying infrastructure.

• Think of PaaS like moving into a ready-to-use workspace where all the underlying infrastructure servers, networking, and storage is already managed for you. You can focus entirely on building and running your applications without worrying about the setup or maintenance of the infrastructure itself

• This means you can build your entire application from UI to server logic and databases within a single platform, making your development faster and more streamlined.

Introducing Catalyst: Your full-stack cloud platform

• Catalyst is a full-stack cloud development platform designed to simplify your app development process. It offers everything from backend services like Compute, Hosting, Storage, Databases, Security and Authentication etc

• With Catalyst, you don’t need to juggle multiple tools or manage servers manually. It’s like having your entire development environment and cloud infrastructure ready out-of-the-box.

• To get started with Catalyst, note that it includes a powerful CLI  enabling fast, scriptable, and precise control over cloud resources, environments, and applications

Why use the Catalyst CLI?

The Catalyst CLI is a powerful tool that lets you interact with Catalyst directly from your terminal

Using the CLI, you can:

1. Initialize New Projects Quickly 

Command:init
Create and configure new Catalyst projects instantly with minimal setup.

2. Deploy Applications Instantly 

Command:deploy [options] [feature]
Deploy your entire Catalyst project — including resources and configurations — to the console with a single command.

3. Manage Backend Services and APIs 

Commands:

• functions:add

• functions:delete

• functions:config

• apig:enable

• apig:disable

• apig:status

Easily add, remove, or configure functions and manage APIs by enabling, disabling, or checking their status.

4. Run and Test Locally 

Commands:

• serve [options]

• functions:shell

Preview and test your functions, AppSail services, and client locally before deployment.

5. Monitor and Debug 

Commands:

• ds:status [job_id]

• iac:status [operation]

Track datastore and import/export jobs, monitor logs, and troubleshoot issues efficiently.

6. Automate Tasks and Workflows 

Command:run-script [command]
Execute predefined scripts to automate repetitive operations and streamline your workflow.

7. Configure Project Settings 

Commands:

• config:set <key=value>

• config:get <key>

• config:list

• config:delete <key>

Manage environment variables, configurations, and other project settings seamlessly.

8. Manage Projects and Access 

Commands:

• project:use [name_or_project_id]

• project:reset

• project:list

• token:generate

• token:revoke

Switch between projects, reset project selections, list available projects, and manage authentication tokens securely.

9. Manage Additional Resources 

Commands:

• appsail:add

• client:setup

• client:delete

• pull

For a complete list of Catalyst CLI commands refer to the official documentation: Catalyst CLI Docs

To quickstart your Catalyst journey:

1. Install the CLI —  You can install it using Catalyst CLI with command 
   npm install -g catalyst-cli.

2. Initialize your project — Run a simple command.
   catalyst init to create a new Catalyst project.

3. Develop and test locally — Build your backend logic and test APIs on your local machine.

4. Deploy to the cloud — With one command, push your app to Catalyst’s cloud infrastructure. 

Learn more: 
Create your first catalyst project 
Deploy your project in catalyst

Wrapping up

• Cloud platforms have fundamentally changed how developers build and deploy applications, making it easier to scale, manage, and innovate without getting bogged down in infrastructure. But even with these advances, juggling multiple tools and services can slow you down.

• The Catalyst CLI lets you manage functions, handle resources, and perform a wide range of tasks within Catalyst making it easier to build, deploy, and maintain apps efficiently.

• See CLI Command Reference for more information.

• If you want a development experience that’s faster, simpler, and more productive, Catalyst CLI is the essential tool to get started.

• Ready to dive in? Give Catalyst CLI a try and start building your cloud apps today!